[newzhunter]

Microsoft is poised to release Windows Vista Service Pack (SP1) to the retail channel this week. And the final release-to-manufacturing (RTM) of Windows XP SP3 is not far behind, according to testing sources.

Amazon.com has published to its site Vista SP1 availability dates of Wednesday March 19.

Microsoft officials have been saying for the past few weeks to expect Microsoft to release Vista SP1 through retail channels and via Windows Update in mid-March. Even though Microsoft released Vista SP1 to manufacturing in early February — and (after user protest) delivered the final SP1 bits to its TechNet and Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) subscribers a couple of weeks after that — company officials said they were holding back on making the service pack more broadly available due to driver-installation problems.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has removed XP SP3 from its private Connect test site, according to testers who requested anonymity, in preparation for the delivery of the final XP SP3 bits.

Over the weekend of March 15, another new test build of XP SP3 leaked out. The latest XP SP3 build, No. 5503, was available on torrent sites over the weekend, testers said.

Said one tester: “A new build of SP3 is floating on the net, build 5503. The last build, the public RC2 was Build 3311 (which Microsoft released in mid-February) so it’s quite a jump between the two.”

The aforementioned tester said that the XP SP3 5503 build didn’t seem to include any noticeable new features or functionality. Other testers wondered whether the new SP3 build was real or fake.

Microsoft officials have said to expect XP SP3 to ship by mid-2008. Web site PCInpact earlier this year said Microsoft planned to ship the final version of XP SP3 the week of March 23, a date Microsoft would neither confirm nor deny when I asked.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1269

[tUx]

Time to buy a new copy of original Windows XP with SP3 soon.

[psylance]

Use nLite, save $

[Bishio]

wah xp service pack3 faster come out!!!

[trouble-o-lot]

I tried its RC2 version of XP SP3. Was quite satisfied with it. No program imcompatibility problems. I yet tested its performance. But I did not feel any significant improvements in productivity and others. However, over was a good one. Nice job for XP SP3.

[anormally]

hi bros...will xp sp3 be available to users via windows update mah...?

[trouble-o-lot]

Originally Posted by anormally

hi bros...will xp sp3 be available to users via windows update mah...?

Yes, it will be. It is just like how they release SP2 to all Wins XP users. U can also download from their download site besides the option from Windows Update.

Waiting for the end of product support to ensure the best possible product quality. Will purchase windows xp final SP5 in a few years.