Help on windows xp service pack 3!!!?!?

Question

i just downloaded it and it took like a hour for it to all get installed when it finished installing nothing happend it told me to restart the computer to complete the installation so i did i load my pc and nothing has changed it still looks plain!! whats happend?

Answer 1

it is mainly a security and ANTI-MODDING update

it stopped my vista theme from working

Answer 2

Q: What are these new features I keep hearing about?

A: Windows XP Service Pack 3 will not include any major new features, but it will include four minor new features that improve the system's reliability and security. Contrary to reports, Microsoft has been very up-front about these functional additions for quite some time now.

These new features include:

Network Access Protection compatibility. Announced years ago, this feature allows Windows XP machines to interact with the NAP feature in Windows Server 2008. This functionality is built into the RTM version of Windows Vista as well.

Product Key-less install option. As with Windows Vista, new XP with SP3 installs can proceed without entering a product key during Setup.

Kernel Mode Cryptographics Module. A new kernel module that "encapsulates several different cryptographic algorithms," according to Microsoft.

"Black hole" router detection algorithm. XP gains the ability to ignore network routers that incorrectly drop certain kinds of network packets. This, too, is a feature of Windows Vista.

And that's about it. Nothing dramatic, as promised.

also visit this Microsoft Support Site for everything SP3 did to your computer. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480/

i think all the pictures you are seeing are from users posting SP3  success and are using 3rd party software to make their computer look like vista.  i did a search to see what you were seeing and one was something that i used with WindowBlinds software.  if you want to make your XP look like almost an exact replica of Vista go here. http://www.windowsxlive.net/vista-transf...   ive used this before as well but you need to follow its instructions very carefully