Windows XP SP1 and SP1a support ends on October 10, 2006

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Support for Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Service Pack 1a (SP1a) ends on October 10, 2006. Microsoft will end support on this date. This also includes security updates for these service packs. Microsoft is providing final notifications to customers regarding the end of support for these products.

Microsoft is ending support for these products as part of the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Service Pack support policy. We recommend that customers who are still running Windows XP SP1 or SP1a upgrade to Windows XP Service Pack 2 as soon as possible.

To determine whether you are running Windows XP SP1, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties. If “Service Pack 1″ appears under System, you are running Windows XP SP1. We do not recommend that you install SP1a if you are already running SP1. We recommend that you install Windows XP SP2 if you are running Windows XP SP1 or SP1a.

News source: MS Blog

View: Microsoft Support Lifecycle Service Pack Policy

Key dates:

Windows XP SP2 was released on September 17, 2004. According to the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Service Pack policy, Microsoft provided 24 months of support for Windows XP SP1 following the Windows XP SP2 release. The original support end date for Windows XP SP1 was September 17, 2006.
In January 2006, Microsoft announced an adjustment to the Microsoft Support Lifecycle expiration dates, moving the end of support date for Windows XP SP1 to October 10, 2006. Details about this announcement can be found at http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean17/.

If you are currently running XP with SP1(a) you may as well upgrade to SP2 today to take advantage of any upcoming patches etc.

#1 Suren on 07 Jun 2006 - 09:11

if i was MS i would end support now

(1 reply) #2 Shof on 07 Jun 2006 - 09:36

i am happly using SP1 and never a problem

#2.1 InsaneNutter on 07 Jun 2006 - 11:28

Why not just upgrade to SP2? more security features, better wifi support and bluetooth to name a few

#3 j0j081 on 07 Jun 2006 - 09:57

this is a good thing. If you are still using SP1 you need to get with it.

(3 replies) #4 EcPercy on 07 Jun 2006 - 10:04

Seems like Microsoft software is reaching EOL sooner and sooner these days. I know it's only SP1 and most should be on SP2 by now, but wow. It makes me wonder how soon they will drop support for XP after Vista comes out.

#4.1 Gunbuster on 07 Jun 2006 - 11:06

This is a tad different from dropping a whole OS anyone using SP1 can update for free.

#4.2 Steven on 07 Jun 2006 - 11:48

Quote - EcPercy said @ #4

Service Packs only extend support for 1 or 2 years after their released. Been this way for a long time.

#4.3 tiwaris on 07 Jun 2006 - 19:47

To the best of my knowledge, MSFT has agreed to support XP at least until 2010. Further XP is a very very mature OS (has been around since 2001) and almost everything has been made compatible with XP. It also satisfies the needs of most people. What this means is that, XP is going to be around for quite some time (2015).

(1 reply) #5 nezermundy on 07 Jun 2006 - 10:14

No support for 2000 only ended last year - 3 years after the lunach of XP.

#5.1 PureLegend on 07 Jun 2006 - 15:45

Quote - nezermundy said @ #4.1

Shame. 2000 was a very good OS.

#6 leesmithg on 07 Jun 2006 - 11:45

IMO those not moving upto sp2 have something to hide.

Arhh Jim-lad.

(1 reply) #7 plasmo on 07 Jun 2006 - 12:03

havent used windows update in ages
im still on sp1 for years and its all been fine.. and fast lol

a nice firewall to block all window services and a virus scanner will keep all the nasties alway
and plus i get to have full use of my tcp/ip

#7.1 Jasur on 07 Jun 2006 - 12:47

Quote - plasmo said @ #6

Gee, if you wish to enable 10000 concurrent TCP/IP connections, theres a easy way.

XP firewall and total security is far better then what SP1 has.

Other then device drivers or software (in which some vendors are too lazy to update and cant give a stuff about) then should be no hassles with SP2

(2 replies) #8 ec4912 on 07 Jun 2006 - 12:11

What about the original "Devil's Own" cracked Windows XP users who couldn't upgrade to SP2 in the first place. What about them Microsoft?!?!?!?!

/joking

#8.1 Croquant on 07 Jun 2006 - 12:37

Oh, they all went a got a copy of a XPsp2 slipstream ISO. Don't worry, they're all fine.

#8.2 Magallanes on 07 Jun 2006 - 14:00

My devilsown work without a trouble with xp sp2, just changing the serial.

#9 callumy on 07 Jun 2006 - 12:26

Wow, has it really been that long!!! SP2 is a little bit more secure, preventing the more obvious and poorly executed attacks from occurring, and yet there are people who still manage to be attacked by such malware. It just shows that technology may improve and superseded systems may date, but people still won't upgrade to improve their computing experiences, even if it is for free!

Cal

(2 replies) #10 protias on 07 Jun 2006 - 15:09

looks like my linux conversion will be coming sooner than i expected. gg MS. ubuntu 6.06 has support for games (at least thats what they say, i have yet to try it). evil evil MS. why drop support for SP1, there is so much less overhead compared to SP2. yes, i know all about the "security" features.

/rant

#10.1 ziggie216 on 07 Jun 2006 - 15:38

the cost to the company to continue to support and old product.

#10.2 bangbang023 on 07 Jun 2006 - 16:44

protias: What? So, it supports games. That doesn't mean there's exactly a large library of games to play for Linux. And more overhead? Like what? The security center? That's easily disabled.

IMO, anyone still using sp1 is simply misinformed and a bit too comfortable in their ignorance. The only time I could see upgrading being a problem is in the corporate world where software sometimes gets broken by such a large update.

(2 replies) #11 Buttus on 07 Jun 2006 - 16:22

so at this rate, they're going to end support for sp2 before Vista is released...

#11.1 Mike Frett on 07 Jun 2006 - 20:44

That's the point, end security patches and force you to upgrade to Vista or face the consequences of hackers and viruses.

#11.2 bobbba on 08 Jun 2006 - 12:05

No, the point is that MS provide you with a free service pack to protect your PC. Why should they continue to support pre sp2 xp? It costs a lot of money and there are only 2 kinds of people living on the pre sp2 releases.

1. the monkeys who have read some bs about it being slower etc
2. the people whose software isn't compatible which isn't ms's respsonsibility either..

At the end of the day, there is little or no justifiable reason not to use sp2, if you don't like it you either live with the risks or switch platforms.

#12 Sniper101 on 07 Jun 2006 - 18:16

Ahhhh yet another OS Support Ending

Next year it will be SP2

By then i will Have Vista so no need for me to worry to much

#13 uber_C on 07 Jun 2006 - 20:58

oh noes! what will I do with my prescott machine!?

well I guess its time to upgrade.

#14 ThePitt on 07 Jun 2006 - 21:32

well... I still using SP1. Not even SP1a. So, I hope they release SP3 before of that.

(4 replies) #15 ANova on 08 Jun 2006 - 02:45

No SP2 for me, hell I would rather still be running the original XP if it weren't for a slipstreamed copy I made with SP1, regretted it ever since.

Service packs = useless, unnecessary, performance and reliability degrading crap. Aside from the patches that include USB 2.0 and large partitions nothing else is necessary, don't use IE or disable all the active x and scripting and you'll be fine. You don't even need any anti virus or firewall, although you should run a firewall if you're not behind a router.

#15.1 dangel666 on 08 Jun 2006 - 10:43

Oh. My. God.

Do you actually believe any of that rubbish?

#15.2 bobbba on 08 Jun 2006 - 11:09

I hope he's joking and isn't the complte and utter noob that his post implies...

#15.3 ANova on 08 Jun 2006 - 18:06

Your feeble minded opinions mean nothing to me and the fact that I haven't been infected with one form of malware, virus or trojan in the last 9 months only proves my point irregardless of what you brainwashed kids think you know.

#15.4 bobbba on 10 Jun 2006 - 20:38

If you are not running anti virus or anti spyware, how do you know...

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