01. More on Windows XP SP2

by Arie Slob

Hello Windows users,

In the weeks after Microsoft first released Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP they have rolled out the service pack through various channels.

It should now also be available on the WindowsUpdate Web site for most users.

Microsoft has also opened their CD-order site, where you can order your copy of SP2 on CD-ROM. Microsoft will ship this CD free of charge to you. Currently English & German are the only languages available, but Microsoft has published this schedule when other languages should be available:

CD Language

English
German
Japanese
Korean
French
Spanish
Chinese (Simp., Trad. & Hong Kong)
Italian
Brazilian
Russian
Dutch
Swedish
Danish
Czech
Polish
Norwegian
Turkish
Hungarian
Portuguese
Arabic
Hebrew
Greek
Finnish

Date Available to Order

August 25, 2004
August 25, 2004
September 1, 2004
September 2, 2004
September 2, 2004
September 14, 2004
September 14, 2004
September 14, 2004
September 14, 2004
September 14, 2004
September 14, 2004
September 14, 2004
September 14, 2004
September 14, 2004
September 21, 2004
September 21, 2004
September 21, 2004
September 21, 2004
September 28, 2004
September 28, 2004
September 28, 2004
September 28, 2004
September 28, 2004

I have opened a dedicated (sub) forum for Service Pack 2 questions on the WindowsBBS support forum, so go check it out here.

Microsoft also published some additional documents/tools that will help either individual users or system administrators with deploying SP2:

Title	Description	Download Link
Troubleshooting Windows Firewall in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2	This document describes how Windows Firewall works, the common problems with using Windows Firewall, and the set of tools used to troubleshoot Windows Firewall issues.	Download 292 KB
Application Compatibility Guide for Windows XP SP 2	Windows XP SP2 introduces new security technologies to better enable Windows XP computers to withstand viruses, worms and other kinds of attacks. This guide will assist IT Professionals to test and mitigate application compatibility issues arising from these more stringent security technologies.	Download 2.88 MB
Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Tools	The Windows Support Tools for Microsoft Windows XP are intended for use by Microsoft support personnel and experienced users to assist in diagnosing and resolving computer problems.	Download 4.7 MB - ENG Other Lang. (CN, DE, FR, KR)
Group Policy Settings Reference for Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2	This spreadsheet lists the full set of Group Policy settings described in Administrative Template (.adm) files shipped with Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2.	Download 1.47 MB
Managing Windows XP Service Pack 2 Features Using Group Policy	This white paper includes information about assessing, deploying, and using the new Group Policy settings delivered with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).	Download 957 KB
Deploying Windows Firewall Settings for Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2	Windows XP Service Pack 2 provides Windows Firewall, an enhanced firewall that is enabled by default. This white paper describes the methods used to deploy Windows Firewall settings in a managed environment.	Download 942 KB - ENG Download 1.85 MB - JAP
Toolkit to Temporarily Block Delivery of Windows XP SP2 to a PC Through Automatic Updates and Windows	While recognizing the security benefits of Windows XP SP2, some organizations have requested the ability to temporarily disable delivery of this update via Automatic Updates (AU) and Windows Update (WU).	Download 96 KB More Info
Executable to Temporarily Block Delivery of Windows XP SP2 to a PC Through Automatic Updates and Windows Update	This Microsoft signed executable creates the registry value and sets the associated value that temporarily blocks the delivery Windows XP SP2 to the system via Automatic Updates (AU) or Windows Update (WU).	Download 90 KB More Info
Executable to Un-block Delivery of Windows XP SP2 to a PC Through Automatic Updates and Windows Update	This Microsoft signed executable removes the previously created registry value that temporarily blocked the delivery Windows XP SP2 to the system via Automatic Updates (AU) or Windows Update (WU).	Download 90 KB More Info

My advice: Make a backup of your system, and bite the bullet! SP2 has many fixes and new security settings that make Windows XP more secure.

Read my SP2 review on the Windows-Help.NET Web site. Another popular article is my how-to on Slipstreaming the Sercice Pack. Slipstreaming a Service Pack, is the process to integrate the Service Pack into the installation so that with every new installation the Operating System and Service Pack are installed at the same time. This article can also be found on our Web site.

03. Microsoft Releases IntelliType/IntelliPoint 5.2 Software for Windows XP and 2000

Last week Microsoft released updated IntelliType/IntelliPoint software for Windows XP and Windows 2000.

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04. Microsoft Releases Updated Baseline Security Analyzer

Microsoft has released an update to its security tool, dubbed the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA), which allows an individual home or corporate user or an administrator to scan one or more Windows-based computers for common security misconfigurations.

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05. Microsoft Releases DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime

Microsoft DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime will update your current version of DirectX the core Windows technology that drives high-speed multimedia and games on the PC.

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Windows-Help.NET Newsletter

01. More on Windows XP SP2

02. Recent Support BBS Postings

03. Microsoft Releases IntelliType/IntelliPoint 5.2 Software for Windows XP and 2000

04. Microsoft Releases Updated Baseline Security Analyzer

05. Microsoft Releases DirectX 9.0c End-User Runtime