The vague timetable that Microsoft Corp. gave Monday for pushing out Windows XP SP3 to most users got specific Tuesday as the company quietly said it would release the upgrade on Thursday at 10 a.m. PDT.

Microsoft will add Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to Windows Update at that time, and trigger its automatic download and installation for users who have left the operating system's update service at its default "Automatic (recommended)" setting.

"Updated applicability rules and updated metadata to target the update to Automatic Update channel," read a Microsoft support document revised Tuesday after the company unveiled its monthly security patches. "The Automatic Update change will be published at 10:00 A.M. on July 10."

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