Windows XP SP1 Windows XP SP1 will be released on Monday, September 9th. According to Paul Thurrott, SP1 "includes IE 6 SP1, support for USB 2.0, several security and bug fixes, and the new Set Program Access and Defaults UI component, which Microsoft's DOJ settlement proposal requires. Set Program Access and Defaults lets users choose to hide certain XP middleware applications, including IE, Microsoft Outlook Express, Windows Media Player (WMP), Windows Messenger, and Microsoft's Virtual Machine for Java. Third-party applications can register with the UI, and their icons will appear in a list of available middleware applications, which will let users choose which applications appear in the XP UI, Microsoft says. SP1 also enhances Product Activation to prevent users who have pirated product keys from upgrading."