By Dan Ilett, 28 September 2004 12:40
NEWS Microsoft has reinforced its prediction that it will distribute 100 million copies of Service Pack 2 for Windows XP by the end of October.
Despite allegations that downloads of the upgrade were way behind schedule at 20 million copies by mid-September, the company said on Monday this meant it was on course for its distribution target.
Paul Randle, Windows XP product manager, said: "We're on track to get 100 million copies out there and it's been going well. We've seen around 500,000 downloads every day but that will go up as more languages come on board. We're going to up the throttle for auto-updates."
Microsoft released SP2 in August to combat the plethora of holes and vulnerabilities that hackers were exploiting in Windows XP. The firm said most installations had happened via automatic updates and Windows updates.
Many larger businesses are still testing SP2 for fear that it could bring their networks to a halt. In anticipation of this, Microsoft has provided businesses with an SP2 blocker, a tool that allows desktops to download updates without installing SP2.
"Smaller businesses and home users have done very well with deployment," said Randle. "But we've advised larger businesses to table a more structured deployment. We've advised them to do thorough testing."
But not everyone is convinced that the SP2 is so easy. Some firms are treating it as an entirely new operating system.
Richard Starnes, president of the Information Systems Security Association, UK, said: "My concern is that firms will see this as an operating system upgrade rather than a patch. This is worrying because it will take time to test and this will give malware writers more time to exploit the code Microsoft is trying to patch.
"Consumers do not have the Q&A option with Microsoft," he added. "So I wonder how much support will be available for them if their systems are broken." Last week, Microsoft said that it would only offer the latest version of Internet Explorer as part of SP2.
Dan Illet writes for ZDNet UK
Comments
There are 10 comments. Join the discussion
1. Roy Corneloues
I do not know one person who has successfully installed SP2 without completely screwing up their PC. Everyone else I hve spoken to fully expects an SP2.1 by Christmas then they'll think about installing it...
2. Brian Jones
Trouble is that installing SP2 can cause a happy XP setup, to throw up problems - such as deny users assess to their broadband connections - nothings gets through their firewall. It doesn't recognise all virus software - even older versions of McAfee running the latest DAT files.
The gain must be worth the pain. Some of the multi million target may decide that the jury is still out on that.
3. Lionel A Smith
It could help if vendors supply SP2 with new PCs as well as ensuring all previous patches are inhstalled.
The last thing a new user wants is to catch something whilst connecting to register their OS with Microsoft. How many do this before even ensuring the built in firewall is switched on I wonder or ensuring that they have active AV software installed?
That brings up another risk; how many new virus signatures have been sent as updates since any supplied AV that was installed on the computer was produced?
4. anonymous
I have SP2 on my home computer , and I see it as being more secure. It blocks ads, if u chose to let them through it up to you. The only downside, was I wasn't able to install it off the download. I had to order the cd from Microsoft. It did cause my computer to crash, that was my only downside.
5. anonymous
I downloaded it myself but it screwed up my home network and then my connection to the net so I removed it, now every day they keep trying to push it back on to me but till they sort it out I am not having it again! Roy Lincs UK
6. Alan Burkitt-Gray
Well I've tried to download it twice. I have XP Pro. Downloaded OK, but the installation wizard hung at about 40% along the bar for a couple of hours the first time -- so I gave up and then had to spend another hour or so removing it. A friend said sometimes it takes over night. So I tried that at 7pm on Saturday. The wizard was hanging at about 40% at midnight, and was still there at 11am the next morning. I gave up for the second time and had to remove SP2. I just don't have the time to try it a third time.
7. Charlie Struthers
Don't go near it if you have your own firewall and virus software already installed ....!
8. Andrew Hill
We tried installing XP2, then found it caused more problems, DVD and CD won't write, Firewall blockes everything, and Nortons is buggered up. Come on M/S, when SP2.1 comming out?? We'll wait till then
9. John Woods
I'm not the biggest fan of M$, although I quite like MSN Explorer (the MSN Premium browser). I approached SP2 with trepidation, as I have McAfee AV and FW (with the MSN premium sub.), an oldish PC, and a bunch of peripherals from brand new to pre-plug-and-play.
SP2 downloaded itself, asked me to install it, and I thought 'what the hell'. It worked straight away, and the only difference I noticed was that McAfee popped up a dialog asking me to confirm whether I wanted to use Personal Firewall Plus or the XP firewall.
None of the complaints I have heard about SP2 have been more specific than "my network/computer crashed and I uninstalled it", and I find myself in the super unlikely position of defending M$. What's going on?
10. anonymous
Before blocker was issued, we had several machines go through the auto-update by mistake. Most users did hit cancel at the end but SP2 obviously does not roll back very well as Explorer and MS Office etc now show all sorts of unexplainable problems and machines freeze for no apparent reason. This has to be one of the most annoying MS rollouts.