The Windows XP Service Pack 3 availability saga is one step closer to the finish line. At over a week since it was initially planned to ship to the general public, Service Pack 3 is now available for download to all 32-bit XP users. Of course that torrent and warez websites offered XP SP3 RTM Build 5512 almost immediately after it was released to manufacturing on April 21, 2008, and on top of the leaked copies, direct download links from Microsoft's own Windows Update servers could also be exploited to grab the service pack ahead of its official delivery. But at this point in time third party sources can be ignored, as Windows XP SP3 gold is now live on Windows Update and via the Download Center.

"Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) was made available to Windows Server Update Services this morning, classified as a service pack. It includes previously released updates and hotfixes to Windows XP and creates a new baseline for servicing," said Cecilia Cole, WSUS Program Manager. "One thing you may be aware of, if you happen to be managing any clients running Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System, is an incompatibility Microsoft Dynamics RMS has with Windows XP SP3. To address the problem, we've added a filter to help prevent Windows XP SP3 from being installed on clients managed by WSUS and will make a fix available soon."

The incompatibility with Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System contributed to postponing the release of XP SP3 through Windows Update and the Download Center from the initially planned date of April 29. It took Microsoft until May 6 to set in place the filters for Dynamics RMS client and carry on with the serving of XP SP3 RTM Build 5512. The direct result of the filter is that Microsoft Dynamics RMS customers will not be offered Service Pack 3 for Windows XP. The Redmond company is working on a fix to address the issue completely, and is already in the testing phases, indicating that it will completely resolve it by the end of this month.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Final is available for download here.