Not only Windows XP Service Pack 3 is affected by incompatibility issues: the first service pack for the latest Windows client shares the same fate, according to Microsoft. Just as XP SP3, Windows Vista SP1 proved to be incompatible with Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS). However, while the problem was caught early with XP SP3, before the general distribution's kick start, not the same can be said about Windows Vista SP1. In fact, Microsoft has released Service Pack 1 to manufacturing almost a couple of months back, on February 4.

The newly discovered incompatibility between XP SP3 and Dynamics RMS has forced Microsoft to cancel the initially announced release of the service pack for the general public on April 29. The Redmond company planned to serve XP SP3 through Windows Update and the Download Center before the end of April. This is no longer the case until the issue is resolved, with Microsoft failing to pinpoint an exact date. Now, because of a segment of small and midsize businesses which have deployed the retail-chain-management solution, all XP users have to suffer.

But Microsoft is not only halting the delivery of XP SP3. Windows Vista's distribution trough Automatic Updates, barely debuted as of April 23, has also been stopped. Vista SP1, unlike Windows XP SP3, will still be available for download through Windows Update and the Download Center.

"Microsoft is temporarily holding any additional automatic distribution of Windows Vista SP1. However, they continue to offer Windows Vista SP1 via Windows Update for interactive installation. While we are recommending that customers running Microsoft Dynamics RMS should not install SP1, there are many other customers who can benefit from installing Windows Vista SP1 immediately, so we are maintaining availability via WU," said a Microsoft spokesperson, as cited by Mary Jo Foley.