Microsoft is reminding Windows XP users that do not wish to receive the latest service pack for the operating system that they can download a tool to prevent it from installing automatically.

A Microsoft official on Monday said that the company will soon release Windows XP SP3 through its Automated Updates service, but added that users of the service who do not want XP SP3 -- which has caused problems on some systems -- can download and deploy the Windows Service Pack Blocker Kit.

Corporate IT managers can also install third party update management systems to block unwanted service packs, said Nick MacKechnie, a Microsoft senior technical accounts manager, in a blog post.

After a series of delays, Microsoft released XP SP3, the last major update for the officially retired Windows XP operating system, to broad distribution in May. But the company withheld it from Automatic Updates until it could resolve a number of system and application incompatibilities.

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