Microsoft Releases Winxp Service Pack 2

[waldwolf]

The long awaited and highly touted WindowsXP Service Pack 2 is finally here.

Microsoft Releases Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies to Computer Manufacturers

Company Urges Windows XP Customers to Turn on Automatic Updates to Get the Stronger Security, Greater Manageability and Improved Experiences of Landmark Service Pack

REDMOND, Wash. - Aug. 6, 2004 -- Microsoft Corp. today announced the release to manufacturing of Windows® XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies. This free service pack delivers the latest security updates and innovations from Microsoft, establishes strong default security settings, and adds new proactive protection features that will help better safeguard computers from hackers, viruses and other security risks.

"Service Pack 2 is a significant step in delivering on our goal to help customers make their PCs better isolated and more resilient in the face of increasingly sophisticated attacks," said Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect at Microsoft. "It is the result of sustained investments in innovation and extensive industry collaboration. It also reflects a broad recognition that as the security environment changes, the industry needs to work together to respond."

During the worldwide rollout of Service Pack 2, Microsoft will localize the software in 25 languages over the next two months and distribute it to computer manufacturers, enterprise customers and consumers through downloads, retail installation, free CDs and on new PCs. The easiest way for current Windows XP users to ensure they receive Service Pack 2 when it releases in their language is to simply turn on the Automatic Updates feature in Windows XP. Customers with Automatic Updates enabled will receive the latest security updates for Windows XP, along with updated installation software that will optimize the download experience of Service Pack 2 and all future updates to Windows XP. The timing for customers to receive the Service Pack 2 download through Automatic Updates depends on a number of factors, including the customer's Internet usage, location, language and the level of Internet demand for Service Pack 2. Automatic Updates uses spare Internet capacity to progressively download updates without interfering with daily PC use. Microsoft expects to distribute Service Pack 2 to approximately 100 million PCs through Automatic Updates over the next two months. Automatic Updates is easy to turn on in Windows XP, and details are available at http://www.microsoft.com/protect/.

Customers without reliable Internet connections who wish to obtain Service Pack 2 on CD can order a free disc from the Microsoft® Web site as Service Pack 2 is rolled out worldwide. Microsoft also is working with computer manufacturers to ensure they can make Windows XP-based PCs preloaded with Service Pack 2 available as soon as possible.

Complete press release HERE

[kenk3z]

It doesn't seem to be available on-line yet from WindowsUpdate. Although I've read where its been released to computer manufacturers and I think you can order the CDROM. From what I've heard its on the order of 90-MB. Its going to be a tough download for awhile because when something major like this comes out, the bandwidth to Microsoft is pretty tied up just in the US - much less for people overseas.

I did get an update online today that appears to be some sort of managed download tool. Meaning, you can set your computer to receive updates automatically, and download a bit each time you are online. The "smart" tool keeps a record of what you have so far and picks up to continue the download at that point when you reconnect next time. I think it used to be that you either got it in one session or had to start all over again.

kenk3z

[ovenman]

Windows XP Service Pack 1 was a 125 MB file if you opted to download the entire file.

Assuming that one has a fresh installation of Windows XP with no Service Packs added, does anybody know whether you would need to run Service Pack 1 prior to running Service Pack 2 or is SP2 comprehensive by itself?

I dislike having any software perform automatic updates with my crappy dial-up Internet connection. I don't have enough bandwidth to waste such that every software package should be constantly trying to update itself. I'd probably feel differently about this if I had high-speed access to the 'Net.

[kenk3z]

I believe service packs are always cumulative. With a fresh installation of the original Windows XP (or whatever) you just get the latest edition of the service pack. Perhaps the 90-MB I have read was an early estimate, and I don't know how this might tie in to things still required from SP1. You can figure that some things issued in SP1 are replaced by things in SP2. So its not a simple addition of the size of SP1 + SP2.

Perhaps within a few weeks SP2 will be available cheaply in Thailand on CDROM format at places like Pantip Plaza.

kenk3z

[ovenman]

Perhaps within a few weeks SP2 will be available cheaply in Thailand on CDROM format at places like Pantip Plaza. 

No doubt. I picked up XP Service Pack 1 via that route and come to find out it was a beta version (at least that's what Windows Update claimed later on - nothing about its installation would have led one to that conclusion). I wound up downloading the real thing from Microsoft when I had access to a high-speed conenction.

[kabal1234]

I'm not sure about the final version, but I've been using Release Candidate 2 and that was a 270MB download

[waldwolf]

I'm not sure about the final version, but I've been using Release Candidate 2 and that was a 270MB download

A "Release Candidate" is still BETA, and subject to change.

[Darknight]

the file is named WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe.

.

it is 266 mb large

File Version: 5.5.1005.0 (SRV03_QFE.031113-0918)

time stamp is: 5:06:58AM PST

(as mentioned already, the time shown on the digital signature will be displayed in YOUR own time zone. 5:06:58AM PST = 6:06:58 MST, or temporarily change the time zone on your computer to GMT -08:00 (PST) if you can't do the math. 5:06:58AM PST is Microsoft time in Redmond, WA.)

you can find it on bittorrent already

[ovenman]

the file is named WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe.

.

it is 266 mb large

I can only imagine how long it would take the automatic Windows Update process, if enabled, to update your system with that file over dial-up Internet access.

[kabal1234]

I'm not sure about the final version, but I've been using Release Candidate 2 and that was a 270MB download

A "Release Candidate" is still BETA, and subject to change.

Umm, and that's why I specified I was running the RC2, because the final release WILL be different.

[Darknight]

the file is named WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe.

.

it is 266 mb large

I can only imagine how long it would take the automatic Windows Update process, if enabled, to update your system with that file over dial-up Internet access.

that's why it's maybe better to wait untill it appears on cd's somewhere. You've been waiting two years for it, one week more won't hurt

266mb on a average 40k dialup will take about 28hours (+/-10 meg an hour)

[kenk3z]

There was a news article in this weekend's paper that said SP2 would be available on-line at the end of August. I suppose that's Microsoft-speak for the middle of September.

Article also said it would be an 80-MB download for most people.

One thing I have noticed is when you get a SP on CDROM, or download the "complete" SP, it is much larger in size that what you download using windowsupdate.microsoft.com. The reason for this is when you go to the on-line update, your computer is scanned to determine exactly what needs to be downloaded and installed. When you have an off-line update package, it needs to be all-inclusive of anything that has to be updated. This gets even larger when you include both workstations and server products in one SP.

I am not certain at this point whether Windows 2003 Server is getting this service pack. Not sure if that's considered to be in the same product line as XP.

kenk3z

[kenk3z]

As reported above, if you download the complete SP2 package, its pretty large, on the order of 278 MB. This would be the full package with all the components needed to update any Windows XP installation, including all versions of sub-components (Media Player and the like).

If you use WindowsUpdate, you download only what you need. That may be less, who knows at this point.

You may be able to take advantage of the way Microsoft has modified their WindowsUpdate site to use "Background Intelligent Transfer Service - BITS" to download updates. According to the Knowledge Base article for BITS, it uses IDLE bandwidth to download updates as you are online. And it would have to keep track of multiple sessions (with checkpoints) so you'd pick up a download in the next session where you left off in the previous.

To read up more on how BITS works, go to support.microsoft.com and search on KB842773.

This is how I would work the upgrade if I were restricted to only dialup downloading. Now that someone else mentioned it, there is the possibility if you go buy a CDROM somewhere, it might have a Beta version, it might be a hacked version that will install a trojan program, etc.

kenk3z

[Stocky]

It might be worth waiting until they release SP2a as I see that IBM are delaying installing it until they've done more tests on it.

IBM stalls on XP upgrade

[lopburi3]

It would be best to wait a month or two as there are always issues with updates when it get to all the configurations we have. But if your computer is not critical or you are willing to take the small chance of trouble the download should only be about 72mb if you have all previous updates. The reason for the 270mb full install is to cover everything - most users will not need anything near that amount. Looks like many of use got ADSL at the right time.

[britmaveric]

Looked for SP2 and can't seem to find it. Anyone have a direct link to the download site? MS website is rubbish- hard to find things at times.

[lopburi3]

It is only available for those paying for support so far. It should start to become available next week for those with automatic update enabled from reports.

[waldwolf]

WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe

HERE

(Size=266MB)

(A MS-Forum posting of interest,......to some)

Subject: Clarifying SP2 piracy policy

From: "Gary Schare [MS]" <[email protected]>

Sent: 8/6/2004 2:24:52 PM

There have been a number of discussions on this newsgroup regarding whether SP2 will install on non-genuine (aka "pirated") versions of Windows. Here is the official Microsoft position on this topic:

We expect that nearly all Windows XP users, running genuine or pirated Windows, will have access to the security technologies in SP2. The same users that were blocked from installing SP1 - those that have used a small set of legacy pirated product keys - will be blocked from installing SP2. We believe that there are very few systems in use today that use these keys -- in other words, the pirates have moved on to other keys which we are not blocking.

So how do we charaterize our policy?

We want to make sure that the broadest number of people can install SP2. The nature of malicious attacks on computer users is constantly changing and we will continue to evaluate how we deal with security updates for pirated versions of Windows to best protect our genuine Windows customers.

Thanks,

Gary Schare

Microsoft

Now who'd be silly enough to use "pirated" software.

[Wash]

Does anyone have a clue what the download is likely to be if one has already installed the Beta version of SP2?

It would seem to me that the download should be considerably less of a mountain if you are doing the automatic update from a Beta version and it may even be feasable to do the automatic update under that circumstance!

[waldwolf]

^^ I would not rely on Windows Update to determine whether or not it should update your BETA SP2 patches. Remember, those SP2 BETA patches my have extensive changes and could conflict with the FINAL release patches.

I would strongly suggest you install the final SP2 release, even though it may mean an extensive period of downloading.

Ideally, the best would be the Microsoft SP2 CD, (reportedly FREE) which should be available soon.

Cheers

[kenk3z]

The Service Pack CDs from Microsoft are usually free but you pay for shipping and handling. I suspect the "handling" covers the cost of the media too.

kenk3z

[trigz]

I picked this up from the Microsoft Windows XP SP2 TechNet website @

http://communities.microsoft.com/newsgroup...=xpsp2&slcid=us

Subject: A Warning

From: "Daniel" <[email protected]> Sent: 8/10/2004 11:12:20 PM

XP SP2 RC1 or RC2 and the updates need to be uninstalled

before SP2 final release is installed

I uninstalled SP2 RC2 so I would be ready or the final

release of SP2 but I did not uninstall the updates, then I

did an update and downloaded a critical update but when I

rebooted, my PC would nor reboot, not even into Safe Mode.

I have since found out that the updates are not compatible

across SP's

Daniel

[Crushdepth]

I dislike having any software perform automatic updates with my crappy dial-up Internet connection. I don't have enough bandwidth to waste such that every software package should be constantly trying to update itself. I'd probably feel differently about this if I had high-speed access to the 'Net.

Me too. If you install a firewall like Zone Alarm you can set it to block unauthorised attempts to access the internet by your software. Pretty much everything 'calls back home' every time you launch it, even things that do not seem to update themselves. Probably has more to do with the companies collecting unauthorised usage data rather than anything that might help the user...

[Thetyim]

I am half way through downloading SP2 direct from MS.

If anyone wants a CD copy PM me, I should have it all later today

[mouse]

Here are the FACTS on SP2

1.) Location of download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&DisplayLang=en

I checked and the full version can be found there as little as 2 minutes ago.

2.) Size: 272,391 KB

3.) Name of file: WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe

4.) If you have SP RC installed. Feel free do an install over it. I did and no problems seen. I did so at the recommendation of Microsoft.

5.) Information of update version if you have SP2RC installed: Will be released on 16 August 2004 and should be about 80MB or less depending on what version of RC you have installed. Others that do not have RC installed will see the automatic update later.

6.) CD will be available for order between 16-25 August

7.) Quality to date: No problems to date and I use the terminal extensively and am always on the net with ipStar

8.) I also use Mozilla 1.7.2 just to be sure and only use Microsoft IE when having to access sites such as this one, where Mozilla gives me problems.

9.) I also use AVG6 the free Anti virus software available at http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/ , Spyblaster at http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/ and Ad-Aware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ and it seems that the total combination has kept me out of hot water to date. Mind you all those programs are totally free for private use.

My source for the Microsoft data, is my Brother in Law (name withheld) who works for Microsoft directly in Redmond.

Good luck!! If you have a problem email me and maybe I can help (also free)

[kenk3z]

This weekend's paper stated that Microsoft will ship SP2 CDROMs at no charge. Don't know how that might work overseas, but I think there is a Microsoft office in Thailand - perhaps it may become available for free in Thailand too.

So far no negative impacts from deploying to about 20% of the staff at work - - - -

kenk3z

[Thetyim]

Ok I have downloaded all 266mb on my dial up and installed it and it SEEMS fine. It installed very clean despite my version of XP which has the skull & crossbones written all over it.

Control panel now has a Microsoft Security Centre

Now there's an oxymoron