Microsoft Offers Windows XP Update

Microsoft Corp. released a software update for its flagship computer operating system to make Windows XP more secure, reliable and open to modification.

Service Pack 1, Microsoft’s first major update to Windows XP since the launch of its “trustworthy computing” initiative and consent decree with the Justice Department, is available on the software giant’s Web site or on a CD that can be ordered for $9.95.

Users who signed up for automatic updates to their Windows XP operating system, which went on sale nearly a year ago, can download the 32-megabyte chunk of software. One of the most striking changes will be the ability to remove Microsoft’s default programs, such as Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player, from the desktop.