Microsoft Windows XP SP3 makes RC2 available to the public

Microsoft opens the door for XP SP3 RC2

While Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) has received the most attention during the past few months, there is another package of service expected by users of Windows: Windows XP SP3.

SP3 Microsoft released last week to the testers, but the general public can now download Service Pack through Windows Update. Users have to download a small file registration Microsoft, which gives them special access to Windows Update to download SP3.

“The script establishes a registration key in the system. Registry key is mandatory for Windows Update to recognize your machine as a valid objective for Windows XP Service Pack 3 RC2,” says Microsoft. “It is recommended that the result of implementing a package update enabled genuine copy of Windows XP, in a test environment.”

Users are also asked to remove any previous version of the release candidate or versions of SP3 before proceeding with the last update.

Some of the new features included with SP3 include Black hole routers detection, network access protection Credentials security and service provider Microsoft Kernel Mode cryptographic module.

Microsoft said that the RTM version of Service Pack 3 will be available during the first half of 2008. If all goes well with the evidence RC2, we see the final code shortly.