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Windows XP SP2 Now Available for Download
Microsoft provides guidance for those planning to roll out major Windows security update immediately.
The much anticipated Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies, which was released to manufacturing last Friday, is now available to the general public for download immediately from the company's Web site. The download version is free. Microsoft also made available a network administrator version just this week, fine-tuned for network-wide client roll outs.
Windows XP SP2 is a monster download, with some versions topping out at 272 MB. The company provides a network installer version that's 266 MB and a home user version that Microsoft says is significantly smaller. The home user version will be available in the next few days through Windows Update. The company expects to update about 100 million PCs through Automatic Update and Windows Update in the next two months.
While Microsoft recommends immediate updating of systems, the company also believes most users should allow Automatic Update take care of the process. Machines running Windows XP and Windows XP SP1 with Automatic Update turned on will begin the download process on August 16, according to a special TechNet bulletin released by the company. In that same bulletin, the company says that "... some organizations have requested the ability to temporarily disable delivery of this update via AU and WU," in order to test SP2's impact prior to system-wide rollouts. Guidance for those organizations can be found at http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=811232.
For more details on Windows XP SP2, go to http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/
winxppro/maintain/sp2top.mspx on the Microsoft Web site. To read more industry news on the service pack, see "Windows XP SP2 Released to Manufacturing" by ENTmag.com Editor Scott Bekker http://entmag.com/news/article.asp?editorialsid=6324.
About the Author
Michael Domingo has held several positions at 1105 Media, and is currently the editor in chief of Visual Studio Magazine.