Microsoft Cans Windows 2000 SP5

Microsoft has dumped the idea of releasing a fifth service pack for the enterprise-popular Windows 2000, and, instead, plans to produce an "update rollup" in the middle of next year as its last security patch for the OS.

According to a posting on Microsoft's Web site, the Update Rollup for Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (SP4) will include all the security-related updates produced for the operating system between SP4's release in November, 2003, and when the Redmond, Wash.-based developer finalizes the rollup's contents.

It will also contain "a small number of important non-security updates," said Microsoft.

It's taking the rollup route--which it also used in October 2003 when it released a cumulative collection of security fixes for Windows XP--rather than a service pack, said Microsoft, because the number of not-seen-before updates are few, and Microsoft expects to have released most of them as individual updates prior to the rollup's release.

Microsoft will end support for free security fixes to Windows 2000 in June, 2005.