Merged: Windows XP SP2 - discuss it here!

[Paul K]

Nope but it does display a warning if it THINKS you aren't running an antivirus tool. Trouble is it doesn't recognise all anti-virus software and firewalls. MS are working on an anti-virus tool though..... coming soon lol

[Paul K]

Just seen on another site that the final version of XP SP2 has been released onto the Windows BETA testers site so it looks like it's finally going to be finished. All we have to do now is wait for the release to web to occur
This has just been posted on Neowin

Thought you might like to read this from the newsgroup----

Final testing is complete and at 10:08am this morning we signed off on build 2180 as Windows XP Service Pack 2, releasing it to manufacturing. The final build will be available to beta sites immediately at http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/download/dl3.asp. You will find both English and German versions there, Japanese will follow early next week.

Next week the service pack will be available on the Microsoft Download Center for general download. In the interim we're making the update available to you via the beta web site.

If you are running RC2, or any other build released to beta sites, we invite you to turn on Automatic Updates, and starting on August 10th your system will automatically download the express version of Windows XP SP2. For typical home users this is about a 75 MB download; for those on RC2 it should be less than 30 MB. As soon as the background download is complete, you will be prompted to install SP2 and to accept the EULA (SP2 does not install automatically even if Automatic Updates is set to automatically install security updates). If you have a modem connection, don't "Cancel" the update once it's in progress; just disconnect and when you reconnect later, it will automatcially pick up where it left off until it completes.

Q: What's next?

A: For the next 2 weeks the beta newsgroups will still be available to you. We'll be in the newsgroups and hope you'll discuss your experience with early SP2 deployments there. On August 18th the newsgroups will close and we'll move on to finding and fixing the bugs in Windows 2003 Server SP1.

Thanks for all your time and effort in driving the quality high in SP2 and finding those tricky issue that only seem to occur in the wild and never under laboratory conditions. Be sure to verify and update your contact information at http://beta.microsoft.com so we can get in touch with you in the future.

I hope your experience testing SP2 was a good one. We've saved the chat logs and when we build the next beta program I'll see what we can do to implement some of your suggestions.

[SOSAGES]

i have no idea if its final - but

*link removed*

link was fake! DO NOT DOWNLOAD.

Build # 2180 is stamped boldly on the shiny new badge adorning their latest efforts to update the rapidly aging Windows XP and keep some interest alive in their on-going Operating System endeavours till Windows Longhorn debuts sometime in 2006.

Build # 2180 is 266.1MB in size for the English version apperntly and this wasnt

[Paul K]

Probably one of the older builds as the RTM is only available from windowsbeta There are a few older build links floating around so people need to be careful what they download.

[SOSAGES]

indeed but the link was taken from windowsbeta - also a few mirrors of it are up elsewhere and it made its way onto the donkey network - maybe fake maybe not i suggest a d/l and examine it - *edit* seems someone did examine - ho hum another repeat of the sp1 "oh i want sp2 now gimmie gimmie"

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by SOSAGES

i have no idea if its final - but

*link removed*

link was fake! DO NOT DOWNLOAD.

Build # 2180 is stamped boldly on the shiny new badge adorning their latest efforts to update the rapidly aging Windows XP and keep some interest alive in their on-going Operating System endeavours till Windows Longhorn debuts sometime in 2006.

Build # 2180 is 266.1MB in size for the English version apperntly and this wasnt

When it is released you should get either
WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe
or
xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe
From what I have seen we have to wait a bit longer for the releases

Don't believe me? http://blogs.msdn.com/

8/6 Release to manufacturing
8/9 Release to Microsoft Download Center (network installation package)
8/9 Release to MSDN subscription site (CD ISO image)
8/10 Release to Automatic Updates (for machines running pre-release versions of Windows XP Service Pack 2 only)
8/16 Release to Automatic Updates (for machines NOT running pre-releases versions of Windows XP Service Pack 2)
8/16 Release to Software Update Services
Later in August Release to Windows Update for interactive user installations

[MadGamer]

Originally Posted by Paul

When it is released you should get either
WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe
or
xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe
From what I have seen we have to wait a bit longer for the releases

So i take it that we can download the final release now then?

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by Wayne A

So i take it that we can download the final release now then?

American dates Wayne The general download from the MS download center should be ready by the 16th, personally I would wait till it's on an official Microsoft site as you never know what people are doing to files before they share them.

[MadGamer]

Originally Posted by Paul

American dates Wayne The general download from the MS download center should be ready by the 16th, personally I would wait till it's on an official Microsoft site as you never know what people are doing to files before they share them.

ok. the 16th? ill be on Holiday. Ah well at least i can download it when the servers arent busy. Go on the 13th and come back on the 27th.

[Dave Stones]

hope you arent disappointed when it comes and doesnt do anything visible to your system....

[MadGamer]

Originally Posted by Dave Stones

hope you arent disappointed when it comes and doesnt do anything visible to your system....

Why? It will be the final release.

[Paul K]

Originally Posted by Wayne A

Why? It will be the final release.

A lot of what SP2 does is background fixes and patches, you get a new security centre icon in the control panel but not much other visible stuff as far as I could tell.

The Inquirer are reporting that SP2 is not available for download to MSDN subscribers.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/

[Bifta]

Originally Posted by dr wadd

The Inquirer are reporting that SP2 is not available for download to MSDN subscribers.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/

That differs slightly to Microsofts version of events.

[Bifta]

Originally Posted by Wayne A

Why? It will be the final release.

So what? Windows XP is still going to look and function in the same way, you're getting over-excited for no reason, I've tried SP2, you're missing nothing.