Still Lives ! Windows XP Service Pack 3

[neo]

Just to be on the safe side, Microsoft has never officially canceled the third service pack for Windows XP. Still, SP3 was initially scheduled for 2006. In fact, at the debut of 2006, Windows XP SP3 was scheduled for availability no later than the summer of that year. In mid January however, Microsoft’s plans changed, and the Redmond Company introduced a quiet change to the Windows Service Pack Road Map.

Since the first month of the past year, SP3 was moved all the way into the second half of 2007. The fact that the third service pack for XP got postponed after the general availability of Windows Vista did not look good. Speculations surrounding the subject were only too quick to call XP SP3 history, and to predict that in the context of Windows Vista, Microsoft has no reasons to introduce a major update to a six years old operating system.

But 2007 came and brought with it not only Windows Vista, but also another delay for XP SP3. From the second half of 2007, Microsoft pushed SP3 all the way towards the end of 2008.

In the post-Vista era, Microsoft has only confirmed that the first service pack for its latest operating system is scheduled for the end of 2007 and Windows XP SP3 will be delivered in 2008. "SP3 for Windows XP Home Edition is currently planned for 1H CY2008, SP3 for Windows XP Professional is currently planned for 1H CY2008," are the only clues delivered by Microsoft.

Pushed from 2006 to 2007 and then to 2008, Windows XP SP3 seemed nothing more than an illusion, scheduled for launch after the end date for the operating system's direct OEM and retail license availability, and only months before System Builders would no longer be able to handle XP. But there is hope yet for the service pack.

And if the "future version of Windows XP" sounds just a tad to ambiguous for your taste Henry Sanders, General Manager, Core Networking and Collaboration Group, Windows Networking cleared up this detail. "The SoH protocol now allows "client standardization," as organizations can now standardize on the (SoH) client protocol, regardless of their NAC infrastructure. The SoH client is available in Windows Vista, will be available in the next service pack of Windows XP, and through NAP partners for non-Microsoft operating systems," Sanders said. So Windows XP Servioce Pack 3 is indeed coming in 2008...

Source : Softpedia

[ricktendo]

Good news

[ripken204]

and i dont even use xp anymore... and when was MS planning on ending support of xp? 2009?

[redxii]

XP Home support is ending in 2008 and Pro will continue to at least 2012. They might be removing activation in XP Home, as they have said they would at the end of the support lifecycle. Not that I'd use Home even if it were free/no activation.

Edited May 24, 2007 by redxii

[ripken204]

well thats alot better than. i thought all of xp was going away in 2008-2009, so im thinking, why in the world would there be a SP3 in 2008! thanks for clearing that up.

[Thunderbolt 2864]

Thats nice, but why release it at the end of 2008? That sucks, bloody Microsoft.

[ricktendo]

OK I'm confused... I heard someone else say that M$ confirmed they canceled it...

[N1K]

OK I'm confused... I heard someone else say that M$ confirmed they canceled it...

Yes, you read it here

[Raynor]

Just hope MS won't can it like it did with 2k SP5

[eyeball]

actually i believe extended support for XP is 2014, i cant remember where i read this but i was quite shocked as i thought it was 2009 too

[#rootworm]

Microsoft still has strong demand for XP Embedded, built on XP codebase.

That's the reason we still have SP3.

Microsoft has said all along that they've been working on SP3 for XPe....so I never doubted the future of SP3 for XP.

[cluberti]

actually i believe extended support for XP is 2014, i cant remember where i read this but i was quite shocked as i thought it was 2009 too

Regular, mainstream support ends in 2009 for Pro. Extended support (paid extended break/fix, free security updates) continues for 5 years after that, or 2014. For reference, Windows 2000 is currently in it's Extended support phase, and will be until sometime in 2010.

[ricktendo]

YAY! thanks for the info cluberti, I love XP

Edited May 30, 2007 by ricktendo64

[neo]

Thanks cluberti to eliminate confusion of Windows XP support.

[cleveaires]

wow..far way long to go