Although some administrators may be wondering why their peers apparently haven't planned ahead, Microsoft has responded to customer requests for another extension before Windows XP SP2 is automatically delivered to computers as a critical update.

TechNet Flash readers may recall the early August release of an SP2 Blocker tool to help IT pros better manage the update by setting a Windows registry key that instructs the system to skip downloading and installing SP2 for 120 days while still allowing other critical updates. Last week, the Microsoft SP2 team announced that it has doubled that period to 240 days. The blocking mechanism will prevent Automatic Updates and Windows Update from delivering SP2 to Windows-based computers until April 12, 2005.

Good news for someone but too late for me. I downloaded SP2 to a notebook and it runs like molasses now. Wish I could un-do it but am not sure whether the genie can be put back in the box.

Good news for someone but too late for me. I downloaded SP2 to a notebook and it runs like molasses now. Wish I could un-do it but am not sure whether the genie can be put back in the box.

I installed sp2 on a test system. For some reason it just ran slow. Couldn't figure out the reason. I reformatted the drive and did a new install of xp w/ sp2 on the same system. It runs super fast now. I have no idea why it happens.