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XP SP3 delayed by RMS
Author: Gareth HalfacreePublished: 2nd May 2008
If you're hoping to install Windows XP SP3 from an official source, you'll have to wait a little while longer.
The update, which promises speed improvements alongside bugfixes galore and which is likely to be the last official Service Pack produced for the last-generation operating system, was supposed to be released to Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center on the 29th of April. Don't bother rushing off to check – it never happened.
According to ZDNet blogger Mary Jo Foley the reason is due to a compatibility issue between SP3 and the Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System, or RMS. RMS is a point-of-sale system developed by Microsoft and aimed at small businesses, so it's not likely to be something that'll stop any of our readers installing SP3 on their home machines.
Nevertheless, Microsoft has elected to delay the release of the service pack until a filter can be put in place preventing systems with Microsoft Dynamic RMS installed from being offered SP3. Foley quotes an un-named Microsoft spokesman as saying that “the fix is currently in testing and will be available as soon as that process is complete.”
The issue doesn't just affect Windows XP's latest service pack, either – whatever the incompatibility with RMS is, Windows Vista SP1 causes the same issues. As a result, Microsoft has chosen to remove Vista SP1 from the list of updates delivered to systems via Automatic Updates until a similar filter can be developed to prevent installation on a system running RMS. Unlike XP SP3, Vista SP1 will remain available for manual downloading and installation via the Microsoft Download Center and the 'Custom' option in Windows Update.
If you are running RMS and would still quite like to update your system to the latest version – something that won't be possible even after the 'fix' has been deployed and the service packs returned to their rightful places – then Microsoft's only advice is to “contact Microsoft Customer Support Services for additional information.” If you've already installed XP SP3 or Vista SP1 on your point-of-sale system, then I'd advise crossing your fingers and checking your backups.
Anybody here still waiting for XP SP3, or did you get too impatient and download it from another source? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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Comments (19)
I know an MS beta tester who managed to download it in the short time it was available. It's installed on my PC at work now.
Apparently MS won't be making any changes to the service pack, they are going to get round the RMS issue by putting filters on the auto update system to stop RMS users installing it for now. Once they have these filters in place they will be re-releasing SP3.
So I would expect it to be available very soon.
http://download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/software/svpk/2008/04/windowsxp-kb936929-sp3-x86-enu_c81472f7eeea2eca421e116cd4c03e2300ebfde4.exe
There's just not an official page right now (and it's not been pushed out to WSUS etc. yet), but the download worked fine for me. Been running the RC2 version for a while now with no problems so I'm rolling it out to some of the PCs here at work with absolutely no problems so far.
(crosses fingers, touches wood, hugs lucky rabbit's foot)
either you are small or the rabbit was huge. :D
Downloading now, this is the final one? verified?
I don't really want to move to vista and can't really as it's so unstable...
it's better than it was at start but vista still = 2-3 bluescreens per day even with a clean install with only nvidia mobo drivers + ati video drivers installed... linux/xp on the same setup is 100% rock-stable
it's a shame as vista seems to have the memory management of linux with the compatibility of xp... when it's not busy bluescreening that is :(
yeah, my brothers computer is rock solid and works with vista.