Windows XP Service Pack 2 Release Candidate 2 is now available for download.

http://www.microsoft.com/SP2Preview


PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE MESSAGE BEFORE DOWNLOADING OR POSTING QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BUILD TO THE NEWSGROUPS.



We are pleased to announce the availability of Release Candidate 2 of Windows XP Service Pack 2. Thanks in part to the participants of the beta program we have made significant changes in RC2. We ask that you please take some time to download, install and evaluate this build for any issues. Please see below for CD shipment information. To better emulate actual customer scenarios for the released SP2 we ask that you uninstall previous versions of the beta before installing RC2.



Installation Information Collection

When you first login you will be prompted to send installation data to us. We would appreciate very much if you would click "Send" on this dialog. The information we collect will allow us to better ascertain the kind of installation coverage we're getting when a build is released. This helps us determine if we have the right mix of Home and Pro, Update vs Slipstream, etc during the beta. If you are concerned about the information we send you can view the list at http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/filecollector. The data we collect is completely anonymous.



Bugs, Problem Reports & Support

We prefer that you download and install the Microsoft Beta Client for bug reporting. Doing so assures that proper system configuration data is gathered and uploaded with your bug report. This speeds processing time and makes it more likely that your issue can be understood and fixed. Please visit http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/Iss...s/default.aspx to download and install the MBC. It's important to note that the earlier a bug is filed, the more likely it will be fixed. Please don't delay filing issues that you encounter. You are encouraged to discuss these and other issues in the private beta newsgroups. See http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/support/default.aspx for details on accessing the newsgroups.



Install Survey

Please visit http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/sur...allsurvey.aspx and complete an installation survey as soon as you can. This data is important for us to track and we rely on our beta sites to help us out by telling us about their install experience. This is something you only have to do once per build and it doesn't take too long, please help us out here.



Availability/CD Shipment Information

The build is available for download immediately at http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/download/dl3.asp. CD's will be mailed to those sites that requested them at signup. Those CD's should arrive in approximately 2 weeks. Shipped CD Media will consist of the Service Pack CD, Integrated media is not available and is download only.



RC2 is available in English immediately, German and Japanese will follow shortly.

Specifically, the following will be available for RC2:

* Standalone Service Pack Install (xpsp2.exe) aka "Update" or "Network Install"
* Professional Integrated aka "Slipstream"
* Home Edition Integrated aka "Slipstream"
* Service Pack CD
* Professional Checked
* Customer Support and Diagnostics CD "Symbols CD"
* Web Express will be available EXCLUSIVELY via Windows Update and will be available on Tuesday, June 16th 2004.
o Information on installing SP2 RC2 via WU will be updated on 6/16 and will be found at http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/xps...2_express.aspx



Tablet PC Support

Updating Windows XP Tablet PC Edition is supported. Applying the service pack will update Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to 'Lonestar' .



Support for Media Center Edition

Updating Windows XP Media Center Edition is supported

It looks like this may be the real Mccoy this time...

5 Users already said Thank You!

Keru, Seducer, puZZle, pittpull, Speed_NYC,

Public release is not yet released. But it should be appear here at any minute: :w00t:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...p2preview.mspx

thanks guys
not there yet though

well, if 2149 is the actual release, this is it!

get it here, if you have a ms passport...

http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/log...2fDefault.aspx

Confirmed, grabbing from the MS Beta site now :D (I never learn do i?? :P )

Yeap have not sent all e-mails out yet.

But yeap:.

:)

And Windows XP SP2 RC2 Release Notes. :)

http://ee.1asphost.com/war59312/sp2rc2/SP2.htm

Nice to Note. :) :

If you install the RC2 version of SP2 on a computer running Windows XP Media Center Edition, your operating system is upgraded to Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004.

Sweet!!

Do Not Apply Updates During SP2 Installation

If you are using a program to automatically apply updates on your computer, the program might conflict with the SP2 installation. Depending on the changes that are made, installing SP2 at the same time that updates are being applied could cause your computer to be in an unusable state.

Damn!! :(

Recovery Console must be installed before you install SP2. If you have already installed SP2, you cannot install Recovery Console on your computer. However, you can use the following procedure to run Recovery Console from the Windows XP product CD.

That sucks, kinda!

Update Norton Antivirus Before Installing SP2

If you are running Norton Antivirus, be sure to update it before you install SP2. If you install SP2 on a computer running Norton Antivirus version 10.0.0.109, the installation appears to fail twice, but continues and can take more than five hours to complete. To ensure that SP2 installs successfully, update Norton Antivirus to version 10.0.13.3 or later.

well, so far so good..all the bugs that had troubled me in the past, like slow downloads, trouble playing DIVX movies, MS Java working, all seems to be fixed now...plus, it may be my imagination, but the machine seems to be faster than before..
Wonder if this is the ACTUAL OFFICIAL SP2...

Thanks man

you have save me a couple hours of searching man!

best to all

Hi

With reference to XP SP2 RC2 and, eventually, the FINAL RTM release of SP2, I've seen reference to a network install download of various service packs in the past, and now also with SP2 and, so that I get the correct version of SP2 RC2 and RTM when it's released which I will integrate into my XP CD, what is the network install and do I really need it?

Also, what are the versions available to the normal home user who may, or may not be running a home network?

Lastly, if we are running a home network, does it really matter if we install the normal (whatever that is) version of XP SP2 RC2 and SP2 RTM when available?

Regards

Brave01Heart

Hi guys

XP SP2 RC2 is now being served at the Microsoft website.

Express, network or update from Windows Update.

Regards

Brave01Heart

In order to integrate sp2 you need to download the network install. That's really all its for, well of course besides installing sp2 on multiple systems.

If you do not plan on integrating sp2 into your windows installation then just download the express installer which just downloads the needed files for your system. In other words it will save you download time. And network install is just all the files, even files your system does not need. Therefore a bigger download. And yes express install requries an internet connection as it downloads the needed files from micrsoft. While the network install has all the files and an offline install as it requries no internet connection because it does not download any files.

I always download the network install so I can have the full thing to integrate later or to install on multiple systems. Seeing as all computers require different files to update. So I recommend you download the network install. Besides you said your on a network right? So you will want to install sp2 on all of the computers in your network. You will not be able to do that using the express installer as you would have to download sp2 using express for each computer. So just download the network install of SP2 RC2 and intergrate into a windows install and install on each of your computers. Yes I recommend you do clean installs on all systems. You can use the transfer files and settings wizard to backup your settings and files. Or whatever you wish to use.

cya,
Will

Is now!! :)

Any word on "90 day time bombs" ?

}---:?

180 day is standard

just replace SETUPREG.HIV ;)

Whoops i ment SETUPREG.HIV.

Hi Will

Many thanks for your response regarding XP SP2 network or express installer; thank you for the info and, as you said, I did download the network install of RC2 (though I won't be integrating it into my XP disk until I have the RTM of SP2).

My computer is playing up a bit at the moment but I'll put up with it until SP2 RTM is released and then do a clean install of not only my pc, but all the others in the house.

With reference to the '180 day time-bomb'; I don;t think we need bother about that because the RTM should be released before RC2 expires?

BTW, when is SP2 RTM due for release? I heard July '04?

Regards

Brave01Heart

noticed my first sp2 "bug"...
where has the windows/web/wallpaper direectory gone to?

My wallpaper folder has mysteriously disappeared since the sp2 install...

Yes! Right after I installed SP2/RC2 my wallpaper was gone. ;)

hey KC;

I found where the wallpaper files get moved to;
Nested in side your /document and settings/my documents/

they get moved into there..look for the folder with your name on it, and keep drilling down..You'll find them in there...



wonder what else gets "moved or removed"??

MY error...I forgot I had backed up my wallpaer files in my documents awhile ago.. I dont think that is where SP2 moves them

sorry KC! :(

Excatly no need to worry since the final build of SP2 will be released way before then.

No real date for RTM. All dates at the moment are just guesses.

Did you update it before installation of SP2? Could that be da reason?

From War's post...

after i installed this puppy all is well, my wallpaper is in da same spot as was b4 ;)
check pid, thanks