Windows XP SP3 and IE

Microsoft may have put a temporary freeze on Windows XP SP3 due to compatibility concerns, but that hasn't stopped most folks from installing the Service Pack anyway. The fact of the matter is that unless you use Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS), you're probably in the clear and SP3 install files can be easily had if you're willing to do a little detective work. Here's a question, though: What precautions should one take before installing SP3? If you're an Internet Explorer user, you might want to take stock of your situation before installing. IE6 users will have the option of upgrading to either IE7 or IE8 beta 1 after installing, though they can elect to keep on using version 6. Similarly IE7 users will have the option of upgrading to IE8b1. But what if you're already using IE8b1? Microsoft advises you to uninstall the browser before installing SP3 and then reinstalling it afterward. The company warns that XP SP3 should not be installed on any system containing any beta version of Internet Explorer.

For more on IE and SP3:
- see this Ars Technica article