Windows XP SP2 Delay Deadline Looms

Microsoft has given notice to Service Pack 2 laggards that "time is running out." A notice is now emblazoned on a Knowledge Base article for a tool that temporarily blocks the delivery of SP2, reminding customers that the April 12 deadline is approaching.

After the deadline passes, the service pack will be delivered to all Windows XP systems through the automatic updates mechanism.

The notice reads: "Time is running out! Please note that the mechanism to temporarily disable delivery of Windows XP SP2 is only available for a period of 240 days (8 months) from August 16, 2004. At the end of this period (after April 12, 2005), Windows XP SP2 will be delivered to all Windows XP and Windows XP Service Pack 1 systems."

The tool was Microsoft's response to customer feedback and fears of disruptions from software incompatibles brought on by the upgrade. In essence, it provides network administrators with additional time to validate their installations outside of valuable production environments.

Microsoft extended the lifetime of the update blocking utility from 120 days to 240 days, in order to match what is called typical planning and testing schedules.

Windows XP Service Pack 2 is far-reaching update that modifies core Windows functionality, plugs security holes and introduces new security features.

But SP2 introduces so many changes that customers at some large organizations, including IBM, issued directives instructing IT personnel to stall the adoption of the service pack until network administrators were certain that mission critical business applications were not incompatible.

The upgrade installs a new version of Internet Explorer with a built-in pop-up blocker and download manager; memory protection against buffer overruns; e-mail safeguards in Outlook Express; a stateful inspection firewall; refined permissions in RPC and DCOM; Windows Security Center; as well as extra security settings for Windows Media Player 9.