Windows XP SP2 RC2 set for Wednesday

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Microsoft is preparing to release the next release candidate of the highly anticipated Windows XP update, service pack 2. Current internal builds are at 2135.040518-1812. Microsoft are compiling RC2 on build servers this weekend and the build will be available on Monday to internal testers before it's launched widely on Wednesday.

We're silently expecting an announcement from Microsoft at Tech-Ed 2004 which begins on Monday in San Diego.

Update: Build 2137 has been compiled this weekend, we're not 100% sure this is the RC2 build. 2138 could get compiled today. We'll let you know asap.

News source: In-House

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(4 replies) #1 hypoxiaicon on 22 May 2004 - 23:20

Can't Wait.

#1.1 AmpCoder on 22 May 2004 - 23:23

Neither can I

#1.2 epple on 23 May 2004 - 02:53

So what are you going to do about it?

#1.3 Ghostdraconi on 23 May 2004 - 06:36

#1.4 MuD on 24 May 2004 - 16:10

QUOTE (#1.2)

Troll. F*ck off.

(5 replies) #2 IanD on 22 May 2004 - 23:28

oh boy. good luck to the folks that have DeViLS0wn

#2.1 Jason on 22 May 2004 - 23:49

That didn't work for SP1.

#2.2 chrisxtreme on 23 May 2004 - 07:45

they will be fine, as long as they dont have the fckgw- key

#2.3 Jason on 23 May 2004 - 13:13

I couldn't careless if those who pirate the OS are locked out completely.

#2.4 Test Zero on 23 May 2004 - 15:27

Anyone that has a product ID where the three digits are 641 or 643-649 will not be able to log in after installing this.

#2.5 DsnBehind on 24 May 2004 - 05:34

QUOTE

Yes, it did. I'm typing, now, aren't I?

(18 replies) #3 x-scratch on 23 May 2004 - 00:13

just use a sp2 keygen made for sp2 cant wait till this is final

#3.1 Jason on 23 May 2004 - 00:16

Correction - buy it !!!

#3.2 allfive6 on 23 May 2004 - 04:35

you buy it for us

#3.3 WindowsNT on 23 May 2004 - 08:54

warezers are nothing but cheepsaktes that need to learn to save up or get a job and if you flame me for this comment that i will assume you are a warez monkey.

#3.4 Jason on 23 May 2004 - 12:49

QUOTE (#3.2)

Buy your own friggin OS.

#3.5 Solarix on 23 May 2004 - 12:51

eat shart, no one has 300 bucks for xp

#3.6 Jason on 23 May 2004 - 12:54

I believe XP Home can be bought for $99.

#3.7 OptiPlex on 23 May 2004 - 13:17

XP Pro OEM - $140

#3.8 chacho on 23 May 2004 - 16:56

QUOTE (#3.6)

less if you know how to use the internet, ex froogle, ebay, whatever

#3.9 allfive6 on 23 May 2004 - 21:01

Maybe in the US you can get XP for 99$ but in Canada your going to pay more like 299$ for home and 449$ for the pro version.

#3.10 Mean Mr Mustard on 24 May 2004 - 02:57

A Keygen isn't even really required as long as MS tolerates the creation of "homemade" service packs such as AutoPatcher.

#3.11 ZTrang on 24 May 2004 - 03:38

QUOTE (#3.9)

Canada isn't really so great now, is it?

Just order it off of a foreign website and pay a bit extra for shipping, then. It would still be cheaper. That's what you get for all of your idiotic social services: sky-high taxes!

#3.12 skinnyjm on 24 May 2004 - 04:02

Shhh!

#3.13 bsarmir on 24 May 2004 - 04:03

QUOTE (#3.10)

Autopatcher won't install sp2, nor will it install sp2 updates on a sp1 install.

If they did they would be shut down.

#3.14 Mean Mr Mustard on 24 May 2004 - 04:53

Then what does it do?

#3.15 allfive6 on 24 May 2004 - 08:49

QUOTE (#3.11)

Canada isn't really so great now, is it? Just order it off of a foreign website and pay a bit extra for shipping, then. It would still be cheaper. That's what you get for all of your idiotic social services: sky-high taxes!

moron

#3.16 Avi on 24 May 2004 - 10:03

Approximately $99? lol, looks like the only OS I'll be buying is Longhorn (will be released as soon as I'll save up enough money for it; heh).

And for those who wonder... yes... I'm broke

(should I buy less tequila and more computer software? nah...)

#3.17 ergie on 24 May 2004 - 15:10

For those of you that seems to think Best Buy is the only place to buy OS's here is a very good site that offers MS products at OEM price for the general public.

http://www.save365.com/save365/shop/index.cfm?fuseaction=dspSpecs&part=493940&CFID=221788&CFTOKEN=86489563

#3.18 MuD on 24 May 2004 - 16:23

QUOTE (#3.15)

QUOTE (#3.11)
Canada isn't really so great now, is it? Just order it off of a foreign website and pay a bit extra for shipping, then. It would still be cheaper. That's what you get for all of your idiotic social services: sky-high taxes!

moron

Affirmative!

(1 reply) #4 gosh on 23 May 2004 - 00:34

How about news source: winbeta

-gosh

#4.1 divertom15 on 23 May 2004 - 05:06

well cus winbeta is a bad word you see the affiliation is with errr other errr networks

(2 replies) #5 mrk on 23 May 2004 - 00:44

teehee, keygen? 2126 generated a valid PID+key for me after asking for activation. lmfao =)

#5.1 jwjw1 on 23 May 2004 - 15:42

dude...you need to go to rehab...that is a bad crack habit you got...you're beginning to see and imagine things....if it gave you a vaild key and pid by just asking your for activation..then it only because the 'cops' are now inside your harddrive...."tweaking now"..."looking out the curtains"..see you need rehab

#5.2 thexfile on 23 May 2004 - 21:27

...I need a fix...I need a patch now...I need a fix sp2...

(1 reply) #6 lukeamott on 23 May 2004 - 00:44

before it's launched widely on Wednesday. Does that mean the public will get to use it like RC1

#6.1 chacho on 23 May 2004 - 16:59

betaplace is my assumption

#7 Betaz on 23 May 2004 - 00:47

More than likely, yes, the public will get RC2, as they did with RC1. Microsoft wants a LOT of testing on this service pack because it is huge upgrades to security, plus they want to start getting it on people's computers ASAP.

And I thank you MS. I an moving to school on Thursday, so this means I can get my laptop formatted and ready to go in time

#8 lukeamott on 23 May 2004 - 00:49

Yay that means i dont have to go surfing on IRC for it

#9 x-scratch on 23 May 2004 - 01:40

haha u said irc lol i give it a few days & it will be slipstreamed

#10 nullie on 23 May 2004 - 01:40

Change your product ID to 640 and SP2 is good to go on any pirated VLK installation. ^_^

(6 replies) #11 lukeamott on 23 May 2004 - 01:43

Im using a legit ver of XP Pro Academic so i dont have to worry

#11.1 divertom15 on 23 May 2004 - 05:08

there is NO academic version there is only oem retail and vlk

the only way you could mean academic is if you bought it thru your school but it still isnt an academic version

#11.2 Sawyer12 on 23 May 2004 - 08:57

lol

#11.3 chacho on 23 May 2004 - 17:04

yea, theres office xp pro academic, but no xp pro academic.

#11.4 incubusdaemon on 23 May 2004 - 22:10

That's incorrect. I have an academic license of the retail version. I'm not allowed to use my computer to make money, and in return I get XP for free through MSDN academic alliance.

Same goes with Visual Studio, All of the various Win2k3 versions, Exchange, actually everything but MS Word and Outlook, which they don't give us.

#11.5 xStainDx on 24 May 2004 - 03:47

QUOTE (#11.3)

I think you should visit http://www.costcentral.com and click on "Academic Software"

#11.6 skinnyjm on 24 May 2004 - 03:59

Or even here! NewEgg

#12 x-scratch on 23 May 2004 - 01:45

i have xp home & pro legit copys i perfer using corp so ill do a fresh install and install sp2 rc2 then image my drive

(3 replies) #13 incubusdaemon on 23 May 2004 - 02:37

Does it suprise anyone else that so many tech enthusists are the ones using illegitimate copies of the software? You'd think we'd be the people most supportive of the industry, not the people hurting it.

It's all humorous how we're so juiced about a service pack! We're all MS fanboys.

#13.1 Sawyer12 on 23 May 2004 - 08:57

Ive always bought proper versions of windows and I always will.

#13.2 chacho on 23 May 2004 - 17:07

we are all members of a site titled neowin

#13.3 allfive6 on 23 May 2004 - 21:05

will aren't you a good boy

(7 replies) #14 emiliobadillio on 23 May 2004 - 02:54

wouldn't that be something if microsoftware worked the first time and didn't need so many freaking updates? granted they fix a lot of exploits prone to viruses and malicious hackers (some hackers are good) in internet explorer, but firewalls have been out a while before windows xp came around. just another plus to use firefox, because most spyware and popups are written to take control over IE... only in a perfect world will i have my perfect operating system i guess.

Last edited by 13026 on 23 May 2004 - 06:28

#14.1 Joshie on 23 May 2004 - 04:11

There are Mozilla exploits, too.

#14.2 mufdvr3669 on 23 May 2004 - 04:33

Yeah, he said most exploits are used to take over IE, not all.

#14.3 divertom15 on 23 May 2004 - 05:10

its firefox not firebird unless your still using firebird which means that your using old software which is a security risk

tra la la la la...

#14.4 emiliobadillio on 23 May 2004 - 06:32

QUOTE (#1.3)

its firefox not firebird unless your still using firebird which means that your using old software which is a security risk

i stand corrected... sure glad i can edit these comment-suckers.

anyway, i'm just as excited for release candidate 2 as the rest of you. maybe one day my windows box will be problem-less. we can only hope...

#14.5 chacho on 23 May 2004 - 17:08

QUOTE (#14.4)

i stand corrected... sure glad i can edit these comment-suckers. anyway, i'm just as excited for release candidate 2 as the rest of you. maybe one day my windows box will be problem-less. we can only hope...

never will any piece of software be absolutely bug-free and absolutely secure. dashed your hopes there, eh?

#14.6 g33kb0y on 24 May 2004 - 04:19

Version 1.0 (or, for that matter, x.0) software scares me no matter who makes it.

#14.7 MuD on 24 May 2004 - 16:24

Then you, my friend, needs to get unplugged.

#15 StOrM on 23 May 2004 - 08:48

Cant wait

#16 leebobs on 23 May 2004 - 08:57

Added to the SP2 thread http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=75970

#17 belto on 23 May 2004 - 09:03

i am on RC1 v.2096. RC1 is doing great for me so with the release of RC2 will be very interesting. I am awaiting my email from the BETA site.

#18 DJ Prem on 23 May 2004 - 09:30

Excellent

(4 replies) #19 johnston on 23 May 2004 - 09:44

Great news

- im on 2120 at the moment, does this mean when it says internal on monday, that i will be able to login tomorrow to windowsbeta and get the rc2, or will i have to wait until wednesday.

Also just out of interest, what is the difference between xp pro and xp corporate?

#19.1 FISKER_Q on 23 May 2004 - 09:52

XP Corporate is for VLK's so that you don't have to activate it.

Anyways does your Internet Explorer crash when rightclicking on a page and then click properties?

#19.2 Truman on 23 May 2004 - 09:56

IE crashed like that on mine too, drove me nuts

#19.3 FISKER_Q on 23 May 2004 - 10:02

Damn thought it might have to do with my Javascript issues so i reformatted

#19.4 jwjw1 on 24 May 2004 - 00:36

that was fixed in build 2126...in which im testing....so it will be fixed when the next release is available weds....that was one of the bugs I reported..and MS tech replied it was fixed..and I got the 2126

#20 johnston on 23 May 2004 - 10:19

Anyways does your Internet Explorer crash when rightclicking on a page and then click properties?

Yea it does that on them all, its a bug in 2120, i submitted it just after i installed to microsoft, and they have reported that it has been fixed, so it should be fixed for this release on monday

Ive found a good few bugs and reported, all of which they have said it has been fixed for the upcoming release so lets hope they are true to their word

Also tell me if you get this one aswell, i submitted it and they said that it has been fixed, but not everyone has the problem.

Disable windows firewall, then the baloon pops up in security center, click recomendations then enable firewall and see if it enables the firewall, but also warns you that it could not be enabled?

#21 lukeamott on 23 May 2004 - 10:35

@ johnston yes i also get the firewall bug in 2120

#22 MicroZombies on 23 May 2004 - 10:41

emiliobadillio - It is true that Microsoft doesn't have a stellar track record - but don't count them out or under-estimate them. They are working on it - this time they are focused on Security. When SP2 gets finalized it is going to make big waves (What XP should have been to begin with - but better late than never) - it will shut a lot of Critics up - I hope that I am one of them (and I will be especially if there is a Performance/Speed boost Too)!!!!

#23 Varsity on 23 May 2004 - 11:18

No install for me until we get a garunteed stable version.

(2 replies) #24 Inspire on 23 May 2004 - 13:08

People always say, " hey why didn't microsoft released XP like this in the first place "...
Let me tell you something, i'm no Love Microsoft or Hate Microsoft men...
But remember when Xp was in beta then in RC, many of this problems of security and compability wasn't found by people who tested it... 3 years have passed since it was released, 3 years for hackers and kids to exploit windows holes...
Peace...

#24.1 WS togermano on 23 May 2004 - 13:47

true dat dawg

#24.2 chacho on 23 May 2004 - 17:10

QUOTE (#24.1)

excuse me? you are a member of a techie site and are uttering such blasphemy?!

#25 Ficman on 23 May 2004 - 14:43

Looking Forward to it...

(4 replies) #26 Ficman on 23 May 2004 - 14:44

Odd double post...lol

#26.1 XP-RTM on 23 May 2004 - 15:24

i dont know if its me but everytime you make a comment you double post.... and the wierd thing is that it takes a minute, 60 seconds for your other post....

#26.2 Ficman on 24 May 2004 - 15:20

Must be you, I can't only think it has happened that one time...

#26.3 MuD on 24 May 2004 - 16:25

What's up with the chinese guy?

#26.4 Ficman on 24 May 2004 - 17:56

Just kinda cool looking...

#27 ThunderRiver on 23 May 2004 - 15:04

I am more looking forward to the final release. Any bugs with the Windows Security Center needs to be gone by final RTM.. otherwise, it would be a disasterous SP

#28 StaticX on 23 May 2004 - 15:50

myself to is waiting for the final release!

(5 replies) #29 shawnie53 on 23 May 2004 - 16:09

Does anyone know if it will be possible to install RC2 over RC1 without first removing RC1? Because in the past if you wanted to install a build over the previous SP2 build you first needed to uninstall the first. Is it the same for RC1 and RC2??

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