Windows XP SP3 Adds 10% Performance Boost, Tests Show

Information Week ^ | May 12, 2008 | Paul McDougall

[Zakeet]

Researchers said Windows XP Service Pack 3 delivers a measurable performance boost when compared to Windows XP with Service Pack 2.

Windows XP runs some applications up to 10% faster with the latest service pack installed, a research firm has found.

"We were pleasantly surprised to discover that Windows XP Service Pack 3 (v.3244) delivers a measurable performance boost to this aging desktop OS," wrote staff at exo.performance.network, in a blog post.

The researchers found that a PC loaded with Microsoft's XP SP3 completed the OfficeBench test suite in less than 50 seconds. A similarly configured system running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 took more than 50 seconds to complete the test suite -- which measures how quickly a computer can perform common tasks in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

"Since SP3 was supposed to be mostly a bug-fix/patch consolidation release ... the unexpected speed boost comes as a nice bonus," the researchers wrote.

They added that XP SP3's slick performance may lead some computer users to forego Windows Vista. Exo.performance.network found that, with the new service pack, XP is now two times faster than the newer Microsoft OS.

The tests were conducted late last year, on a pre-release build of XP SP3. So it's possible the final version is even faster.

It's not all four-star reviews for the service pack, however.

Within hours of its general release last week, Windows XP SP3 began drawing hundreds of complaints from users who claim the update is wreaking havoc on their PCs.

The problems with XP SP3, according to posters on Microsoft's Windows XP message board, range from spontaneous reboots to outright system crashes.

[Izzy Dunne]

XP SP3 completed the OfficeBench test suite in less than 50 seconds. A similarly configured system running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 took more than 50 seconds to complete the test suite

So it goes from "more than 50 sec" to "less than 50 sec"...

Gollee, Gomer, I'm impressed.

I wonder why they didn't put any actual numbers in the article.

[for-q-clinton]

I still spend far less time dealing with problems caused by Microsoft changing code they weren't expecting me to use, than with Linux developers changing code I was supposed to use.

Funny line!

[Redleg Duke]

"I’ve been advised to not download it until the “bugs” have been cleaned up."

Those aren't "bugs", those are merely undocumented features provided free of charge! :-)

[JoeSixPack1]

Go to MS Update and turn OFF auto updates, OR

Set it to notify you before installing any updates.

Or adjust your MS Firewall settings.

[Swordmaker]

Re: monitor suit “settlement”

That’s because there has been no settlement on that case. Apple is fully confident they will win and are still advertising the monitors as capable of displaying “millions of colors.”

Why are these people complaining about Apple’s monitor capability which can actually display millions of colors with pixel level dithering technology? They didn’t file suit against all the PC monitor makers who advertised their 1024x768 pixel monitors were capable of displaying millions of colors when they actually could only display 786,432 pixels.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Interesting.....considering that bench-marking Vista and XP side by side puts XP in the lead, I wonder how much farther ahead it is now?

[Blood of Tyrants]

If the Microsoft developers REALLY cared, they could get rid of 50% of the code as being useless garbage that was bypassed years ago and REALLY speed up the system.

[JoeSixPack1]

..actually could only display 786,432 pixels.

And you care because you think you were deceived or because you are the only person on earth that can see beyond the scope of the human eye?

Or, like a friend who had a single bad pixel on his monitor went on a rampage at the customer service desk wanting a replaced monitor for his laptop in the next 5 mins or else??

[Mr. K]

This is how Microsoft works.

They don’t want anyone to use XP anymore, they want us all to buy Vista.

So they relase a ‘service pack’ that cripples your XP installation

Don’t believe they would do something like that? I know for a fact they have in the past- I caught them at it myself.

[WVKayaker]

...then there's a problem with the interface between the chair and the keyboard...

But, the amazing fact is that it only happens with Windoze! I first learned computers in 1966, in the Navy. I have a clue. The problem is mostly IE related, but it falls overinto everything else.

I am having a new web-based system built, with Xserve equipment from Apple. It will use Apache client ware. I won't pretend to know what my tech is doing, but it sure looks good, and will be more secure!

My people will all get MacBooks, with ATT connect cards. We can do business better, AND likely much MORE SECURELY, with less hassle!

[Hacklehead]

I installed SP2 on a laptop and PC and both became intolerably slow as a result. In the end I had to remove them. Has anyone else had this problem?

[Mr. K]

The title should be:

WindowsXP SP3 Causes Numerous Problems

not:

Windows XP SP3 Adds 10% Performance Boost, Tests Show

[ncpatriot]

I’m such a dummy when it comes to Tech. I use Mozilla Firefox. To get to MS do I have to open Internet Explorer? Thanx

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

But, the amazing fact is that it only happens with Windoze!

Yes, I've heard it all before. It's always the computer's fault. It's never the user's fault.

Just like all them guns that keep goin' off without warning.

[Salo]

I put sp3 on my laptop (amd chipped) over the weekend and haven’t seen any problems - or noticed any speed increases. I can still burn DVDs thus far, so I don’t think they snuck any DRM in, either.

I’d recommend not doing anything to a production system at work, but it’s worth trying out on a home system.

[CedarDave]

As far as I’m aware, SP3 is still an optional update, and not an automatic update [not sure if that has changed as yet].

It showed up as a regular MS/Windows update on my machine last week. I have deferred installing it until I can do a more complete backup of everything (recommended by MS before installing).

[ANGGAPO]

I downloaded SP-3 last week. I am using an H-P Compaq Presario with a full house of RAM. So far I have not had a problem with it, and it runs faster since SP-3 was installed.

[RJS1950]

I run both Vista and XP Pro and never had any real problems. SP3 does seem to have better memory management capabilities and some of the database and development apps do seem to run faster.

[ExTexasRedhead]

You’ll have to ask our resident FR PC experts about that. We can hope that the morons at Microsoft has it fixed by then.

[Bosco]

Release versions of .dll’s always run faster than debug versions...