It's here. It's not here. We don't know where it is. Microsoft is having some trouble getting the third service pack release of XP out the door. Despite announcing its availability earlier this week, the company quickly pulled the update due to a last-minute glitch in Microsoft's Dynamic Retail Management System application (RMS).
Although most consumers wouldn't be affected, some small to medium size businesses rely on RMS for critical operations — like selling stuff. To make sure that XP SP3 doesn't knock out your local businesses, Microsoft promptly pulled the update.
ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley reports that the temporary solution is going to involve a filter so that PCs running RMS won't automatically update. Once that's in place the general public release will be re-posted. Obviously Microsoft plans to fix the issue ASAP, but in the mean time, those of us who would have never known there was an issue can still get our hands on a copy of the update.
Apparently Vista SP1 is affected as well and Microsoft has pulled it from the list of automatic updates (though it is still available as direct download).
So far Microsoft hasn't given a timeframe for when the filters will be in place and the downloads restored.
I was fortunate enough to grab the standalone installer before it was pulled, however, I've yet to take the actual install plunge. I must say a major, crippling bug that's enough to recall the release doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
Still, the reported speed boosts could breath some life back in my aging Toshiba laptop. If you went ahead and installed a copy of SP3 let us know if you've had any issues.
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