First, the ESR is not really actively maintained, anymore. It only exists due to MS releasing out-of-band emergency updates long after the EOL. The filters and rules for creating media might be off, and some static download links wrong. Everything has since moved on, and MS might soon begin removing some XP links from their servers. Eventually, they will purge XP and the EOL Offices from their catalog, too. When that happens, this ESR becomes worthless.
more details, I have selected the option ''include service packs'' and it only downloads the SP3. why ????
WOU is intended to be used for multiple target OS on
unknown patch levels. It is not intended for creating a tailor-made media for one target system.
So, if you include Service Packs, the created media contains SP3 and supports updating Windows XP RTM, SP1, SP1a, SP2, and SP3 (first the latest SP, then the rest of the patches). If, however, you are on SP3 already, uncheck the SP option. The resulting media will NOT contain SP3 and only support updating Windows XP SP3.
I' am already using SP3 but if this software detects it then it should either download nothing or download them all SP1, SP2, SP3
Nope, Service Packs are cumulative, SP3 contains all previous ones. Only the latest one is required.
don't know why the service pack thing is not available on the final window in which you select everything you want to install in your PC ???
That's because it is not required. WOU is only for bringing a system up-to-date (security-wise). It makes no sense giving you the choice to install an older SP, as that wouldn't be secure. Plus, the normal patches determined and downloaded by WOU for inclusion into the media absolutely require the latest SP. In other words, the media contains only the XP security patches released after SP3, not anything prior.
why the hell is it downloading things that are already included in SP3 ???
See above, the filters might not be accurate, anymore. Did you extract the WOU archive completely, preserving the complete directory structure? If not, that explains.
Plus, even SP3 does not contain absolutely everything released.
I don't want to say it but I do.... this software is junk and far from being perfect
I still don't understand why it downloads updates for german language or updates non compatible with this Windows version...
however it misses some Visual basic versions that are compatible....
Development focus is on the main package. Nobody really cares about XP, anymore, including MS.
''embedded updates''
As I see it just now, WOU never has, does not and never will support any embedded versions. Especially the "POSReady" hack is not in WOU, and all XP Embedded updates not included.