The SP2 Thread - Reloaded

[+Batfink Subscriber²]

Added two new guides:

1. Whats in SP2 an overview from Microsoft

2. Deploying the Firewall in SP2 from Microsoft

Added news on iminant release of SP2 Beta 1 to testers

[Pink Floyd Veteran]

will it be possible in the setup of sp2 to not install firewall?

Or we will have to let setup to install it and manually disable the firewall after that... ?

[John Veteran]

the firewall is a part of windows, and as such will be installed with sp2. but you can always turn it off if you want.

[Lexcyn]

I hope it gets released to everyone soon... I want to test it! :D

[Dejon]

i'm confused, is the latest build 2005.?.

[Imaginos]

No it has not been released yet.

Yes it's already out on the WindowsBetaWeb..

edit: wussup page 8!

[louiskhorweiwu]

I'm very interested in the new ICF, but I've got a few questions, that glancing through this thread, and reading what I could understand from here:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/security/default...rityinxpsp2.asp

and here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&DisplayLang=en

did not explicitly help.

What I'd like to know is whether there is outbound protection in the new ICF. From the looks of things it's not going to have the kind of firewall features 3rd party vendors now normally provide - ie prompting you each time a new application tries to connect out; correct me if I'm wrong about this.

What is mentioned though is outbound whitelisting (search for "white" in the first url), is this going to cause problems with file-sharing clients like Overnet? Will these clients have to be modified to comply to (I'm fuzzy on this) stateful filtering? - and hence not have to be put on the white-list? What about most other 3rd party apps, like Opera for instance?

The thing I like most about the new firewall is the ability to exclude the local subnet - has anyone set up their network with this and is everything flying along swimmingly? I leave myself without software firewalls behind my hardware router, because I'm not willing/able enough to make them play nice with file/printer sharing, and it annoys me that I'm not able to have outbound control because of this.

I was thinking of opening a new thread for this, but figured the mods made this uber thread for a reason - correct me if I'm wrong.

[bLiZZaRd1284]

where to dowload sp2?

Link!!!!

[freakyfriday]

i thought a download manager was supposed to be included ?

[Ioy]

is there a link to download yet cmon people!

[mm3h]

I dont think i has leaked .......................yet :shifty: IRC will be the first though

[Ioy]

you know where to look first on irc like efnet?

[Deepu Sudhakar]

I'm sitll having a lot of troubles downloading it from WindowsBeta (even though I'm a tester)...is it really available to all the testers yet?

[Ioy]

no i think they are having problems with that even FOR testers

[chrispinto]

i just got this yet i STILL cant see it in the download section of http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com and betaplace still directs me to the survey

**Do not reply as this email is being sent to you from an un-monitored account. **

Dear Christopher,

Beta 1 of Service Pack 2 for Microsoft? Windows XP is now available for download at http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com. Before installing or shortly thereafter it is recommended that all beta participants download and read the document titled "Changes to Functionality in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2", located at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=21745

This release also includes access to Windows Update V5 which will include a number of new features. Please read the release information about the new features available at http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5Co...SiteVersion.htm. We encourage you to visit the Windows Update site at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. When providing feedback, comment and problem reports please bucketize all issues into the following categories. This will provide a basis to start tracking issues, identifying symptoms, and initial troubleshooting.

O Site/IIS Errors: Issues when attempting to access the site and during home page rendering.

O AU Errors: Issues with Automatic Update, including personalization and services.

O Control Initialization: Issues starting with "Checking for latest version of Windows Update Software" to the start of the Scan.

O Search: Issue that happens during Scan process, after clicking on Express or Custom Install, but before the updates are displayed

O Download: Issues during download of update.

O EULA: Issues that happen with the EULA.

O Installation: Issues after download and during installation.

O Personalization: Issues with Advance Setting and hiding or restoring hidden updates.

O Privacy Check: Is the issue of an inability to access the site due to the Privacy Check.

O Other Features: For issues that are not covered in the other Sub-areas.

O Post Install Problem: Issues that occurs after the Windows Update installation process due to the update installed.

We look forward to your comments, feedback and problem reports and thank you in advance for your contribution towards making Service Pack 2 for Windows XP a reliable, solid and secure release.

Please read this entire document - it contains much valuable information about the beta program and should serve to answer most questions you might have about the beta.

Service Pack 2 for Windows XP is being made available in several versions:

Please note these definitions:

O Standalone = Updates an existing Windows XP installation.

O Express Install = Updates an existing Windows XP installation using compression technology optimized for dialup and low bandwidth connections.

O Integrated = Also known as slipstream, a complete copy of Windows XP with SP2 integrated into it. Recommended for clean installations.

1. Standalone (xpsp2.exe) - A single file available for download that will install SP2 to your existing Home or Pro installation.

2. Express install (xpsp2-express.exe)- A much smaller single file available for download that will connect over the internet and apply SP2 to your existing Home or Pro installation. Recommended for low bandwidth connections.

3. SP2 Integrated Home Edition - A complete CD image of Windows XP Home Edition. Recommended only for clean installs, not to be used to update existing Home edition installs.

4. SP2 Integrated Professional Edition - A complete CD image of Windows XP Professional Edition. Recommended only for clean installs or Professional, or for upgrading existing Home Edition installations to Pro SP2.

5. Standalone CD - A CD image containing #1 above.

Note: Items 1 and 2 are available now. Others will be available soon.

Other images and tools may be made availablethroughout the beta. Check the .Announcements newsgroup for information. For more information on available tools and documentation, please visit http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com.

A copy of #5 will be mailed shortly to the participants that requested one. It should arrive within 2 weeks. If you do not receive your CD within 2 weeks, please contact [email protected].

Before you begin, please note the following:

1. This release is not recommended for production systems.

2. Due to the nature of pre-release software, some of your applications and hardware may not function correctly.

Review the pre-release license agreements carefully during the installation. By installing this release, you agree to the terms and conditions of these license agreements. All licenses associated with the product will expire when the product becomes commercially available.

Product Keys:

Product Keys are required only for versions 3 and 4 above. If you wish to install version 3 or 4 you may obtain a product key for this purpose from http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com.

Obtaining Support:

Please join us in our private newsgroups for support of this Beta release of SP2. A trained team of support professionals are available to answer your questions as well as people responsible for the beta program and members of the development team.

A unique user account (formerly known as your Beta ID) and password are required to access the Windows Beta private newsgroups. To obtain your ID and setup your password you will need to visit http://beta.microsoft.com/, choose "Modify your info" from the top menu and then "Modify Newsgroup Login Info".

The news server for this beta program is: betanews.microsoft.com

Your Account Name is: betanews\[your Beta ID] Please note the format here. The "betanews \" is required and you will not be able to connect without using this format.

PLEASE configure your regular "friendly" name, email address, and organization for your chosen news reader program.

All support for the Microsoft Windows Service Pack 2 beta will take place in the newsgroups beginning with microsoft.beta.xpsp2.* You should not discuss or repost any information obtained from the private newsgroups in other newsgroups or forums.

How to Download the Build:

Visit us at http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com and sign in with your passport and browse to the download section.

If you experience any issues that cannot be resolved in the newsgroups, you may send email to [email protected] for assistance.

How to Report a Bug:

The bug reporting tool is available for download from http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com. Please Note: The bug reporting for the Windows XP SP2 is for the purpose of identifying bugs in the service pack only. This is not a venue for alerting Microsoft to the presence of bugs in other products.

Thank you in advance,

Microsoft Windows Product Team

[graeme_7799]

i know!!! wtf??! i got the same email, and its no where to be found, but it must be true that its being released TONIGHT later on, approx. 2-5 hours i duno... I WANT IT NOW!!!! bloody microsoft...

[Ioy]

Can one of the testers give us a link to download?

OR a(n) beta id and password

Edited December 18, 2003 by Ioy

[chrispinto]

Can one of the testers give us a link to download?

OR a(n) beta id and password

No...because that would be a breech of our testing agreement, and subsquently get us dropped from future tests

Im sure it will leak soon mind you

[chrispinto]

i thought a download manager was supposed to be included ?

the download manager is a separate download...

i downloaded it, looks crap...

Also, you will note AOL 9 on the taskbar...AOL is NOT my isp, im just beta testing AOL 9 Thailand :laugh: :p

Apologies for the size of the screenshot...my res is huge :|

[John Veteran]

that's microsoft's download manager that's not part of ie. betaplace uses it for downloading files. that is NOT IE's download manager...

dling sp2 now :D

[chrispinto]

grrrr

i still cant "see" it on windowsupdate.ms.com

i just get "content" on the download page

:/

[John Veteran]

??? it's not on windows update... it's on windowsbeta.microsoft.com :huh:

[Beast1979]

Does anyone know if this install works on the Corporate version of Windows XP SP1? (Usenet version :whistle: )

Thanks!

[John Veteran]

no. go buy xp and it will work (Y)

[Beast1979]

Well I have a real key (I'm MSDN subscriber) but I was just curious.