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Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) Preview

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Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) hspace="10"> Microsoft will start delivering Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows XP on September 9, as a downloadable option from the Windows Update Web site, or via CD fulfillment.

While developing SP1, Microsoft engineers focused on:

  • Security and Reliability - SP1 includes all security fixes, compatibility updates and hot-fixes that where released since Windows XP shipped.
  • New Capabilities - SP1 includes support for USB 2.0, enabling technologies for new devices such as Tablet PCs, "Freestyle" PCs, and "Mira" display hardware and (optional) .NET Framework.
  • Consent decree compliance - To comply with a settlement that was agreed upon with the Justice Department and nine states back in November last year, Microsoft made some changes to the Windows XP UI, including Configure Program Defaults.


Messenger

Windows XP SP1 will also include Messenger 4.7, which includes updated security features and the Add/Remove capabilities required by the consent decree compliance. Windows Messenger 4.7 will also be available as a separate download on the Windows Update Web site.


New Capabilities

Windows XP SP1 will not include native support for Tablet PCs, Freestyle and Mira, because the download would get needlessly big, end-users won't need this capability. According to Microsoft, these are all features for hardware to be delivered by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), they will get the right code.


.NET Framework

Supoport for the .NET Framework will be optional in Windows XP SP1. .NET Framework is downloadable from the Windows Update Web site.


Configure Program Defaults

To comply with a settlement that was agreed upon with the Justice Department and nine states back in November last year, Microsoft must allow consumers or PC makers to hide user access to so-called middleware: Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Windows Media Player, Microsoft's Java Virtual Machine and Windows Messenger.

The language used in the settlement is: "enable or remove access to each Microsoft Middleware Product." So, Microsoft doesn't have to remove any middleware products, they just have to be hidden from the end user. This means simply that any Start menu, desktop, or taskbar icons to those applications will be removed, leaving the applications themselves on the system where they have always been.

When you install SP1, a new entry will be added to the Start menu and to the Add or Remove Programs applet in Control Panel called Set Program Access and Defaults. This control will offer four different choices:

  • Computer Manufacturer Configuration
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Non-Microsoft
  • Custom

Computer Manufacturer Configuration

This option won't have any impact on existing users. It is designed to restore the middleware configuration back to the default setting offered by the PC manufacturer. So for example, if a PC manufacturer has a deal with AOL, choosing this configuration could hide Internet Explorer, and set AOL as the default Web browser.

Microsoft Windows

This option would use all Microsoft's middleware, but according to comments made by Jim Cullinan, lead project manager for Windows XP, it will not hide any other (non-Microsoft) applications.

Non-Microsoft

This option is for the die-hard anti-MS crowd (sorry, couldn't resist)... It will hide all Microsoft middleware.

Custom

With this option you can choose your own defaults. All middleware can be selected/deselected as you see fit.

For Microsoft competitors who want to identify their applications to this Configure Program Defaults applet, a small addition to their coding is required. According to Microsoft they have already informed their competitors, and that they will be releasing new versions that will include the code changes needed to identify their applications to this applet.

Configure Program Defaults


Changes to Windows XP Product Activation

Microsoft will be making a number of changes to Windows XP's product activation in the soon to be released Service Pack 1 (SP1). For a general overview of Windows XP product activation see my article: More On Windows XP Product Activation.

According to Microsoft, they will make a number of changes to Windows XP's product activation, aimed at ensuring licensed customers receive full benefits and to make it more difficult for those who pirate software to obtain these same benefits. These changes are:

  • Eligibility for Windows XP Service Pack 1 and Windows Update
  • Additional grace periods for hardware out-of-tolerance situations
  • Volume license key (VLK) encryption
  • Product key inclusion in Installation ID for activation
  • Repair of activation circumventions


Eligibility for Windows XP Service Pack 1 and Windows Update

Microsoft has determined through investigations that most pirated installations are made with either of two volume license product keys (keys used by corporate or other volume license customers to install Windows XP).

Windows XP SP1 ships with a list of the two product IDs (a product key produces the product ID found in My Computer > Properties after setup has completed) that are created by the pirated product volume license product keys. To determine eligibility for the update, SP1 compares the Windows XP product ID on the system to this list. The comparison and the list reside locally on the user's PC and no information is sent to Microsoft as part of this process. SP1 for Windows XP will fail to install on installations of Windows with one of the following product IDs:

  • XXXXX-640-0000356-23XXX
  • XXXXX-640-2001765-23XXX

When such a product ID is found during installation of SP1, the installation will fail with a message similar to this:

Service Pack 1 Setup Error
The product key used to install Windows is invalid. Please contact your system administrator or retailer immediately to obtain a valid product key. You may also contact Microsoft Corporation's Anti-Piracy Team by emailing piracy@microsoft.com if you think you have purchased pirated Microsoft software. Please be assured that any personal information you send to the Microsoft Anti-Piracy team will be kept in strict confidence.

Access to Windows Update will also be restricted for licensed users. Eligibility for access to Windows update will be determined by checking that the product key used to install Windows XP is valid and was manufactured by Microsoft. Two pieces of information will be sent to Windows Update when accessing the Windows Update web site:

  1. A hash (one-way mathematical transformation) of the product key used to install Windows XP
  2. The Product ID

Windows Update will compare the product key hash and Product ID to a list created from valid, Microsoft-manufactured product keys. The check must be done on the Microsoft side because the list the information is validated against is very large (approximately one billion values). Once the product key hash and Product Id are verified, they are both discarded. Neither the product key hash nor the product ID are stored by Windows Update.


Additional grace periods for hardware out-of-tolerance situations

Microsoft will add a three-day grace period for users who are asked to re-activate due to changes in their hardware configuration. Before SP1, a user was required to reactivate immediately upon boot if significant hardware changes had occurred. With SP1, users will have three days to complete this re-activation. According to Microsoft, there are a total of twelve (12) of these 3-day grace periods built into an installation of Windows XP SP1. A re-install of the operating system will reset this counter. Volume License Key (VLK) Encryption An encryption feature is added to unattended setups of Windows XP SP1. This feature is only for customers with volume licensing agreements with Microsoft such as Microsoft Select, Microsoft Enterprise Agreement, and Microsoft Open License. Customers who place their VLK in an unattended setup file (unattend.txt) will be able to encrypt the VLK such that it will be time limited (in day increments from 5 to 60 days) and not visible as plain text. For more info, see the Microsoft Licensing Web site.


Product key inclusion in Installation ID for activation

To protect against product key cracks by software pirates, the product key used to install Windows XP will be included in the Installation ID for all activations completed after SP1 has been installed. The product ID is already part of the Installation ID created for activation. Internet activations will send the entire product key, while telephone activations will send a hash value of the product key in order to limit the increase in size of the telephone Installation ID. The telephone Installation ID will grow from 50 digits to 54 digits due to this change.

Microsoft will compare this product key or product key hash sent during activation to a list of valid, Microsoft-manufactured product keys. If the key used to install Windows XP and subsequently attempt to activate is not valid and manufactured by Microsoft, the activation attempt will fail.


Repair of Activation Circumventions

SP1 for Windows XP will also contain fixes to cracks used by software pirates to circumvent activation. Installations of Windows XP patched by one of these pirate cracks will require activation after SP1 has been installed. Windows XP installations that remain un-activated past the 30-day grace period can still be accessed for interactive use by booting to non-networked safe-mode.


Additional Windows XP license discounts

Another feature added to SP1 is that when you attempt to activate a Windows XP SP1 installation with a product key that had been used on another PC you will get an error message asking if you want to buy an additional Windows XP license. In certain countries Microsoft will offer additional licenses with a 15-30% discount.

Microsoft's so called "discount" doesn't amount to much though, and I'd like to see them offering a deal similar to what Apple is currently offering. With their new Mac OS X, who are users can purchase a 5 license Family Pack for $199.00, which amounts to a discount of close to 70% on 5 Single User licenses (at $129.00). Now that is a discount!

Windows XP SP1 will be available to the general public Monday, September 9, on the Windows XP Web site via download or CD fulfillment.

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Last Updated: September 6, 2002