Win2k SP4

[Guest]

I wanted to get everyone's opinion on SP4. To this point I have avoided SP4 due to the negative things I have read about it since Microsoft released it. Have these problems been fixed? Do you think it is worthwhile to apply this service pack now?

 

[Oli Restorick [MVP]]

The service pack has not been reissued. Software vendors may have
implemented workarounds for any specific issues that affected their
products.

I haven't seen a single problem with SP4 and that's on around 250 machines.
I seriously hope you are applying the critical security updates that have
been released since SP3, otherwise you are potentially at serious risk.

Unless you know of a specific issue that affects the software you're
running, I'd recommend you apply it and use Windows Update or Software
Update Services to apply all the post-SP4 hotfixes.

Regards

Oli

 

[Gerry Voras]

Just another word from an old-timer... always test new service packs and
patches on a single production machine (with a full QA script testing all
applications) before releasing something in a wide-spread manner.

 

[Geoffw]

I suggest an image first or an accessible backup then apply
the service pack

geoff

message

I wanted to get everyone's opinion on SP4. To this point

I have avoided SP4 due to the negative things I have read
about it since Microsoft released it. Have these problems
been fixed? Do you think it is worthwhile to apply this
service pack now?

 

[George Hester]

I don't know. This is an iffy install. I have Windows 2000 Professionals run like a top with it installed. I HAD a Windows 2000 Professional with .NET Framework 1.0 installed and SP4 shot it all to hell. Almost all SP4 installs will kill the links in HTML Help. Some don't. I haven't been able to tell exactly what the best configuration prior to SP4 install should be but here's a punt:

1) No IE 6
2) No .NET Framework
3) No MDAC 2.8
4) Make sure ALL hotfixes that are installed are working properly. (qfecheck from Microsoft).
5) No non-publicly released hotfixes installed

 

[Rick]

I agree completely. Read Google's Usenet archive. SP4 and .NET.
SP4 and Symantec. SP4 and legacy hardware. Etc. Ad nauseam.
I had not one but two I/O cards (a sound card and a video capture
card) stop functioning completely under SP4, while under SP3 they
worked flawlessly.

Rick

I don't know. This is an iffy install. I have Windows 2000 Professionals run like a top with it installed. I HAD a Windows 2000
Professional with .NET Framework 1.0 installed and SP4 shot it all to hell. Almost all SP4 installs will kill the links in HTML
Help. Some don't. I haven't been able to tell exactly what the best configuration prior to SP4 install should be but here's a
punt:

1) No IE 6
2) No .NET Framework
3) No MDAC 2.8
4) Make sure ALL hotfixes that are installed are working properly. (qfecheck from Microsoft).
5) No non-publicly released hotfixes installed

--
George Hester
__________________________________

I wanted to get everyone's opinion on SP4. To this point I have avoided SP4 due to the negative things I have read about it since

Microsoft released it. Have these problems been fixed? Do you think it is worthwhile to apply this service pack now?