SP2??

[Patty]

After reading so many horror stories about SP2 in these newsgroups, I'm kind
of sceptical about downloading it. Is it truly necessary to download it or
am I safe as long as I have SP1 and keep my Windows Updates - Updated??
Is there any necessary steps that should be taken before SP2 is downloaded??
Such as, turning off your AV program or Firewall? Any help here would be
appreciated. Patty

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Help newsgroups are somewhat like a hospital.....folks tend
to only visit when an illness unfortunately occurs.

SP2 is a solid, secure release. It is a major "Critical Update"
for Windows XP and updates about 5 million lines of code,
enabling much stronger security, stability, and affords a tad better
performance benefit. I would encourage you to install it.

You may wish to view the following:

Top 10 Reasons to Install Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/topten.mspx

List of fixes included in Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811113&Product=windowsxpsp2

Learn About Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/preinstall.mspx

What to Know Before You Download and Install Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/sp2_whattoknow.mspx

Scan your PC for the presence of viruses and spyware before installing SP2:

Download Ad-aware SE and scan your PC for the presence of spyware:
http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html?part=69274&subj=dlpage&tag=button

Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym

I would suggest performing the following maintenance prior to
installing SP2:

Description of the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310312&Product=winxp

How to Perform Disk Error Checking in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315265&Product=winxp

After installing SP2, run the above maintenance utilities again, then perform a Defrag:

HOW TO: Analyze and Defragment a Disk in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305781&Product=winxp

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| After reading so many horror stories about SP2 in these newsgroups, I'm kind
| of sceptical about downloading it. Is it truly necessary to download it or
| am I safe as long as I have SP1 and keep my Windows Updates - Updated??
| Is there any necessary steps that should be taken before SP2 is downloaded??
| Such as, turning off your AV program or Firewall? Any help here would be
| appreciated. Patty

 

[Mary Alice]

Patty - I've yet to have anyone show to me a sp2 feature that I can't live
without. I've has people use words like 'should' and 'recommend' but no one
has used the word 'need'. The word can't apply since many of us have
survived just fine sans sp2.

 

[Bill Crocker]

Here is a good place to start.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/default.mspx

Bill Crocker

 

[EW]

Patty - I've yet to have anyone show to me a sp2 feature that I can't
live
without. I've has people use words like 'should' and 'recommend' but no
one
has used the word 'need'. The word can't apply since many of us have
survived just fine sans sp2.

--

Mary, you really NEED the security that SP-2 provides! Plus, the pop-up
blocker is very good and the firewall is rock solid. Lots of other changes
that provide improvement. I was extremely nervous about installing it, but
I did, and it works great. Besides, if problems arise, one can always
uninstall it.

EW

 

[Ken Blake]

In

Patty - I've yet to have anyone show to me a sp2 feature that
I
can't live without. I've has people use words like 'should'
and
'recommend' but no one has used the word 'need'. The word
can't
apply since many of us have survived just fine sans sp2.

With SP2, you're dealing mostly with fixes and security issues.
Think of it like the seatbelts or airbag in your car. Do you want
to say that you don't "need" a seatbelt or an airbag? After all,
the word can't apply since many of us have survived for years
just fine sans seatbelt or airbag.

 

[R. McCarty]

One thing that keeps getting overlooked, is the XP code itself has
been recompiled with hooks to prevent "Buffer Overflows". This
is a common avenue for hackers and Malware. It's not glamorous
or even noticeable to users, but it's there. If there is a single reason
to consider Service Pack 2, I would say that's it.

 

[Mary Alice]

I don't need/use the existing windows firewalls - they interfere with my
"Microsoft Windows Network" (Imagine THAT) - so the same-ole on steroids
will serve no purpose here either.

I get so few popup ads - Google gets most of them - that issue is of no
never mind. If they were to offer an IE popup blocker that was a simple
snap-in, put one icon on an existing toolbar to simply turn it on/off, I may
be interested.

Security? I routinely run security checks/attacks against my computers and
they are always 100% stealth!

I'm 'into' computers more than the average user by a pretty fair bit. I
like having the 'latest-and-greatest' just as much as the next. I'm NOT
against Microsoft updates. I have all pertinent to windows, Microsoft
hardware and software updates to date.

IMO - sp2 offers not a single thing that's worth the risk!

--

 

[Mary Alice]

If it's SOooo important, why didn't they offer it as a single update and
leave all the other eye-candy, show-and-tell stuff off?

--

One thing that keeps getting overlooked, is the XP code itself has
been recompiled with hooks to prevent "Buffer Overflows". This
is a common avenue for hackers and Malware. It's not glamorous
or even noticeable to users, but it's there. If there is a single reason
to consider Service Pack 2, I would say that's it.

 

[Mary Alice]

But - if I'm standing in line at my local auto dealer, along with a few
hundred thousand others, waiting to get the recall done on my airbag and
seatbelts and I notice that, at a bare minimum, one in ten of the finished
jobs is not done right and/or causes, in most cases, other, unrelated to
airbags and seatbelts features of my car to not function as intended, I'm
going to get out of line. Especially when there is most likely another 10%
that have post recall problems, that don't even know it, and just drive off.

 

[R. McCarty]

Beg your pardon - I'm talking about the entire XP software package.
Not a single module or update, but the entire package. It's this type
of change that can prevent widespread infections, when the next Sasser
or Blaster turn up in the wild.
As to eye-candy, that can be easily removed or changed. I still use
the "Classic Theme" on my machine. Service Pack 2 actually adds
little if any esthetic features. Actually, they removed the product type
from the Splash screen so you might say they de-fluffed it a bit.

If it's SOooo important, why didn't they offer it as a single update and
leave all the other eye-candy, show-and-tell stuff off?

--

 

[Rock]

After reading so many horror stories about SP2 in these newsgroups, I'm kind
of sceptical about downloading it. Is it truly necessary to download it or
am I safe as long as I have SP1 and keep my Windows Updates - Updated??
Is there any necessary steps that should be taken before SP2 is downloaded??
Such as, turning off your AV program or Firewall? Any help here would be
appreciated. Patty

Preparation is the key to a successful upgrade, Patty. Notwithstanding
the problems posted to this group, the upgrade goes fine for the vast
majority of users. Backup your system before hand, which is something
you should be doing all the time, anyway. If something goes wrong sp2
can be easily uninstalled, and we are here to help if you have questions
and/or issues. Don't be afraid of something just based on the words of
some vocal nay sayers.

Installing Service Packs
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/xpsp2.htm
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spackins.htm

Pre-Install, Install, Cleaning Up Afterwards
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=45

What to Know Before You Download and Install Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/sp2_whattoknow.mspx

Get the Latest Updates and Information from Your PC Manufacturer Before
Installing Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/oemlinks.mspx

The hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=837783

Changes to Functionality in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2chngs.mspx

Windows XP Service Pack 2: What's New for Internet Explorer and Outlook
Express
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/ieoeoverview.mspx

 

[Ken Blake]

But - if I'm standing in line at my local auto dealer, along
with a few
hundred thousand others, waiting to get the recall done on my
airbag and
seatbelts and I notice that, at a bare minimum, one in ten of
the finished
jobs is not done right and/or causes, in most cases, other,
unrelated to
airbags and seatbelts features of my car to not function as
intended, I'm
going to get out of line. Especially when there is most likely
another 10%
that have post recall problems, that don't even know it, and
just drive off.

Your choice. You're making a serious mistake, as far as I'm
concerned, but I won't try to persuade you what to do.

 

[luminos]

Patty - I've yet to have anyone show to me a sp2 feature that I can't
live
without.

That is because the features are not visible.

 

[luminos]

You have a disaster waiting to happen and are obstinate enough to ignore it.

 

[luminos]

This is a stupid comment.

 

[Mary Alice]

Preparation my Axx!!

If a user had taken Microsoft's lying word and turned on Automatic Updates
when it first became available, trusted his computer updates to them, as the
Automatic Update implies, they would have NO idea that preparation, of any
sort/kind, was not only recommended but demanded prior to sp2 install.

--

 

[Mary Alice]

Semantics - Ok, I'll play.

Don't 'show' me then - how about *telling* be about a feature I can't live
without?

--

 

[Mary Alice]

And - can you explain exactly what that is going to be?


--

 

[John R. Sellers]

With SP2, you're dealing mostly with fixes and security issues.
Think of it like the seatbelts or airbag in your car. Do you want
to say that you don't "need" a seatbelt or an airbag?

Lemme tell you what I told Alex: I get the feeling you're saying this
because you work for them. As I said B4, I have ZoneAlarm, I have AVG, I
have DCOMbobulator, and every check I do @ GRCs 'Sheilds Up' gets a passing
grade
of TruStealth.

Why would I need it?