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Windows 2000 SP5 Replaced With Update Rollup

Posted by timothy on from the not-a-tasty-fruit-rollup-though dept.

Ant writes "According to Broadband Reports' news post, both eWeek and TechSpot report Microsoft is scrapping Windows 2000 Service Pack (SP) 5. It will be replaced with an Update Rollup in mid-2005. 'The Update Rollup will contain all security-related updates produced for Windows 2000 between SP4 and the time when Microsoft finalizes the contents of the Update Rollup, and a small number of important non-security updates. Because Microsoft believes the Update Rollup will better meet the needs of customers than a new service pack, there will not be a Service Pack 5 (SP5) for Windows 2000.'"

3 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. What's the difference? by avalys · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Is there a difference in anything but name between a "Service Pack" and "Update Rollup"?

    Or has Microsoft decided that they don't like the term "Service Pack" anymore?

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  2. "Not" as in "Never"??? by mosel-saar-ruwer · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Because Microsoft believes the Update Rollup will better meet the needs of customers than a new service pack, there will not be a Service Pack 5 (SP5) for Windows 2000.

    Does this mean there will never be an SP5?

    I was loading some new boxes yesterday, and, even after SP4, Windows Update wanted to install well in excess of 20 patches [which couldn't be done in one fell swoop because IE6 SP1 insists on being installed solo].

    My guess is that eventually Redmond will listen to their customers on this one.

    PS: Anyone wanna bet that this is due to that gosh-awful security update from last March that hosed so many systems? [Completely screwed all our machines with VIA chipsets.]

  3. Re:In other words... by I_Love_Pocky! · · Score: 2, Interesting

    As of this writing, my original parent post has been moded troll. So be it, but this wasn't a troll, I was serious. It looks like Microsoft wanted a fancy new term for a light-weight service pack. Pointless if you ask me. It just sounds like an excuse to put less effort into supporting one of their legacy products.

    Explain to me again the value of buying commercial software if it becomes abandon-ware less than 5 years after its release? 5 years seems like a long time in the software world, but I would be super pissed if I couldn't get parts for my 5 year old car.