Windows XP SP3 RC2 Build 3311 FULL

[#1]

Windows XP  Service Pack 3

Have just come across this
Windows XP SP3 RC2 Build 3311 FULL
on Softpedia download site
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Signatures-Updates/Windows-XP-SP3.shtml
And wonder if someone "in the know" can read through the "blurb" and advise me if this is a "good working version"  or is it a "trial and tribulation" effort....
I don`t understand the technical wording on some of these sites, and would  like to know if I should (need to) download it.....
Bearing in mind it is 315mb, I shall probably have to do it overnight, on my "freeby" usage....

[#2]

Agree with that, best to wait.
BUT if you want to try it, get it straight from Microsoft. It's available there and can even be installed via Windows Update through a (scripted) registry tweak.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate 2 via Windows Update http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=8357493
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate 2 is now available to the public. Specific registry settings will allow you to download SP3 via Windows Update.

[#3]

RC means it is a release candidate. This means Microsoft are looking to make this version the final release BUT it is still classed as Beta software, not a fully tested release so may still have some problems under certain conditions.
If you are not familiar with running Beta MS software I would wait until the official version is available via windows update as any last minute problems will have (hopefully) been resolved by then.
As with all Service Packs, you really need to have a means to recover back to the previous set-up - i.e. a backup -  before attempting to install it.

[#4]

Hi to all three !
  Thanks very much for the replies. 
You have all made it very clear that this is not for me !... Thank you.... No, I am not IT professional, and pretty much take software programs "as they come", and needed some kind of reassurance that putting this on to my laptop would not do any harm..... 

It is not "crystal clear" from the write up about it, that this is still in the (almost) beta testing stage, and I had not heard about any SP3 apart from a Vista upgrade which was still in the making... Put the two together in my mind, and up came the "caution" notice ! ! so........ thanks to all three of you,....
I hope this post will help others to understand what is going on