The release of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP is just around the corner. At the moment, only MSDN and TechNet subscribers have tested them. I want to thanks to a close friend who let me trying it out.

This service pack is going to impact on the security, stability and performance of many computers.

This sure is the best Windows XP’s service pack for gamers. As claimed by Microsoft, it did improve a little bit on performance. I tried it and it really improves my gameplay.

In the same time, I also discover that it did improve on networking issues. Features like NAP have been added so that users can now take advantage of Windows 2008 server.

SP3 installs can proceed without entering a product key during setup. Similar like Windows Vista. This is very good but it will only last 30 days.

Keep in mind that this SP3 is not end users version. The final release might have something extra or different from the MSDN and TechNet subscribers version, which is the one I currently testing and using.

Expected to be release somewhere in June or July. SP3 will be the last service pack released by Microsoft for Windows XP. It would be like SP4 for Windows 2000.

Microsoft confirmed on Wednesday that it delayed the rollout of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) because changes to the operating system can corrupt data in the company’s retail point-of-sale and store management software. Microsoft has also suspended automatic distribution of Windows Vista Service Pack 1. Incompatibilities discovered in the past several days between an application called Microsoft Dynamics RMS and both Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 will force the company to hold off on releasing the software. Dynamics RMS is a retail-chain-management software for small and mid-sized businesses.

Microsoft said it is putting filtering in place to prevent its Windows Update service from offering both service packs to systems running Microsoft Dynamics RMS. Once that filtering is in place, Microsoft will release Windows XP SP3 to Windows Update and Download Center for users not running the application causing the problem.

Microsoft is recommending that Microsoft Dynamics RMS customers not install Windows XP SP3 or Windows Vista SP1.

For those who like to download the Windows XP SP3 Built 5512 can click here.

Updated - 2nd May: Screenshot updated.