Several of you have been asking me about this and after doing a lot of research, I think I've finally figured out what's going on. As you all know, in a prior issue of the newsletter, I told you the Windows XP SP3 would be released to the public on April 29, 2008. Well, that day has come and gone and there's still no sign of the SP3. So, what's the deal? Did Microsoft goof up again or is there more to it than that? Well, as much as I hate all of the delays Microsoft puts us through, I have to say they did the right thing on this one. Here's the scoop!
The XP SP3 was all ready to go, but then Microsoft found a "compatibility issue" between the Service Pack and an application called Microsoft Dynamics RMS, which is a retail chain management program for both small and mid-sized businesses. As soon as they found the glitch, they started a filtering process, but until that's finished, they will not be able to release the new SP3. As of right now, there is no official release date, because Microsoft doesn't know how long the filtering will take. They are just promising it will be released ASAP.
Now, some of you may have found copies of the XP SP3 on various Web sites, but it's recommended you do not download it until the final version becomes available. A version of the SP3 was leaked to the Internet, but it's not a safe download, so I urge you to be patient and wait for the real thing. I know you all were anxiously waiting for the SP3 to be released, but you have to remember that Microsoft is just keeping our best interests in mind. They want the final version to be perfect and that's what it will be. As always, I'll continue to keep you posted on any new updates, so keep checking back for the latest news!
~ Erin
