Windows XP SP2 Release..

http://www.winnetmag.com/windowspaulthurrott/Article/ArticleID/43510/windowspaulthurrott_43510.html
from WinCustomize Forums

It's about to go gold and be released to the public this month.

Microsoft will finalize the code for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) sometime today, release it via Microsoft Download Center and MSDN on the Web tomorrow, and then ship it to customers via Windows Update beginning August 25, though Automatic Update users will get it immediately on a staggered basis.

For those users running software that patches their system DLLs or hacks their kernal, expect a wild ride. In most cases new versions of those various patches will have to be applied. 

And For those of you using say WindowBlinds or DesktopX or IconPackager (i.e. Object Desktop programs) SP2 should work fine with no updates required.

We'll keep you up to date on what problems we hear in various customization programs so that you're prepared.

14,111 views 32 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
For what its worth, I recieved the cd from Microsoft end of last week, gave me no problems. I'm running XP Pro on a Dell Dimensions V400c, with latest version of WindowBlinds, IconPackager, DesktopX, and IconX.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That is going to be a mad rush, when it does release.
Or maybe not. Alot of pirated WindowsXP out there, and alot of folk running scared because it will neuter their Windows Updates.
Guess we'll see the fallout as it happens. Blow by blow. Glad stardock is working to ensure that OD stays stable. Now as to all those other pesky applications people want to run... Kablewie!
Guess MS couldn't go wrong offering it on CD. I think game manufacturers should include something like that on thier installaion CD's, Just like DX9. I mean if it improves stability so much, isn't that a factor in good gaming? I just hope MS gives folks the choice as an option of installing this via Windows Update, and not slipstreaming it into some innocuos update package.
Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
This crae won't be rushing. I just installed service pack 1 last week so XP would recognise my new 160 gig disk as 160 gig and not 137.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
there's tons of stuff in sp2 you may already have(cummulative security fixes) or don't even have to have(the new firewall features...you may be using ZA or some other personal firewall).

i'm the opposite of an earlier adopter. i'll let everyone else be my guinea pig and see how it effects their systems. if it screws up their systems then i'll know how to prevent it from happening to mine.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks Brad for the info and caring about your customers
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well I have SP2, and I reported this before, Window Blinds does have issues with SP2. the responce on the message board was that "Stardock will not be making any patches untill Sp2 was out for a couple of months, Stardock does not work on fixes for beta or RTM's".
Well here are a couple of issues:
1. will not allow you to shin toolbar.
2. will not allow skinning of shutdown or logoff screens.
more issues but will wait for final release of SP2 to report.
Oh bootSkins no longer work on my SP2 either.
I'm running WindowsXp-Pro SP2 on a Dell Inspiron 8200:
CPU-P4 1800
Vidio-32meg Nvida GForce2go
Ram-512Megs
Storage-30gigs HDD
I hope its just me and my machine, because I love the Stardock Programs and realy enjoy changing the GUI every day (just for the heck of it), maybe someday I'll find one I'll stick with but I hope not.
Good luck with everyones install of SP2-some really cool changes (check out the new taskbar icons) coollll.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks for this posting Frogboy! It appears that our MB Posting has caused some friction. What do you know about this though? >"Oh bootSkins no longer work on my SP2 either". As stated by Mr James Ashley.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I will test it ona virtual Pc first. I have been won over to them now. Is my latest testing tool. I love to find something like that and run with it as far as I can... to the nth degree.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The enhancements in SP2 to the Tablet PC (Lonestar) are amazing. I didn't think I could have been more happy but I am.

No issues or bugs, lots of Tablet PC love.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
not sure what happened to James Ashley, but I've been running SP2 since RC2 and have no problems running WB4, DX2.19, IP2.5, or OD+.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Zubaz: I have a TabletPC.  I'd love to hear what kinds of cool things they're doing on that!
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Looks like, Windows XP SP2 Delayed...again

Once again Windows XP SP2 has hit another delay. Although last night the SP2 team were partying at the "release of SP2" it wasn't clear what build was RTM and whether anyone had agreed on RTM. One thing that is for sure at the moment is that SP2 final will make it onto Windows Update/Automatic Update on the 25th August, anything before that (RTW network install etc) has been knocked back.

We'll bring you the latest dates as soon as the SP2 team have recovered

http://www.neowin.net/comments.php?id=23009&category=main#comment260799
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yep, thats Micromosoft for ya
wait wait wait

As for the pirates ive read that it will take them about a few weeks to generate new keys, they wont give up, they dont call em pirates for nothing.

Ah well glad ive bought mine
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
They dont specify the date on Microsoft site, they only say that it will come out this month.

http://www.winsupersite.com/faq/xpsp2.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/winxpsp2.mspx
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Wait a sec, I feel kinda weird asking this.....but is this just a security update or are we getting a new windows we've been waiting for since 2001?
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Its not Longhorn thats for sure.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
According to Slashdot, it got slipped again:

Microsoft has Delayed SP2, Again
Windows
Microsoft
Posted by CmdrTaco on Thursday August 05, @03:31PM
from the back-to-the-drawing-board dept.
I_am_Rambi writes "According to news.com.com "Microsoft has again delayed a long-awaited update to Windows XP, citing quality concerns. The company had planned to wrap up development this week on Windows XP Service Pack 2, but a Microsoft representative said late Wednesday that the software giant had decided that more work was needed on the update before if could be released to manufacturing." Yea, if 3 out of 5 machines failed to come back up, it needs some polishing."

http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/08/05/1742224&tid=201&tid=109
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Me too but who knows what other kinda stuff they put in there after the beta.

New stuff new bugs. Some bugs are very specific like Lan printers wont work etc, weird small stuff like that.
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
According to a recent update on Paul Thurott's site: http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/windowssp2.asp

"On August 6, 2004, Microsoft released Windows XP SP2 to manufacturing. You will be able to download this update starting the week August 9, 2004..."
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Link doenst work.

Sorry, the page you're trying to reach is temporarily unavailable or the page may no longer exist

I think his site gets alot of visitors
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It's out: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/winxpsp2.mspx

The WindowsUpdate "Express" installation is apparently going to be available shortly, but the network install (large download for updating PCs without internet connection, multiple computers, etc) is available.

Phil
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm aware of only 3 potential issues with SP2, now that its gone RTM and
we've spent the day with it.

1. Sometimes BootSkin fails to load on the first reboot after installing the
SP. Reboot again and it should be fine.

These next two, as far as I've been able to reproduce, are specific to AMD64
based platforms.

2. WindowBlinds on AMD64's (builds prior to the WB 4.38 ones on SDC now).
The new NX memory features enabled by SP2 are a bit too sensitive. It'll prevent
skinning from working properly and cause display properties to crash while you're
opening it.

Apart from running the latest beta (4.4 official release will be out in
August, 2004), you can change your boot.ini parm from /NoExecute=OptIn to /Execute. Which disables that new feature, but works around the issue for the moment.

I will probably rebuild 4.3 to account for this as well, but its confined to
AMD64's.

If anyone is having trouble with WB on SP2 elsewhere, I need details.

3. CursorXP on the AMD64's is totally hosed on loading. The /Execute change
to boot.ini above deals with it on the one machine I've had a chance to test
with.

Symptoms on the machine here include a dialog about DrWatson crashing coming
up and everything locking. Hard reset necessary.

If you are experiencing problems with CursorXP on non-AMD64 platforms,
again, I need details. Does it crash at the end of the install? Does it crash while
loading the images? What's the crash information?

Use SmartException (http://storage.stardock.com/files/smartexception.exe) to
capture additional debug information to \program files\common
files\stardock\smartexception\cursorxp.exe.cra) and send support or myself that.