How to Uninstall Windows XP SP3 Beta and Release Candiate Versions

With the impending release of latest service pack for Windows XP – Service Pack 3 (SP3), users who install beta or release candidate test versions of Windows XP may wish to uninstall the the beta releases or RC versions of the service pack, as the final RTM version of SP3 for Windows XP may not install if there is any previous test release installed, or not on Windows XP SP2 status.

To uninstall any version of Windows XP SP3 Release Candidate or Beta versions, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, then Control Panel, and choose Add and Remove Programs. Alternatively, click Start, click Run, type appwiz.cpl, and then click OK.
  2. Click Change or Remove Programs.
  3. Click Windows XP Service Pack 3 (936929).
  4. Click Remove.
  5. Restart the computer.

The uninstallation steps should work for Windows XP SP3 RTM or final version too, if Microsoft doesn’t make SP3 mandatory and cannot be uninstalled.



This entry was posted on Friday, March 28th, 2008 at 11:32 am and is filed under Windows XP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

14 Responses to “How to Uninstall Windows XP SP3 Beta and Release Candiate Versions”

  1. John Revers
    May 4th, 2008 07:19
    14

    This happend to me to day aswell. The only thing was to do a repair install with SP2 intergrated. That removed the SP 3 Beta that was slipsteamed. After that I installed SP3 again and worked great.

  2. Tom
    May 1st, 2008 07:34
    13

    Help, when I tried to uninstall my sp3 v5508 it said it has been uninstalled, but then when I checked the version it’s still showing sp3 v5508 instead of sp2. I also look in the windows directory but the $NtServicePackUninstall$ is gone. is there another way to uninstall sp3 v5508?

  3. Windows XP SP3 Finale Version 5.1 Build 5512 RTM » Tip and Trick
    April 22nd, 2008 12:49
    12

    [...] The CD disc image for Windows XP SP3 and standalone installer package downloaded via Microsoft Download Center has the size of roughly 580 MB, while download via Windows Update starts from 70 MB. The service pack 3 only intends for 32-bit edition of Windows XP, and not applicable to the 64-bit version of Windows XP. It can be installed on Windows Vista with base install of SP1 or SP2, and works with any edition of XP. It’s also reported that system installed with Windows XP SP3 RC v.3300 or later can upgrade directly to final version of SP3 without need to uninstall beta or release candidate versions of XP SP3. [...]

  4. admin
    April 17th, 2008 15:47
    11

    Try this:

    http://www.tipandtrick.net/2008/windows-xp-sp3-bsod-endless-reboot-loop-with-stop-c0000139-on-gdi32dll-error/

  5. Alan
    April 17th, 2008 04:49
    10

    I’m sorry it was gdi32.dll when I choose restore option after booting from the Windows XP CD it ask for administrator password. I don’t have an administrator password set. When I just press enter it says password is incorrect and after the 3rd try the system reboots. Any more suggestions.

  6. admin
    April 17th, 2008 01:48
    9

    gdi.dll or gdi32.dll? If it’s gdi32.dll, boot from XP CD, the select Recovery Options, then copy and replace the gdi32.dll from CD the service pack to replace the incorrect version on \Windows directory.

  7. Alan
    April 16th, 2008 22:57
    8

    Installed Windows Service Pack 3 and when the system restarted I got a blue screen problem with gdi.dll. I tried to restart with last know good and it didn’t work, tried to start in safe mode and it didn’t work. What can I do to get my system back running. Help???

    It made a backup of the old windows files but I can’t even get to windows to remove service pack 3 and revert back to SP2.

  8. Andrew
    April 10th, 2008 21:09
    7

    There was nothing in the Add/Remove Programs entry to remove it. right clicking or otherwise. Not even the “help and support” link that sometimes has a repair option with remove in it.
    I had to search the registry for “Windows XP Service Pack 3″. Eventually I came across an entry that contained the path to the uninstall program and directory. It was a hidden file and folder structure;
    C:\WINDOWS\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst\spuninst.exe
    running this file started the SP3 uninstall program and away it went! (took a while, though, after warning of some programs that may stop working – they didn’t)
    PS: the SP3 build I had was 3244 RC1.

  9. admin
    April 10th, 2008 15:26
    6

    Try to right click on it and see if there is Uninstall option.

  10. Andrew
    April 10th, 2008 04:36
    5

    ….great!
    But what happens when the Add/Remove Programs interface doesn’t have a “Remove” button?! :/

  11. How to Uninstall Windows XP SP3 Beta and Release Candiate Versions (Excerpt) » My Digital Life
    April 5th, 2008 13:54
    4

    [...] reading How to Uninstall Windows XP SP3 Beta and Release Candiate Versions at Tip and [...]

  12. Deyaa Addeen Fahmy
    April 1st, 2008 14:05
    3

    welldone, thanks.

  13. admin
    March 28th, 2008 18:17
    2

    435987 days? It will be closer than you think. :)

  14. Andrew Askew
    March 28th, 2008 18:06
    1

    So what do you think, is it worth it to install the RC2 refresh now? or wait another 435987 days to install the RTM?

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