The Windows XP USB 2.0 driver that leaked last week does seem to be the finished item, and it's also available for download from Intel and Microsoft - in the latter case, only sort of. But for some strange reason, the Windows 2000 implementation seems to have gone missing.

Jeff Roberts of USBMan tells us that Win2k USB 2.0 drivers were in beta at the same time as the WinXP ones, but that his last three emails enquiring as to their whereabouts have gone unanswered. Microsoft is still committed to shipping USB 2.0 drivers for Win2k (earlier OSes won't be supported), but hasn't said when. Jeff does however note that there are no plans to include them in Win2k Service Pack 3, which is currently in beta.

Meanwhile, Intel has been quietly hosting USB 2.0 driver downloads here since last Monday, while Microsoft has them available for download at its hotfix site. This last location isn't actually much use, because you need a password to unzip the file, but it does show the driver's finished. Microsoft uses the hotfix site to allow corporate customers to download fixes associated with knowledge base articles, and organises these in directories designated by the next service pack for the relevant OS. Thus, the USB 2.0 drivers for XP are in the folder Q312370 within SP1.

The Q312370 knowledge base article itself isn't public, but is available internally in Microsoft, and is a "rough draft idea for a KB article." The term "idea" may be pushing it, as the text we've been leaked looks like a standard boilerplate, with no specific data yet entered. This is possibly the least significant Microsoft leak we've ever had, but it's been in existence since November 7th, when it was created by kylema, and later modified by GARYM. Come on Kyle and Gary, get you fingers out... ®

Related links:
WinXP USB 2.0 support leaks?
USBMan run-down on Microsoft USB 2.0 drivers