Print - Microsoft Ships XP SP2 RC1 to Testers

Microsoft alerted me yesterday that the company has shipped the first release candidate (RC) build of Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) to testers and will ship the build to the general public beginning tomorrow. XP SP2 Release Candidate 1 (RC1) contains several new features not found in earlier XP SP2 builds, including unique features for XP Media Center Edition (MCE).

"Microsoft has now released to testers Windows XP SP2 RC1," a company representative told me. "As you know, XP SP2 RC1 is another key milestone in the development of SP2 and is intended to provide a broad range of IT professionals and developers an opportunity to conduct testing and to prepare for deployment."

XP SP2 RC1's new features include the following key enhancements:
   - Security Center--a dashboard for configuring Windows Firewall, Automatic Updates, and antivirus protection, the latter of which works with third-party products
   - Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) pop-up window blocker--turned on by default; blocks malicious Web sites from opening unwanted windows
   - New Microsoft Windows Update--a much-improved version that provides more efficient access to critical updates
   - New Windows Firewall--turned on by default; provides protection from network- and Internet-based attacks
   - Integrated Windows Media Player (WMP) 9 Series, Microsoft DirectX 9.0b, Bluetooth, Windows Update Services client, and other features released since the XP first shipped in October 2001

As previously reported, XP SP2 includes the Lonestar updates to XP Tablet PC Edition; users with Tablet PC devices will upgrade their systems to XP Tablet PC Edition 2004 when they install SP2. New to SP2 RC1 is XP MCE 2004 for Media Center PC users. XP MCE 2004 provides new features such as "improved TV picture quality, an enhanced music library, a richer photo experience, and access to music and video on demand through Online Spotlight," according to Microsoft.

Microsoft made the decision to package the XP MCE 2004 and Tablet PC Edition 2004 software with SP2 to give customers the best possible security, the company representative told me. "At this time, [PC makers] are no longer providing Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 upgrades," he said. "However, existing Media Center customers will be able to upgrade to Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 via XP SP2 once it is released. By providing the Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 upgrade as part of SP2, customers will also be able to take advantage of the security enhancements that will be in the service pack."

For users eager to test the new service pack, the big news is the Windows XP Service Pack 2 Technical Preview Program, through which Microsoft will distribute RC1 to interested parties. Beginning tomorrow, March 19, the program will be available from the Microsoft TechNet Web site (note that this URL won't work until sometime tomorrow).

Paul - when is SP2 final tenatively slated for release? Editor's note: May 2004. --Paul

"Integrated Windows Media Player (WMP) 9 Series, Microsoft DirectX 9.0b, Bluetooth, Windows Update Services client, and other features released since the XP first shipped in October 2001" What if I don't want these things? Does it let you choose? My money's on NO.

Previously, Paul had published the registry settings to run concurrent sessions for Windows XP SP2. I have installed SP2 RC1 and that doesn't seem to work. Has the method changed and does the registry settings he mentioned need to applied only to the computer being connected to?

I don't really understand the MCE 2004 part of your article. I have the first version of MCE and installed this test version and now I cannot get the Media Center to even come up at all. It showa an error and shuts down the error dialog box. Do you have any other info about MCE in this test version Editor's note: I have installed SP2 RC1 on a MCE box (the original version) and gotten the MCE 2004 update, yes. --Paul

Tried it - liked it - but it's beta quality and not ready for prime time - now back using a 'release' version of Windows: Server 2003.

So nobody knows how to disable wscntfy.exe? (yet...) Also, SP2 has unilaterally refused file sharing on my system. Not that it's problem mind you, just annoying to have your system shutting down programs you're attempting to run.

It`s a pity but Microsof don´t know it. The spanish is the most speak language in the world after chinesse. then make your sp2 rc1 in English an German but not in spanish. Congratulations.

I would have to say that English is more popular than Spanish. America, Canada, Africa, almost every European and asian country, and many spanish speaking countries speak English. Spanish is mainly only spoken in Spanish countries and the US. With that in mind, I think that English is the spoken more than Spanish.

i loaded XP SP2 and now I get an error "Due to an unidentified problem, Windows cannot display Firewall Settings" when I check on the status of my firewall settings.

wscntfy.exe can be disabled by going in to Services and disabling Security Center

The statistics: 1-Mandarin (China), 2-Spanish(Spain, South and Central America, Filipines, Sahara, Many states os US), 3-English(US, Canada and UK only)

pointless stating that spanish is the 2nd most spoken language in the world - Microsoft are providing for their main customer base not the whole world. It wouldn't surprise me if Microsoft had more customers currently speaking german & english than spanish. Not saying that is right way to do things - just that that is how microsoft are probably reasoning.