XP Service Pack 2 released in phases

XP Service Pack 2 released in phases

Microsoft finally released the long-awaited Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) to manufacturing, initiating a set of release-related activities that will likely continue well into October. SP 2 beta testers and MSDN Universal and Professional subscribers were the first to get access to the download on Aug. 6. Since that date, Microsoft has been staging the release of SP2 to the rest of the world.

Here’s the schedule — and what you can do to get SP2 yourself as quickly as possible.

Aug. 6: RTM (release to manufacturing)
Microsoft finalized Windows XP Service Pack 2 on this date. The company issued at least three versions of the service pack:

• The full network installer (about 272 MB). This version is aimed at IT administrators, but it can be used by anyone who needs to install XP SP2 on more than one computer.

  This file can have two names: The version found on the Microsoft Web site is named WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe. The version found on the XP SP2 CD-ROM is named xpsp2.exe. Despite the name differences, both files are identical. This file is available for download now. Download the file

• The express installer. This 1.6 MB utility will download only the files needed to install XP SP2 on your system. The amount of data you actually download will vary depending on how up-to-date your system is.

  If you installed a Windows XP S2 beta or release candidate (RC) build, for example, the express installer will have to download very little to update you to the final version of SP2. If, however, you’re still working with an SP1 or pre-SP1 version of XP, you’ll need to download up to 200 MB of files.

  The express installer file is available for download now. Download the file

• The CD installer. Microsoft will soon offer a CD-based version of Windows XP SP2 for users who lack broadband connections. This CD will include the 272 MB, full network installer. It will also have a front- end installation application, which launches when the CD is inserted in your system, and some updated support tools that are largely aimed at corporations.

  Today, only MSDN Universal and Professional subscribers have access to this CD, via a 474 MB ISO image on the MSDN Subscriber Downloads Web site. If you’re not a subscriber, Microsoft will soon make the CD available for order from its main Web site. It’s being offered free (including shipping and handling). We’re told that customers will start receiving the CDs in October, but to our knowledge, it’s not possible to place orders yet.

Aug. 9: Public availability of full network installer
The full network installer, described above, was posted publicly on the Web on August 9. Microsoft prefers that individuals use the express installer or install SP2 through Automatic Updates or Windows Update (see below), when the update becomes available via those routes. But we feel broadband-equipped power users should download this version and install SP2 immediately. You can find out more information about this version of SP2 at the Microsoft Download Center.

Aug. 16: Software Update Services (SUS) release
On Monday, Microsoft made a version of Windows XP available to small business users who utilize the company’s Software Update Services. SUS is a Windows Server add-on that makes it easier to deploy patches and other updates to a group of managed computers. If you’re running SUS, you should now have the option to deploy SP2 to your client machines.

Aug. 18: XP Home users get SP2 via Automatic Updates
Yesterday, Microsoft started enabling users running Windows XP Home Edition to “drizzle download” Service Pack 2 via Automatic Updates. XP SP2 will download over time to XP Home users who’ve enabled Automatic Updates. (To do this, right-click the My Computer icon, choose Properties, then navigate to the Automatic Updates tab.)

The Automatic Updates version of SP2 is based on the code for the express installer, described above. Only the bits you need will be downloaded, so the download size will vary from machine to machine. If you’d like to get SP2 this way, just ensure that Automatic Updates is enabled.

Aug. 25: All XP users get SP2 via Automatic Updates
Next Wednesday, Microsoft will widen the release of SP2 to all XP users who’ve enabled Automatic Updates. (This adds the Automatic Update capability to users of XP Professional, Media Center, and Tablet PC Edition.) The process for enabling Automatic Updates on these systems is the same as it is for XP Home, described above.

Late September: New wine in old bottles
At great expense, Microsoft will replace all retailed boxed copies of Windows XP with new boxed copies of XP upgraded to Service Pack 2. These new versions will be differentiated by a graphic touting the included “advanced security technologies.”

October: All OEMs switched over
By October, all new PCs from major PC makers should be switched over to Windows XP SP2. Some PC makers will switch to SP2 much more quickly, however.

Worried about SP2 incompatibilities?
Many of you are likely to be concerned about potential problems caused by the installation of Windows XP SP2, and with good reason. Though the upgrade will make your PC more secure, it definitely causes issues in some cases. We’ll be tracking the problems as they arise. But so far, the issues are relatively minor, with more serious problems confined to a few specific programs.

First, Microsoft has published a list of third-party applications called Programs that behave differently in Windows XP Service Pack 2. Of the three dozen or so apps on this list, most of them exhibit symptoms that are irritating but not fatal. In other cases, such as Adobe LiveMotion 1.0, Softwin BitDefender 7.2, and ScanSoft PaperPort Deluxe 8.0, the programs no longer install and/or run. You should definitely examine the list in this document to check for programs you may be using.

The document links to three other Knowledge Base articles with related information about known incompatibilities. The most interesting of these is KB article 842242. This document currently lists about 50 programs that require exceptions to be made in the Windows Firewall. Some major Microsoft apps are in here, such as VisualStudio.Net, SQL Server, and SMS 2003 Server. Other well-known programs on the list are Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition 8.0, AutoCAD 2000 (and higher), and Veritas BackupExec. This is yet more required reading for harried Windows admins.

These and other programs will need upgrades or other tweaks to operate successfully with XP SP2. If you’re using XP, you should collect the names of the vendors whose programs you depend on, and start checking their Web sites for SP2-specific downloads, many of which are already available online.

Second, while problems actually installing and running SP2 seem to be rare, it’s wise to approach this update as if it were a full-blown Windows upgrade. That means you should backup your important data before installing SP2. You should also use the upgrade for a few days before installing any other applications on top of it.

Third, remember that SP2 isn’t a panacea. It’s not going to suddenly fix all of your problems or cure all of your security concerns. As we’ve noted previously, one obvious deficiency in SP2 is that it includes only a one-way firewall, not two-way. This means XP’s renamed Windows Firewall has no ability to prevent applications on your system from communicating with online servers and services. This can be a problem if you inadvertently catch a nasty worm or Trojan horse.

Get 12 months of antivirus protection for free
If you’re not running any antivirus software when you upgrade to Windows XP SP2, the new Security Center will prompt you to install some. It provide a Web link where you can download time-limited versions of various antivirus solutions.

Most of these solutions expire in 30 to 90 days, including McAfee VirusScan and Symantec Norton AntiVirus. The F-Secure product, however, lasts for six months, and Computer Associates’ eTrust EZ Antivirus lasts a full year. That’s a great deal no matter how you slice it (the retail value is $49.95).

Best of all, anyone can take advantage of these free antivirus trial periods, simply by visiting the download page — regardless or whether or not they’ve installed SP2. We’ve been testing the download procedure and it appears to be solid. At the very least, the download page is a good way to test various AV solutions for free and then pick the one you want after the subscriptions run out. More info

Want to wait?
If you’re interested in putting off the SP2 install, Microsoft is providing a mechanism that will disable the delivery of SP2 via Automatic Updates for 120 days (starting from August 16). You can find out more information about this mechanism in a TechNet article and download it via a download page.

Our advice: Install XP SP2 ASAP
While it’s still early in the Windows XP SP2 rollout, we stand by our earlier contention that all XP users should download and install SP2 as soon as possible. We haven’t heard about any major, widespread problems caused by SP2 yet, though that could change at any time. For now, however, the goal should be to get your system as secure as possible, as quickly as possible. And installing SP2 is an excellent first step.

To send us more information about SP2, or to send us a tip on any other subject, visit WindowsSecrets.com/contact. You’ll receive a gift certificate for a book, CD, or DVD of your choice if you send us a comment that we print.  

OneNote 2003 drops to $99.95, doesn't require Office 2003

In our story on the improvements that Service Pack 1 bring to Microsoft’s OneNote note-taking program, we said in our Aug. 5 newsletter that Microsoft had cut the list price of the full product in half to $99.95 (U.S.).

That frustrated several readers, because no online stores were yet reflecting that price. Even Microsoft’s own order page tried to charge shoppers the old price of $199.95, despite the fact that the OneNote 2003 product page clearly stated “$99.95.”

This glitch has now been fixed, at least at Microsoft’s site. Visit the OneNote 2003 “how to buy” page, then click the link that says “Order.” The order page now charges you only $99.95.

Online e-tailers seem to have adjusted to the even lower, $49.95 academic price for students and faculty. Check prices: U.S. / U.K.

But the pricing of the standard version of OneNote 2003 has stubbornly remained based on the old $199.95 list price at all the retailers we’ve checked. That means Microsoft is selling OneNote 2003 for half the price of some “discounters”!

Actually, a Microsoft source tells us that retailers with OneNote in stock will be getting a $100 rebate for each copy they still have. So e-tailers who are still charging $199.95 may be milking the situation until consumers get the word.

On another subject, we said in error that OneNote 2003 requires Office 2003, based on a statement that appeared for a time on Microsoft’s product page. This is incorrect. OneNote 2003 is a standalone application, and does not require Office 2003. However, it does require Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 6.0. In addition, to use the inking features of OneNote 2003, you’ll need a Tablet PC.

We’re sending gift certificates to readers Ed Carman and Hugh Merrill for their help in researching these issues.

USB cable prints to parallel printers and allows file-sharing

Need to print to a printer with a parallel interface? Need to transfer files between a laptop that has only USB ports and an older PC that has only a parallel port?

Keyspan announced on Aug. 17 its new USB Parallel Transfer Cable, which solves both of these problems. The device, which lists for only $29 USD, includes software that enables file-sharing between one computer with a USB port and another with a parallel port. With this cable in your laptop’s USB port, you can also connect to a second printer using your parallel port, if you have one, or using a second USB port and cable. Pretty convenient. Prices: U.S. / U.K.

Getcher service packs for Office 2003, OneNote 2003, and Visio2003 here!

Microsoft issued on July 27 a major series of service-pack upgrades for Office 2003 and various Office System products, including OneNote and Visio.

OneNote 2003 SP1 is a major and desirable upgrade that adds a number of new features and improvements, as we explained in the Aug. 5 issue of the Windows Secrets Newsletter.

Office 2003 SP1 and Visio 2003 SP1, however, are more traditional Microsoft service packs. In other words, they’re primarily intended to fix bugs and don’t add any major new features.

There are two major exceptions to the bug-fix-only nature of Office 2003 SP1:

• InfoPath 2003. Office 2003 SP1 does include major updates to InfoPath 2003. InfoPath is a product aimed at a niche market of corporate users who need to transmit data in XML format.
• FrontPage 2003. Oddly enough, Office 2003 SP1 also includes fixes for FrontPage 2003, even though FrontPage has never been sold as part of any Office bundle.

As experienced Office users know, Microsoft’s family of Office products is typically of much higher quality than most of the software giant’s other offerings. Part of the reason for this is the maturity of the core Office software: Microsoft has been working on some of these applications for close to 20 years.

Lately, however, many Office quality improvements have emerged from Microsoft’s use of its Crash Analysis applet. This resident program lets users choose to send error reports back to Redmond electronically when things go wrong.

These crash reports are used to isolate the relatively small number of problems that cause the great majority of issues. Fixes for these problems are then issued collectively in Office service packs. Office 2003 SP1 is the first such rollup for Office 2003, which initially shipped in October 2003.

Here’s our analysis of the three major service packs:

Office 2003 SP1
This download, the biggest of the bunch, is an 18 to 74 MB affair that includes all the individual fixes that Microsoft previously released for its Office 2003 products. This includes updates for the full suites:

• Office Professional Edition 2003;
• Office Basic Edition 2003;
• Office Standard Edition 2003; and
• Office Student and Teacher Edition 2003;

the various standalone applications:

• Access 2003;
• Excel 2003;
• FrontPage 2003;
• InfoPath 2003;
• Outlook 2003;
• PowerPoint 2003;
• Publisher 2003;
• and Word 2003;

and the Office 2003 Web Components.

Microsoft offers a detailed description of Office 2003 SP1 in Knowledge Base article 842532.

To get Office 2003 SP1, visit Microsoft’s download page.

OneNote 2003 SP1
This update (10 to 20 MB) includes a number of new features for OneNote 2003, which we discussed in the Aug. 5 Windows Secrets Newsletter, as well as bug, security, and stability fixes. You can also find out more about the new features in Microsoft’s Office Assistance page for OneNote 2003 SP1.

Microsoft’s OneNote 2003 SP1 download page is the best location to obtain the upgrade itself.

Visio 2003 SP1
This 22 MB update includes some small functional changes, but is mostly designed as a bug, security, and stability fix. You can find out more about the changes in Visio 2003 SP1 in KB 840663.

Get Visio 2003 SP1 at Microsoft’s download page.

Gotchas with the new Office service packs

While there don’t yet appear to be any widespread problems with installing or using Office 2003 SP1 or any of the related SP1 updates, there are a few issues you should be aware of:

No support for Windows 9x
Like the original release of Office 2003, Service Pack 1 for Office 2003 only installs and runs on Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, or Windows 2000 (SP3 or newer). Windows 9x is not supported.

InfoPath and OneNote preview software must first be uninstalled
Users who downloaded the InfoPath 2003 SP1 Preview, OneNote 2003 60-Day Trial, or OneNote 2003 SP1 Preview will need to uninstall the preview and install or reinstall the full, original version of the product before installing Office 2003 SP1 or OneNote 2003 SP1, respectively.

Full CD-ROM may be required for smaller downloads
You might need your original Office 2003, OneNote 2003, or Visio 2003 CD-ROM in order to complete the installation of a particular SP1 update. In general, the smaller versions of the SP1 downloads will require you to insert your original CD to complete the SP1 install. For this reason, you should be sure to have your original installation CDs handy before attempting the SP1 install using those SP1 versions. Broadband users, however, should download the larger files. If you’re not interested in using the direct download versions listed above, use Microsoft’s Office Update online service to interactively download and install only the SP1 features that you need.

Service pack for Multilingual users is not yet available
Office 2003 Multilingual User Interface Pack users will need to wait for an upcoming release of Office 2003 SP1 for Office 2003 Multilingual User Interface Pack to upgrade to SP1. At this time, the release date for that update is unknown.

New Outlook 2003 Junk Mail Filter is posted
Microsoft has issued a new version of its Outlook 2003 Junk E-mail Filter concurrently with Office 2003 SP1. You can learn more about the improved version of this filter and how to download it by reading KB 835235.

No critical patches released in August

Microsoft didn’t issue anything rated “critical” or “important” in August on its usual patch-drop schedule of the 2nd Tuesday of the month.

The most recent critical patches were released on July 13. We analyzed these in the paid version of the July 22 issue of the Windows Secrets Newsletter.

A separate patch was released off-schedule on July 30 to close an Internet Explorer 5 and 6 security hole that was being exploited “in the wild.” We analyzed this in the Aug. 5 issue.

One minor security bulletin, ranked “moderate,” was released by Microsoft on Aug. 10:

• MS04-026 (KB 842436): Moderate security risk in Exchange Server 5.5 involves Outlook Web Access

The Hall of Technical Documentation Weirdness

We know you’ll enjoy this hilarious collection of signs and directions that don’t communicate what the designer thought they would. The symbol on the left, for example, obviously meant something to someone, but the proprietor of the Hall of Technical Documentation Weirdness suggests it says, “When boxing up your kid, ensure the lid is on securely.”

These and many other examples are being immortalized by a writer who goes by the name of (and may actually be named) Darren Barefoot. There are dozens of such cases, and the collection is growing day by day. Perhaps you have some of your own work you’d like to submit. More info