Windows XP SP2 Goes Gold 485
writertype writes "PC Magazine reports that Microsoft has released Windows XP SP2 to PC OEMs after a two-day delay. A package of stories, complete with an exploration of the new update, is here. The best way for users to get the update, according to Microsoft, is to have Windows Update turned on; a CD version will be made available." Reader Critical_ writes "With all the news of SP2 being delayed, it seems like Microsoft may have pulled a rabbit out of its hat by releasing RTM on its WindowsBeta site. Neowin has a screenshot of the download page and MSFN has the release information. The final build is 2180. For those who can't download it for whatever reason, Microsoft is giving away free CDs here. Happy installing."
Holy Crap! (Score:4, Funny)
In other news (Score:4, Funny)
So (Score:5, Funny)
Michael's Admission (Score:5, Funny)
Hmm...Does this mean Michael, Microsoft hater extraordinaire runs Windows in his spare time?
Why would he let me install it first unless he has windows himself to install SP2 later?
I think I've just exposed Michael has a hypocrite and windows user.
Re:Is it really golden? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:In other news (Score:2, Funny)
Is it a plane?
NO! Its a fucking pig flying over my head! Make it go away!
Re:Time to do away with this “Service Pack&am (Score:2, Funny)
Microsoft customers have come to understand quite well what a SP is. If anything, their use of "rollup fixpacks" and things like that are confusing, albeit they're used mostly in the corporate context.
Re:Windows Beta site getting hammered (Score:5, Funny)
It will show up on your machine automatically with the automatic updates feature. Whats the rush? It's not like this is a new Pokémon card.
What will SP2 do for Linux's server dominence? (Score:3, Funny)
Parent post is accurate. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Torrents---which one is "right" ?? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Is it really golden? (Score:2, Funny)
Caramba ! (Score:5, Funny)
I'm about to lose control and I think
Please join me for a minute of silence in a memory of our dialup friends.
Re:Windows Beta site getting hammered (Score:5, Funny)
I beg to differ. Windows service packs are exactly like new pokemon cards.. their worth is dubious yet people have the strange urge to collect them all!
SP2 I choose you!
More importantly: any news yet on NT4 sp7 ? (Score:2, Funny)
WTF? I gotta buy something again just to get it to work right?
I waiting for.. (Score:5, Funny)
I going to hold out at wait for the service pack for SP2.
(kidding)
Re:Holy Crap! (Score:2, Funny)
Hmmm... (Score:5, Funny)
Price for a laptop? $1500.00
Price for Win XP Pro? $299.99
Price for SP2? Free
Resinstalling Windows XP, all your programs, and all your data after SP2 renders the computer unusable? Priceless
-rt
Re:Windows Beta site getting hammered (Score:5, Funny)
Re:RC2 (Score:1, Funny)
I'm actually surprised by how stable it has been. I've even been able to play Doom 3 with no crashes.
You know you've been drinking the Microsoft kool-aid when you are surprised that a popular application works on a popular operating system without things breaking.
Re:Michael's Admission (Score:5, Funny)
The sysadmins arranged their seats in an inward facing circle. A secretary is called in to randomly play, pause, and resume a Windows Media Audio file on WMP9. The sysadmins randomly throw to each other the 1 SP2 cd burned last night, exclaiming "SP2! SP2" as the disc is hurled to the next holder. Each time the music stops, whoever holds the cd is eliminated from the circle and the game continues. The last person holding the SP2 update CD is the victim^H^H^H^H^H^H first admin to deploy XP SP2 in his/her department.
**Congratulations to our 1,000,000,000 visitor!** (Score:5, Funny)
I'm going to DISNEYLAND!!
Re:In other news (Score:2, Funny)
yea (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Is it really golden? (Score:3, Funny)
You new here?
- sm
Re:Go back to green (Score:1, Funny)
Well, to be sure... (Score:5, Funny)
emerge -uDv sys-kernel/windows-xp-sp2
Oh, wait a sec... I'm not even supposed to be here, am I?
Forget Gold (Score:4, Funny)
alpha
beta
release candidate 1
release candidate 2
release candidate 3
release candidate 4
IRC warez beta
msdn
gold
release candidate 5
GA
release to manufacturing
blue screen
release candidate 6
Everybody is talking about it .... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:MD5SUM (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Forget Gold (Score:3, Funny)
They've gone plaid.
Lots of errors (Score:5, Funny)
Wow. That's 96 more errors than I got last time.
Re:I've been using it.. (Score:1, Funny)
Obviously, the windows update issue should be fixed in the released version, and it must not be effecting everyone, or I presume they would not release it. But my sp2-rc2 had never done windows update properly (that is to say, it failed to install any available updates consistently, every time).
I uninstalled sp2 from that machine today, and I won't be putting it back till I hear some pretty rave reviews. Okay, maybe not rave reviews, but I at least want to hear that it works.
This is just a guess, but I think the Windows Update thing is probably deliberate blocking, rather than a bug.
The updates released on Windows Update are designed for released systems, so installing them on betas might lead to all sorts of problems. Moreover, a lot of fixes released as updates are probably already in the SP betas (or RCs, whatever). It therefore seems reasonable to block Windows Update for beta/RC builds, or at least offer a different set of updates specifically for those builds (if there are any critical fixes released that aren't in the SP).