[Chachazz]

By Elizabeth Montalbano, IDG News Service
October 13, 2005

Unauthorized Windows XP Service Pack 3 surfaces on Web site

"A Microsoft Corp. employee has warned against downloading an unauthorized version of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) that has surfaced on a popular Web site that provides software patches.

On a Microsoft user newsgroup posting last week, Mike Brannigan, an enterprise strategy and senior consultant at Microsoft, told users that downloading an unofficial version of Windows XP SP3 provided on The Hotfix.net would likely harm their computer and put them "out of support from Microsoft or an OEM (original equipment manufacturer)" because it is not an official Microsoft package" .

"You would be well advised to stay clear of this fake SP3 package," Brannigan wrote in the post, which appeared on Google Groups.."

"It is not suitable for testing as it is NOT SP3. ...Anyone who installs this thinking they are getting SP3 (even as a preview) is being grossly mislead and is posing a significant potentially non-recoverable risk to their PC and data."

InfoWorld»

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Blimey! How could they do that!

[Allsortgroup]

Blimey! How could they do that!

[Antartic-Boy]

OMG.. Can't beleave this man

[HarryMay]

Isn't it always safer just to get the cd sent to you by mail?I got sp2 by mail(on dial-up it would have taken days anyway),microsoft has always been able to send the cd.s free,and it helps in case youhave to reinstall.They sent console recovery cd. free also.