News

XP SP2 Release Rumor Mill Gets Loud

• By Scott Bekker
• 08/04/2004

Formally called Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies, SP2 is Microsoft's major security-related overhaul of its flagship client operating system. After delaying SP2's release for more than a year, Microsoft committed publicly last month to getting the service pack out in August.

Microsoft Australia confused matters accidentally on Tuesday by issuing a statement claiming Windows XP SP2 had been released to manufacturing. The statement was quickly withdrawn and Microsoft declared that SP2 had not been Released to Manufacturing.

The Neowin site, complete with a screenshot it said was of Build 2179, reported on Wednesday that Microsoft still plans to RTM SP2 as build 2180 or 2181 on Wednesday. The site also reports the Release to Web and to MSDN subscribers will occur Thursday. The Windows Update and Automatic Update release is scheduled for Aug. 25, Tom Warren of Neowin reported.

Elsewhere on the Neowin site, a poster pasted a message from Microsoft's SP2 message boards saying the RTM was close but was definitely not going to be Wednesday or Thursday.

At another popular Windows enthusiast site operated by Steven Bink, a Microsoft MVP in the Netherlands, is the note, "Today should be WinXP sp2 RTM day. Today will [definitely] not be RTM day, expect it end of the week."

A Microsoft spokesperson contacted by ENT Wednesday afternoon confirmed that SP2 had not reached the RTM stage. "There's no set date yet," the spokesperson said. "Development of XP SP2 is continuing and Microsoft remains on track to deliver SP2 in August."