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XP Service Pack 2 - Done and RTM 1

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bcastner

bcastner

IS-IT--Management
Aug 13, 2002
29,271
US
8/6/2004 Release to Manufacturing

So all of those betting on 8/2 or 8/2 or 8/5, your are out of luck. Sorry.

Monday 8/9/2004 will have SP2 full for download. This is the "network" full version, and what I intend to use.

If you have any release candidate of Service Pack 2 installed, the Windows Update service should handle the upgrade beginning August 10, and if your machine is configured for automatic updates. If you have not installed any release candidates of SP2, Windows update will begin showing Service Pack 2 as a "Critical Update" beginning August 16 for those with automatic updates configured or are using the SuS server. For those clients not configured to automaticly download and install updates, the Windows Update site will show Service Pack 2 later in the month.

Several questions I had have been answered:

. If you have a Release Candidate of SP2 installed, do you have to remove and then install SP2 final? No. It will upgrade.

Having said this, my intention is to slipstream Service Pack 2 and do a reinstall. This is absolutely unecessary to do, but it makes me happy. Particularly if I feel the urge to do an sfc /Scannow.

. How big?

266mb. You can order a CD:
And expect to see CDs from other sources as well. Your local computer store should be able to provide you one. MSFT encourages the sharing of a CD version of the software.

. My XP had a tough time with Service Pack 1 getting authorized, can I expect the same for Service Pack 2?

I do not know. My own read was that they wre going to be much tougher. Other analysts argue that it will be less restrictive than Service Pack 1. I do not know what the final decision was.

. Is this XP Reloaded, essentially a new OS?

There is nothing trivial about Service Pack 2. Because the replacement of .EXE and .DLLs is so extensive, to me it is a new OS version. This is not a Hotfix, but an incredible update. But it does not have Avalon or Whidbey (the Longhorn GUI/Shell and filestore enhancements), and other than the some new features you have to look for the new features.

. Service Pack 1 was such a headache, I am reluctant to go through that again with Service Pack 2.

Just do it. I did not have any serious issues with Service Pack 1, although I am aware many did. This Service Pack has had the benefit of more testing, and a broad installed base to report problems back to Microsoft. Just do it. If there is an issue, it is a good idea to have Service Pack 2 bring it to the surface so you and your hardware vendor can deal with it directly. Do it.

, Any other thoughts?

You should find SP2 everywhere by the end of the month. Those with dial-up connections will be pleased to find that they really do not have to download the thing. This should be an easy Service Pack to find on CD, and Microsoft encourages its distribution.
 
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The 266MB network install is not necessary for most people. When it gets pushed through automatic updates (which will be very soon), it will be under 100MB.
 
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mlichstein,

It all depends. The base Automatic Installation is only 800KB. I agree with you it is unlikely an Automatic Update installation would see the full 'Network' installation download.

The Washington Post quotes Bill Gates that Service Pack 2 involves roughly a replacement of 30% of XP code. Having slipstreamed some of the release candidates, I think Bill is off by several orders of magnitude.

In a private MSFT "Chat" session about planned changes to IE last week, I complained about the FUD surrounding deployment of Servie Pack 2. I was bombarded with links, and I have to agree with the MSFT people that deployment of SP2 has been well covered by their whitepapers. Though when I asked if I had to uninstall RC2 when SP2 went final the best answer I could get was : maybe. It now appears that an uninstall of the Release Candidates is not required, but remember the "maybe." answer.

I intend to uninstall, slipstream the Servie Pack, and do a repair/Upgrade reinstallation of the OS. Likely all of these steps are unecessary or excessive, but regardless that is my own plan for my personal machines. For my Domain and Workgroup machines, I am going to depend on the Windows Update service, or the local SuS servers.

 
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Uninstalling the RCs will not be necessary for most people. We say maybe because there still may be some application compatibility problems in some cases.

You might want to read the Washington Post article again.

"The upgrade, which Chairman Bill Gates said modifies less than 5 percent of the nearly 3-year-old operating system, is designed to make users safer from cyberattacks by sealing entries to viruses, better protecting personal data and fending off spyware"

 
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mlichstein,

Thanks for clarifying my mis-remembering of the Gates quote this morning in the Washington Post. My recollection was the 30% figure, but I believe you if the actual quote was 5%.

I obviously cannot until Monday slipstream SP2 final, but I have done RC1 and RC2 slipstreams, and while not counting bytes during the process, I still believe this assertion by Gates is woefully incorrect.

As to my original thoughts about a lack of good documentation of deployment of this Service Pack. I have made ammends above by providing a link to the documents that MSFT has published. I have in the last week completely come around 180 degrees on how good a job Microsoft has done on deployment of SP2. They have done an excellent job in my now revised opinion.

But whether the code base change is 5% or 30%, it seems to this user that it is quite substantially larger than either number.


 
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mlichstein,

Perhaps you are in a position to comment about a V5 of Windows Update for dial-up users that I cannot confirm.

The claim was that for a dial-up user configured for Automatic Updates, Service Pack 2 would essentially install as a backrground service, moderating its use of the internet connection and process attention to allow relatively free use of the computer while this background update was accomplished.

This sounds very cool. I can assure you that the Release Candidates did not act this way. If you have any information you are free to share on this feature it would be of interest to this Forum.
 
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It occurs to me that I was unclear in my post above. I did not literally mean that the install was a true background service, but that the dial-up user would be relatively free to use his/her internet connection and workstation while Automatic Updates applied Service Pack 2.

Best to all,
Bill Castner
 
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I am going to bump this for one day.

*bump*

Bill

Please you the site search feature for additional notes on service pack 2. I recommend you do this, but see my other thoughts and links about this service pack.
 
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Hey Bill. Am I missing something here? I am going to the link that you have provided, but can not find the link to download SP2. Is it there yet, or do I need to wait a few hours?

Help! I've fallen and I can't reach my beer.
cheers.gif
 
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If your from the UK I think the western side of the US is about 9 hours behind! So they'll just be thinkning about heading off to work around about now!
 
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The network download is not there yet, I do not know why. For your worksations, set the auto download option, or let Microsoft do it for you:
If have used RC1, RC2 and final (since friday through my MSN subscription) and while not issue free, I like it.

Bear with me. Use the link above, and wait nicely.
 
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Thanks Bill. Just checking. I'll wait nicely ;)

Help! I've fallen and I can't reach my beer.
cheers.gif
 
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My plans where to write a definitave article here as a FAQ on creating a bootable Slipstream CD.

I need the network download version; I have the last friday ISO but the network install has yet to appear.

See my links above, and unfortuantely you just have to wiat.

Bill


 
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Looks like it is online now ... see Bill's link above.
 
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