WinInsider

Thanks to Ditto who has notify me that Microsoft has released interim build of Windows XP SP1 which contains significant improvements since the last build.

We are pleased to announce the availability of Windows XP Service Pack 2 Interim Build 2142. This build contains significant improvements since the last released builds, 2120, and RC1.

We are looking for serious issues. Please concentrate on filing issues related to security, stability, deployability and regressions from SP1 and Windows XP. Please refrain from filing bug reports on issues other than these for this build. We are working hard to hit our RC2 milestone and the feedback we receive from you will help us confirm we're on track.

Important Installation
Note: We recommend that you use Control Panel --> Add Remove Programs to uninstall any previous builds of Windows XP Service Pack 2 before installing Build 2142.

Installation Information Collection
After installation 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/IssueReports/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.

Known Issues
Build 2142 is not considered Beta quality and as such it does contain some issues we expect some people will enounter during usage.

1. Media files that are encoded with the DIVX codec will fail to play. If you open an explorer window in a directory that contains these files, explorer may fail. Viewing web pages with DIVX encoded files embedded in them may cause Internet Explorer to fail.
2. Microsoft Commerce Server may not work correctly on build 2142.
3. WinDVD may fail to start correctly.

Install Survey
Please visit http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/survey/installsurvey.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 The build is available for download immediately at http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/download/dl3.asp.

2142 will be available as Update (xpsp2.exe) and Web Express installs ONLY. No slipstream (integrated) versions are planned at this time. This build will not be made available on CD media.

Specifically, the following will be available for 2142:

1. Web express (English, then German & Japanese to follow)
2. Update (English, then German & Japanese to follow)

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

Thank you for you your help in making SP2 the most secure Windows ever.

The Microsoft Windows Product Team

Microsoft is tweaking the organizational structure around its Microsoft Business Solutions group, announcing Thursday that group leader Doug Burgum will now report directly to Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer. The change gives the business applications unit a more prominent position in Microsoft's hierarchy.

Microsoft also expanded the responsibilities of Orlando Ayala, who last year vacated his position as the company's top sales and marketing executive to take charge of Microsoft's small and medium-sized business sales, marketing and partnering efforts. Ayala will continue as senior vice president of Microsoft's Small and Midmarket Solutions group, but will also serve as chief operating officer of the Microsoft Business Solutions group, the company said.

Microsoft and RSA Security on Wednesday started beta testing a product designed to phase out the use of traditional passwords and replace them with automatically generated passwords from a SecurID token.

SecurID is one of the most popular two-factor authentication systems and is already used by many large enterprises. The token is about the size of a matchbox and generates a new six-digit code every minute.

Users are given an easy-to-remember PIN number to type in alongside the code displayed on the token. With an integrated SecurID system within Windows, enterprises should find easier and cheaper to ensure users do not use weak passwords or forget them.

Microsoft plans to file next week its formal appeal of a European Union ruling that the software giant violated antitrust law and should be fined and made to curtail its business practices.

Microsoft had vowed to appeal as soon as the decision was announced last March. In its decision, the EU fined Microsoft a record 497 million euros ($607 million) and also ordered it to offer a version of Windows without a bundled media player. The EU also ordered the company to disclose more technical information to rivals.

If you manage a Web site that uses ActiveX controls, file downloads, pop-up windows or the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine (MSJVM), chances are you will need to tweak your code to deal with the new security features in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).

As part of preparations for the final release of the service pack, Microsoft is again urging Web developers to closely examine the XP changes and make the necessary code modifications to minimize disruptions.

Windows XP SP2 will make significant changes to deal with increased network protection, memory protection, improved e-mail security and enhanced browsing security; but these changes will lead to major disruption unless developers tweak their applications.

Microsoft on Wednesday announced two new business intelligence accelerators geared toward easing access to data and speeding scorecard creation. The first, Microsoft Office Business Scorecards Accelerator, is a Web-based application designed to simplify the collection and measurement of performance metrics. According to Tom Rizzo, director of product management for SQL Server at the Redmond, Wash., company, the tool is aimed at customers who are looking for a dashboard view of their business.

The tool is designed to aid customers who are seeking to measure business-critical metrics such as revenue generation, customer satisfaction and manufacturing defects, for example. Many enterprises have such information stored in back-end systems, such as in Microsoft's SQL Server database management systems or in other databases.

Lindows claimed a victory in its latest trademark tussle with Microsoft this week after a Dutch court denied a request by Microsoft that the Linux-based software vendor be barred from using the Lindows name in connection with sales of its products in the Benelux countries: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Under the ruling, Lindows is permitted to resume sales in the three countries and Microsoft must pay the San Diego, California, company _944 ($1,156) to cover legal costs, Lindows said.

In the absence of the much-anticipated second beta of SQL Server 2005, Microsoft continues to crank out tidbits of news. Microsoft on Wednesday plans to offer downloads of the Business Scorecard Accelerator software, designed to help SQL Server customers create scorecards that measure business performance.

"The portal interface can be a custom dashboard that shows key performance indicators, and collects and shows information to help businesses make decisions and strategies," said Tom Rizzo, director of product management for SQL Server at Microsoft, Redmond, Wash.

Microsoft's security whistle-stop tour continued in Boston Wednesday with a company executive acknowledging that security is a cost center. Discussing how some have tried to position security efforts as potentially beneficial to the bottom line, Microsoft Chief Security Officer Scott Charney admitted he was cynical. "Security is a cost center. If there were no attacks, no one would bother," he told a few hundred IT professionals at the event.

Today at noon EST, Microsoft will issue a public beta release of Windows Media Player 10 (codenamed Crescent), a major upgrade of its digital media front-end. Now enhanced with a sleeker, easier-to-use user interface, Windows Media Player 10 appears to address most of the complaints I've had about this product, while adding exciting new features related to subscription music services, online stores, and portable devices.

"The Crescent wave is about a broader strategy of 'media everywhere'", David Caulton, Group Product Manager for Microsoft's Windows Digital Media division told me in a recent briefing. "When you acquire content, you should be able to push it from the PC to wherever you want, including portable devices.