Noctua unveiled a prototype fin-stack heatsink for very large CPU socket types, such as Intel Socket P (LGA3647) and AMD SP3, powering chips such as Intel Xeon Phi "Knights Landing," and upcoming AMD Opteron SP3 32-core SoCs. There will be 3U and 4U versions of this heatsink, supporting NF-A9 (92 mm) and NF-F12 (120 mm) fans. The heatsink is just a very large aluminium fin-stack, to which heat drawn from the base is fed by seven 8 mm thick nickel-plated copper heat pipes.

Mushkin, one of the leading manufacturers of high performance computer components, announces the availability of a new DDR3 Triple-Channel-Kit. It's called: "998679r" and is equipped with 6GB and a high frequency of 1600 MHz. The memory will be delivered in a noble aluminium case assembled with unqiue "radioactive" heatspreaders.
"This kit is the ultimate combination of newest technology and fancy design." Proclaims Steffen Eisenstein, CEO of Mushkin Logistic GmbH very proudly, and continues: "The response for the "radioactive" heatspreader was huge, now we will have a hell of a party on DDR3!"

When I first read the original story title what came to my mind were the words of one of our forum members commenting on the release of Windows XP SP3 - "I'm just waiting for the headlines tomorrow about how many problems this has created". However, after a quick read it does not sound so bad, Microsoft is just warning users updating to Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) that they won't be able to downgrade from Internet Explorer 7 to the older IE6 without uninstalling the service pack. The warning was posted in a company blog written by the Internet Explorer development team. "If you choose to install XP SP3, Internet Explorer 7 will remain on your system after the install is complete," said Jane Maliouta, an IE program manager, in the blog entry. "Your preferences will be retained. However, you will no longer be able to uninstall IE7. If you go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, the Remove option will be grayed out." In related news, Microsoft team also adviced users of the IE8 Beta 1 to uninstall it if they are attempting to install and use Windows XP SP3 in order to prevent their systems from possible future instability issues.

Today, Windows XP Service Pack (SP3) has officially hit the Release to Web (RTW) milestone. The third service pack for Windows XP is now available both on Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers' experience with the operating system. This white paper summarizes what is new in Windows XP SP3.

DOWNLOAD: Network Installation (316.4MB) | ISO CD Image File (545MB).

Windows XP Service Pack 3 was supposed to land today for mass download, but I'm afraid this won't happen. Microsoft today explained what's the main reason behind this last moment delay:

In the last few days, we have uncovered a compatibility issue between Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS) and both Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1). In order to make sure customers have the best possible experience, we have decided to delay releasing Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to the web. To help protect customers, we plan to put filtering in place shortly to prevent Windows Update from offering both service packs to systems running Microsoft Dynamics RMS. Once filtering is in place, we expect to release Windows XP SP3 to the web.

I suppose many of you already know about the leaked Windows XP SP3 download link, but I prefer to post only legit links here. Microsoft is working on fixing the problem and should release Windows XP SP3 to web very soon.

Microsoft's release manager Chris Keroack posted today the following statement in the TechNet Forums, confirming the information posted by Neowin.net a few days ago:

Today we are happy to announce that Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) has released to manufacturing (RTM). Windows XP SP3 bits are now working their way through our manufacturing channels to be available to OEM and Enterprise customers.

We are also in the final stages of preparing for release to the web (i.e. you!) on April 29th, via Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center. Online documentation for Windows XP SP3, such as Microsoft Knowledge Base articles and the Microsoft TechNet Windows XP TechCenter, will be updated then. For customers who use Windows XP at home, Windows XP SP3 Automatic Update distribution for users at home will begin in early summer.

The guys over at Neowin.net have managed to get their hands on the internal schedule for the release of Windows XP Service Pack 3.

• April 14, 2008: Support is available for the release version of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP
• April 21, 2008: Original Equipment Manufacturers, Volume License, Connect, and MSDN and TechNet subscribers
• April 29, 2008: Microsoft Update, Windows Update, Download Center
• June 10, 2008: Automatic Updates

Microsoft has now made the second release candidate of Windows XP's third service pack available to the public, which can be obtained via Windows update after downloading a registry patch from Microsoft. You can download the registry patch here [38KB], but before you do so it is recommended that you remove any previous beta or release candidate version of SP3 from your system. The RTM version of the service pack should become available during the first half of 2008.

Following the announcement earlier this week that Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) had been shipped to manufacturing, Microsoft Corp. today confirmed that it seeded another build of Windows XP SP3 to a closed set of testers. "Yesterday, we released Windows XP SP3 RC 2 to private beta testers," a Microsoft spokeswoman said in an e-mail. "This release catches the build up on previously released hot fixes and responds to critical feedback from previous betas." Despite the new SP3 release, the final ship date continues to be unknown. Although some reports indicate February 24th or March 23rd as final SP3 release dates, Microsoft continues to claim: "We are targeting 1H [first-half] 2008 for the release of XP SP3 RTM, though our timing will always be based on customer feedback as a first priority," The next major milestone for Windows XP after SP3 ships is June 30, when the nearly 7-year-old operating system is slated to fall off the reseller and retail availability list.

Microsoft Corp. will change how users activate Windows XP when Service Pack 3 launches in the first half of 2008, a company white paper said. New installations of Windows XP SP3 will give users the same 30-day grace period currently offered to Windows Vista customers before they're required to enter a product activation key, the 25-character code that proves the copy is legitimate. "As in Windows Server 2003 SP2 and Windows Vista, users can now complete operating system installation without providing a product key during a full, integrated installation of Windows XP SP3," the Microsoft paper stated. "The operating system will prompt the user for a product key later as part of Genuine Advantage." With earlier editions of Windows XP, users must enter the activation key during the installation process itself; failing to do so, or using an invalid key, would result in the installation being blocked. The white paper, however, noted that the change does not apply to existing Windows XP installations upgraded to SP3. Those copies, which have presumably passed the activation stage previously, will not request the key again, Microsoft said.