Neowin.net - Windows XP SP2 RTM due within 2 weeks

Windows XP SP2 RTM due within 2 weeks

Posted by Tom Warren on 10 July 2004 - 11:36 · 116 comments & 25295 views

After a message on the Windows Update V5 newsgroups regarding a possible interim build being released, Microsoft have back tracked and denied that there will be another interim release. Mike Brannigan (MSFT) called the posting "Untrue and inaccurate" and stated that the next public release is the RTM. According to reliable sources at Microsoft the scroll build (RTM) is due to be finished as early as next week or within the next 2 weeks. Current builds stand at 2161.

After the RTM date OEMs have 90 days to ship SP2 pre-installed on their XP machines. Within those 90 days they're required to ship the XP SP2 update CD with machines. CDs will be made available at support outlets (PC World Support) and on frontpage magazine covers. Microsoft are aiming to make sure everyone gets this update and will be spending just as much time & money promoting it as developing it.

Once Windows XP SP2 has hit RTM this will provide room for more development on Longhorn. Currently there have been only 8 builds since the WinHEC build in May. 8 builds in 2 months shows how Microsoft is focussing on XP SP2 at the moment. Build 4088 is the latest build internally and as of yet there have not been any reported changes since WinHEC.

Around the October time frame we will see "XP Reloaded" in action. The marketing campaign will kick off with the availability of Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2004, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and Windows Media Player 10. Interestingly Microsoft is changing the way Media Center Edition works. Media Center Edition was always based off the Windows XP Professional version of XP and not the home edition. Current MCE builds lose the ability to add the machine to a domain after setup is complete (you can still add the machine during setup). Microsoft are trying to convert MCE so it's stripped of professional features so it's cheaper for OEMs and for a possible retail on the product. If they could package MCE alongside OEMs and produce a "Media Center Kit" that would combine a TV card/Remote and Media Center Edition software it would sell very, very well.

For now though lets look forward to Service Pack 2 reaching the final stage of development and focus on Windows XP Service Pack 3, lets face it SP2 is SO last week ;)

Update: The proposed date is the 21st of July.

View: Keep up to date on XP SP2 here at Neowin.net

View: New Build of Windows XP SP2 expected - Neowin.net

News source: In-House

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(5 replies) #1 Posted by deadmonkey on 10 Jul 2004 - 11:38: I know people are a little annoyed that SP2 has taken so long to develop but I am glad that Microsoft have taken longer and really gone the extra mile in making SP2 even better

WOOHOO first post

Last edited by 16525 on 10 Jul 2004 - 12:23

#2 Posted by leebobs on 10 Jul 2004 - 11:38: Run's to update the SP2 Thread AGAIN!!. Your posting news too quickly Tom!

#3 Posted by StOrM on 10 Jul 2004 - 11:43: i want it

(4 replies) #4 Posted by bush on 10 Jul 2004 - 11:44: awesome!! can't wait

#5 Posted by s.a.m. on 10 Jul 2004 - 12:13: yawn...RTM is set internally for July 21

(1 reply) #6 Posted by lukeamott on 10 Jul 2004 - 12:27: if RTM for SP2 is set for July when will the public get its hands on it

(4 replies) #7 Posted by BlindLabel013 on 10 Jul 2004 - 12:29: What's RTM Mean?

#8 Posted by Banzai on 10 Jul 2004 - 12:30: at last soon to be final

#9 Posted by xStainDx on 10 Jul 2004 - 12:44: Tom I thought you were leaving....

(2 replies) #10 Posted by lukeamott on 10 Jul 2004 - 12:44: if RTM for SP2 is set for July when will the public get its hands on it
im wondering coz i wanna apply sp2 on my home network asap

#11 Posted by kainashi on 10 Jul 2004 - 12:57: it's about time.

(2 replies) #12 Posted by saabcaptain on 10 Jul 2004 - 13:34: so when SP2 goes RTM, will it be released to the internet right away? or will it take several more weeks to a month for the CDs etc. to be printed and THEN MS will launch it on the net at the same time?

i hope RTM goes on the net instantly... the sooner people have it the better.

#13 Posted by cjb1118 on 10 Jul 2004 - 13:44: Yay, can't wait.. ...

#14 Posted by markus on 10 Jul 2004 - 13:45: Can't wait

(7 replies) #15 Posted by RangerLG on 10 Jul 2004 - 14:05: So they still are moving forward with "XP Reloaded". Why bother when its just going to be XP with SP2 included.

#16 Posted by DJ Prem on 10 Jul 2004 - 14:41: nice

#17 Posted by hajj on 10 Jul 2004 - 14:53: waiting for confirmation from ms as there have been lots of fake information recently like the update on windows update, far cry 1.2 patch etc

#18 Posted by hajj on 10 Jul 2004 - 14:57: surely if this is just the dat for the cd version and the release to web is a lot later then someone will leak it to the net for us, i beg you, i need to make a sp2 corporate integratedc cd and format my harddrive.

(1 reply) #19 Posted by Banzai on 10 Jul 2004 - 14:57: when will it go RTW

#20 Posted by Soleen on 10 Jul 2004 - 14:59: SP2 is a myth it will never be released :-)

(7 replies) #21 Posted by badall on 10 Jul 2004 - 15:14: can service pack 2 be installed over service pack 1 ? as i have just reinstalled my friends pc for him

Last edited by 12422 on 10 Jul 2004 - 22:53

#22 Posted by Raa on 10 Jul 2004 - 16:07: Pfft. Lets focus on Windows 2000 SP5, and hopefully a slew of new features in it. I think I might use xp.... hmm on sp10..... hahaha not!

Gawd I wish Longhorn was available already hehe

(1 reply) #23 Posted by dark kyuubi on 10 Jul 2004 - 16:16: what's the difference between Windows XP SP2 and Windows Reloaded?.....

(3 replies) #24 Posted by Intelman on 10 Jul 2004 - 16:18: But if this is true...then what is this post by Microsoft on the newsgroups??

Hi All,

This is a heads-up that a new build of Windows XP SP2 will be released soon
via the Windows Update V5 site. This build includes many fixes for reported
issues.

Please download and install the new build as soon as possible after it is
released. It is important that any issues are reported quickly.

The build may be installed on Windows XP RTM, SP1, SP2 RC1 build 2082, or
SP2 RC2 build 2149. Installing the new SP2 build onto any other SP2 build is
not supported.

We will send out an e-mail and post to the newsgroup when the build is
available.

Thanks!

Windows Update Beta Team

(1 reply) #25 Posted by Liquid on 10 Jul 2004 - 16:26: NOOO!!! BOO!! It makes my iPod not work.

#26 Posted by iCeFuSiOn on 10 Jul 2004 - 16:42: Wooo! Itll be out by the time I get back from Vacation

#27 Posted by LordJTC on 10 Jul 2004 - 16:55: Nice, can't wait

(2 replies) #28 Posted by Breach on 10 Jul 2004 - 17:26: So. What's the bottom line? Can we expect SP2Final.exe to be available for download on the 21st? Or when?

(3 replies) #29 Posted by ACTIONpack on 10 Jul 2004 - 17:28: So the Windows Media Edition Center 2005 will be under the Home Edition and not Pro?

(5 replies) #30 Posted by edgarf28 on 10 Jul 2004 - 17:35: "Currently there have been only 8 builds since the WinHEC build in May."

4088 - 4074 = 14 builds (I think)

#31 Posted by edgarf28 on 10 Jul 2004 - 17:59: k, thnx guys!

edit: sorry wrong button!

#32 Posted by nojetlag on 10 Jul 2004 - 18:16: Today my harddisk got damn noisy, I did guess something and it turned out to be true, windowsupdate did push me the RC2 of SP2 for XP. However I won't install it, better wait till the RTM. Had enough experience with Windows 2003 and the crippled IE

#33 Posted by Monte on 10 Jul 2004 - 18:59: yay

(1 reply) #34 Posted by Dane2003 on 10 Jul 2004 - 19:40: Hmm...So they will offer it on free CDs? (I ordered MSN Broadband AND the Windows Update Feb. CD, Microsoft doesnt seem to be able to find my home, Neither arrived. I ordered MSN Broadband almost a year ago ).

#35 Posted by StaticX on 10 Jul 2004 - 20:00: about ****ing time!

#36 Posted by obake on 10 Jul 2004 - 20:31

QUOTE

Microsoft are aiming to make sure everyone gets this update and will be spending just as much time & money promoting it as developing it.

I find this quote particularly ironic considering the whole debacle with the installation of SP2 on pirated copies of XP. You know what I'm talking about.

Nice typo, too. I are amused by it.

#37 Posted by sumeet on 10 Jul 2004 - 23:00: oh poo im ober my bandwith limit

#38 Posted by un0 on 10 Jul 2004 - 23:59: Coo...

(3 replies) #39 Posted by evilbill1782 on 11 Jul 2004 - 00:15: I hear SP2 is the best part of 260 megs, so M$ obviously forgot about those of us still stuck on 44k dial-up connections. LOL

#40 Posted by MitchShrader on 11 Jul 2004 - 01:11: so nobody wants to upgrade IE for all the legacy versions of windows? not even 2000, ? and sp2 and media center get all the focus? waaah. SuSe 9.1 is lookin better'n better...

#41 Posted by MtDewCodeRedFreak on 11 Jul 2004 - 01:39: Lol, I can't wait to install SP2 on my new computer!

(1 reply) #42 Posted by Robert McClelland on 11 Jul 2004 - 03:07: I got full version of xp home sp1 So far I don't have any problems with out upgrading to sp2 at all.

#43 Posted by ZeroBS on 11 Jul 2004 - 05:55: Yippy now I can finally format!! I have been waiting for sp2 before I did 'it'

(1 reply) #44 Posted by lukeamott on 11 Jul 2004 - 05:55: @ HUY i have 3 legit copies of xp pro should i install it 2

#45 Posted by DOGglee on 11 Jul 2004 - 06:50: that's cool!!!! sp2!!!

#46 Posted by Xerxes on 11 Jul 2004 - 08:39: Can't wait

(1 reply) #47 Posted by R-Style on 11 Jul 2004 - 11:11: Windows XP SP3 will be the best service pack ever!!!!!!!

(1 reply) #48 Posted by barrelrider_and_sting on 11 Jul 2004 - 13:42: So, who wants to place bets on when the next gaping hole will be found in SP2 that the so-called "engineers" at M$ missed, forgot, or didnt anticipate???? How long will it take??

#49 Posted by neo_joel on 11 Jul 2004 - 14:28: I might be the only one who feels this way but.. cheers more time for LH to be worked on.. i personally cant wait for LH to come out.

#50 Posted by Ulpian on 11 Jul 2004 - 18:21: Anyone knows anything about delay of localized (Polish) version?

(3 replies) #51 Posted by denzilla on 11 Jul 2004 - 19:59: I don't really think we'll see a SP3 for along time. MS wants to stroke their baby (LH). I'm expecting a big neglect ........