The last upgrade to the popular but dying-or-maybe-not Windows XP operating system was supposed to be out Tuesday, but Microsoft decided to delay the release of XP Service Pack 3 to the Microsoft Download Center. SP3 was released to manufacturing on April 21 and a release via MSDN and Technet download was scheduled for May 2.
Microsoft cited a compatibility issue between SP3 and the Microsoft Dynamics RMS for small and midsize businesses. The glitch also affects Windows Vista Service Pack 1, which Microsoft began pushing out for automatic updates last week.
Vista Features
SP3 includes a variety of bug fixes and minor enhancements to XP. Several Windows Vista features are also provided, including Network Access Protection, “black hole” router detection, the Microsoft Kernel Cryptographic Module, and others. Each successive service pack includes all previous fixes.
The supported operating systems include Windows XP, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Home Edition N, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional Edition, Windows XP Professional N, Windows XP Service Pack 1, Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows XP Starter Edition, and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. The download size, depending on selected components, is between 428KB and one megabyte.
Microsoft has repeatedly said it will end OEM and shrink-wrapped sales for XP after June 30, but there has been a groundswell of support for XP as reports of problems with the newer Vista OS continue. XP Home has been granted a pardon until 2010 on low-end computers such as the Asus Eee.
Even as XP’s end approaches, the reports of its death, to paraphrase Mark Twain, may be greatly exaggerated. On Monday, news reports indicated that computer makers Dell, HP and Lenovo will use loopholes in their Microsoft licenses to continue offering XP beyond June 30.
‘Downgrade License’
Dell’s contract reportedly enables it to provide XP Professional as…