It is officially released, but you cant download it automatically or from the Microsoft website. You can get it from here though......
www.fileshack.com
www.fileplanet.com
http://www.guru3d.com/newsitem.php?id=1757
If you come across this message ""DO NOT CLICK DOWNLOAD IF YOU ARE UPDATING JUST ONE COMPUTER"
some guy from another forumwrote:The reason it says "DO NOT CLICK DOWNLOAD IF YOU ARE UPDATING JUST ONE COMPUTER" is because it weighs in at 266 MEG and the Windows Update version is only going to be 80 MEG.
I work for a large tech organization and this release includes all previous updates (SP1, hot fixes, etc).
I would recommend getting this one if you plan on installing a fresh copy of XP in the future anyway, otherwise you will be downloading the typical 200 updates as well as this from Windows Update.
The release here may have things you already have installed but that doesn't mean it's not a proper release.
There are some big changes to the Firewall and integration of 3d party Anti Virus programs. There is also a new "set programs access and defaults" setting which allows you to full customize the OS!
After installing it stopped Style XP from running so i had to uninstall that, i think that was down to the version i was running though!
I have heard all sorts of rumors about SPII re-writing the boot sector on HD of people using copied versions of XP, then de-activating windows so you cant use it............... this seems to be BS
.
However i did read in "Computer Shopper" that Microsoft have deliberately allowed users of pirated versions to update to SPII, to try and swat all the Mal ware(virus, Trojan etc.)
