XP Service Pack Does the Impossible

Peyna writes "This article over at C|net discusses the upcoming Microsoft Windows XP service pack, which will contain the normal bug fixes, but more importantly, will make XP more modular, allowing you to override their default products. I assume this means Internet Explorer and possibly some other apps as well."

Still bloated

[TheVidiot]

Oh, it's still bloated. IE, OE, Messenger, etcetera aren't uninstalled, most likely because XP still depends on their DLLs. It seems like you could accomplish nearly the same thing by deleting the relevant icons from the Start menu...

Modular my *ss - Lets talk about Mira :-)

[gamorck]

It sounds to me like the update is really just allowing Windows to be shipped with third party applications links on the desktop. I guess Microsofts packaging tools used to remove these links (which would suck no doubt) and part of SP1 will change that "functionality".

As for it making Windows more modular - thats a load of crap. I love how the editors and the submitters around here intentionally embelish just so they can get more pageviews and comments. Oh well I guess they suceeded today... :-)

Whats really going to rock in SP1 for XP is the new Mira technology stuff. If you dont know what that is - I suggest you cruise on over to http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/mira_preview. asp and take a long hard look at some of the cool shit MS is doing.

J

More info...

[flipflapflopflup]

This [theregister.co.uk] Register article has some more info on exactly what is in the update.

It mentions are which components are replaceable:

IE,

Outlook Express,

Messenger,

Windows Media Player

JVM.

There will be 4 configuration options: (from the article)"You can have the Microsoft option, the original machine configuration (i.e. what the OEM decided it would ship you, but this is going to be most obviously applicable to new machines shipped by OEMs post-SP1 release), a non-Microsoft option that allows you to substitute non-Microsoft middleware, and custom configuration."

And if you're using a warez copy of Win XP

[HeUnique]

You really don't want to upgrade, since the new SP1 will make your WinXP unusable, as MS knows about illegal keys (like the one which escaped from a company who are good friends of MS and their name starts with D) (thats according to the-register)...

what's the big deal?

[Quasar1999]

All this does is HIDE the icons for internet explorer and outlook express and windows media player.

I can already do that. Tweak UI does it. And as for file associations, who here thinks that if you accidentally start up windows media player even after this service pack, that it will still redo all your file associations without asking...

This is not a plea of guilt on Microsoft's part, hell this supports their case, they aren't removing anything, they are just hiding it (since of course, windows would stop functioning if you removed it)...

Re:Still bloated

[flewp]

Arrrgh, you're right. It appears that it just "hides" the middleware (IE, oe, etc) from the user.
Another note, one will not be able to use a version of XP with a stolen key to get the update, and since I refuse to pay for XP, I wouldn't be able to upgrade, so it's a moot point anyway. (Not sure how they'd know ALL the stolen/hacked keys, but I'm guessing they know of a few of the larger warez releases.)

Let's stop all the "now I can install XP" comments

[PanBanger]

The article mentions that:

"Another change seeks to curb about 90 percent of Windows XP piracy. Microsoft introduced Product Activation with the operating system, which uses a numeric key to lock the software to the hardware. But code stolen from a large Microsoft customer allowed rampant illegal Windows XP copying. People using Windows XP with the stolen key will not be able to apply the service pack or any future updates available from Microsoft's Web site."

This means that the CD you have in your cube with XP written on it with a Sharpie will not take the service pack.

Other than the security issues this service pack claims to rectify, seems like issues that the average slashdot reader can solve his/herself. I mean, do we really need help making Netscape the default rather than I.E.?

Re:Please Can you Stop the Headline as Commentary?

[darien]

Well, I thought it was quite funny.

But, as several commentators have already pointed out, this isn't really modularising Windows at all - MS have been using the word "hide", which strongly suggests that all their stuff will be installed, it just won't have icons (rather like NetMeeting in XP).

So far so redundant.

But I was interested in the bit at the end of the article where it mentions "freezing" copies that have been activated with a known pirate key. I thought most pirate copies of XP were the corporate edition, that doesn't need activating, and should therefore be indistinguishable from legit copies? Or do they really mean the Product Key, which you enter when you install Windows? In which case, what's to stop you simply changing it in the registry - or, very worst case, simply finding a working Product Key on the net and reinstalling? Still far far easier and cheaper than going out and buying XP.

Register Article is More Interesting

[donnacha]

Don't know why /. chose to use the Cnet story to highlight this subject, there's a more interesting article [theregus.com] over at The Reg [theregus.com].

Middleware apps are only Hidden:

[eGuy]

http://www.eweek.com/article/0,3658,s=701&a=27311, 00.asp [eweek.com] explains that the icons are only hidden and the and the default views in the start menu are now more configurable.
You can still run IE - the executibles and dll's are all there. That is why the rest of the 9 states didn't jump for joy and say 'good microsoft... now play dead!'

Re:Biting the hand that pirates it

[edgrale]

Quite useless really, there has been keygens on the net for quite some time now.

They are fighting a battle they cannot win, for each key they disable 10 more will pop up on the net.

(mod me down if you wish, this not intended as a troll/flamebait.)

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Actually, this is going to be painful for some

[Anonymous Coward]

See, there is one really big warez release of XP that this targets. It is the OEM version that comes without activation and hardware lockout. This SUCKS honestly since I use this on my hardware test machine at home (I am not an OEM and can't buy that version off the shelf), even though I have three licensed XP machines otherwise. See, MS forgot the press (at least the small guys) and we here in the press who do hardware reviews swap hardware in and out five or more times daily, but we can't get this version of XP legally, forcing us to steal it or go through the innordinate pain associated with calling MS once or twice a day to unlock our systems. For home use this has no impact at all, but in this case it surely does.

I am SURE there will be a fix/patch from the warezers within an hour of SP1 hitting the market, if not before since quite a few 'beta' testers are warezers themselves and will share the code to those who can hack it and fix it back. Still, what a pain. Thanks MS.

Re:Biting the hand that pirates it

[MonsterChicharo]

I would certainly buy an Xbox for $30. In fact, I think I would buy two of them. Are you selling them for that price?

Yes, I also thought that he was describing the Xbox, yet the price is quite different. However, if the Xbox OS were to be sold independently for $30... now that would be something.

Re:It isn't anything you can't do now.

[Yo Grark]

Control Panel Applet?

Hell, I've had x-setup in the control panel for years. Offers all the functionality I've ever needed. At it's most basic, it helps me avoid loading what I don't want loaded, and even better is when it helps me block MS from telling me what preferences are "mandatory". Even tells the average user when not to mess with a setting (unless you're a pro) A really good FREE app, made for the people, by the people.

http://www.xteq.com/products/xset/

-Yo Grark

Watzup with today's google doodle?

Re:You don't pay for it, you don't use it

[leucadiadude]

One correction, the USA is NOT a democracy. It is a constitutional republic. A significant difference.

I.e., it's not "mob rule", but the Constitution, and the resulting body of law from it that rule.

Re:Still bloated

[Anonymous Coward]

Load up VS .Net or VB and LOOK at the damn interface! It's right there! In fact there are several example programs from MS and on the net that show you exactly how to use virtually all those features if you would just LOOK. I am an independant developer who HAS used those APIs and there are hundreds more like me that already have.

Naturally if you did a tiny bit of research it would bust the ballon of your self-richeous indignation. But that's another story.

You've always been able to do this

[martyn s]

There's a file called sysoc.inf. This file describes what will appear in add/remove programs pane. So what you do is hit ctrl-h (find-replace). Then put ,hide in the find box, and leave the other box empty. Hit replace all, and save the file and then you'll be able to remove annoying stuff like Windows messenger, and if you wish, IE. The ones that are not hidden by default.

NtComponents=ntoc.dll,NtOcSetupProc,,4
WBEM=ocg en.dll,OcEntry,wbemoc.inf,7
Display=desk.cpl,Disp layOcSetupProc,,7
Fax=fxsocm.dll,FaxOcmSetupProc, fxsocm.inf,,7
NetOC=netoc.dll,NetOcSetupProc,neto c.inf,,7
iis=iis.dll,OcEntry,iis.inf,,7
com=coms etup.dll,OcEntry,comnt5.inf,hide,7
dtc=msdtcstp.d ll,OcEntry,dtcnt5.inf,hide,7
IndexSrv_System = setupqry.dll,IndexSrv,setupqry.inf,,7
TerminalSer ver=TsOc.dll, HydraOc, TsOc.inf,2
msmq=msmqocm.dll,MsmqOcm,msmqocm.inf,, 6
ims=imsinsnt.dll,OcEntry,ims.inf,,7
fp_extensi ons=fp40ext.dll,FrontPage4Extensions,fp4 0ext.inf,,7
AutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,au.inf,7
msmsgs=ms grocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7
RootAutoUpdat e=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,rootau.inf,,7
IEAccess=ocgen. dll,OcEntry,ieaccess.inf,,7

Games=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,games.inf,,7
AccessUtil =ocgen.dll,OcEntry,accessor.inf,,7
CommApps=ocgen .dll,OcEntry,communic.inf,7
MultiM=ocgen.dll,OcEn try,multimed.inf,7
AccessOpt=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,op tional.inf,7
Pinball=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,pinball.in f,7
MSWordPad=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wordpad.inf,7
Zo neGames=zoneoc.dll,ZoneSetupProc,igames.inf,,7

Basically the ones with two commas in a row are not hidden by default, but when you delete the word hide you have to also delete a comma, so there's only one comma. Don't ask me why this is what works.

Not suprisingly, for IE, it doesn't actually allow you to remove it, it says "remove access to internet explorer". If you open up the file tree browser thing, ("windows explorer") or just any file folder, and type in a URL in the address field, it just turns into IE.

This is my small service pack...

[psi]

It works in win2k and winXP,

/winnt/inf/sysoc.inf

in there to a replace all for the world "hide"
once those are blank (leave the , marks... just remove the "hide" part) you can go into control panel and do add/remove windows componants. That's how I was able to get snmp loaded on Win2k Professional. It also lists COM+ componants and other fun stuff.

Re:Easiest way to get a legit key...

[sheetsda]

My university sent out a newsletter to all the Computer Science students and faculty, then we had to go register on MS's site. As for what part of the site, sorry, I got the email back in February, its long gone. You might try looking around on MS's site for some sort of promotional developer meeting.

Re:Even with this, MS is pulling their usual trick

[Anonymous Coward]

FUD FUD FUD, FUD FUD FUD, FUD, wonderful FUD

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?ur l= / ibrary/en-us/shellcc/platform/Shell/programmersgui de/shell_adv/registeringapps.asp

Re:Bloated? Compared to what?

[questionlp]

Although a Windows XP install (be it Home or Professional) can be smaller than a full install of [insert-your-favorite-distribution] Linux, Mac OS X with Developer Tools, or FreeBSD... but what you don't get in a standard Windows XP install are:

• C/C++ Compiler
• Perl, Python, or any other scripting languages
• source files or balls
• A lot of utilities and tools that can do anything to your liking
• Mail client and server software (like Sendmail, Pine, Mutt, etc.)

and many other things that I just can't think of off of the top of my head. There are some things that are quite bloated in a full Linux or FreeBSD install (KDE 2/3, Gnome, StarOffice) but Windows XP doesn't even include basic spreadsheet, presentation or decent graphics programs (think of KOffice as an equivalent to Microsoft Works or the like).

Just my $0.015