Wndows update choices

[Joan]

Can someone answer these questions please?

- Is the "Microsoft Core XML Services (MSXML)" update critical and really
necessary for all Windows users? Why? I read the description and I didn't
understand it well enough to make a choice. I just use my PC for email,
photo editing, specialied shopping and scientific information. Not too
happy to keep adding XP updates unless they are really useful to the kind of
user I am.

- I still have IE6. Again I have read on updating to IE7 and do not see too
much of a gain in updating unless I am not aware of special benefits.

Please comment, I always learn from responses here.
Thanks, Joan

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

If an Update is marked Critical, install it. Just because you don't see
yourself using it doesn't mean you aren't using it. Even if you aren't, the
stuff is there on your machine and vulnerable.

I prefer IE6.1, others prefer IE7. Supposedly the latter is more secure, but
that's mostly a matter of idiot-proofing, AFAICT. At least until they stop
supporting IE6.1, I'll continue to use it. By then, IE7 will be more mature.

 

[Joan]

Thanks for the information, it did help me make a decision.

I agree with your rational for staying with IE6 but I do not have IE6.1 as
you mention. My version is listed as ;
6.0.2900.2180.xpsp_sp2_gdr.0070227-2254. Am I supposed to have a newer
version than I have? I have done all updates except the ones I mentioned, so
what should I do?

Thanks again. Joan

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

You have IE 6.1, Joan. Don't ask, I didn't teach them math.

 

[Joan]

I suppose if one rounds it up, it is 6.1, oh well modern math is rrrrreally
different....

Thanks, Gary. Joan

 

[David Webb]

Where do you find this version level (IE 6.1) noted/documented?

I'm running WinXP SP2 with IE 6 SP2. There is no such version noted in IE
Help|About, or in PC audit reports from Belarc Advisor and AIDA32.

I do have IE 7 blocked from Windows Update, and I have no updates waiting for IE
6.

"Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message
| You have IE 6.1, Joan. Don't ask, I didn't teach them math.
|
| --
| Gary S. Terhune
| MS-MVP Shell/User
| www.grystmill.com
|
| | > Thanks for the information, it did help me make a decision.
| >
| > I agree with your rational for staying with IE6 but I do not have IE6.1 as
| > you mention. My version is listed as ;
| > 6.0.2900.2180.xpsp_sp2_gdr.0070227-2254. Am I supposed to have a newer
| > version than I have? I have done all updates except the ones I mentioned,
| > so what should I do?
| >
| > Thanks again. Joan
| >
| >
| >
| >
| > "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message
| > | >> If an Update is marked Critical, install it. Just because you don't see
| >> yourself using it doesn't mean you aren't using it. Even if you aren't,
| >> the stuff is there on your machine and vulnerable.
| >>
| >> I prefer IE6.1, others prefer IE7. Supposedly the latter is more secure,
| >> but that's mostly a matter of idiot-proofing, AFAICT. At least until they
| >> stop supporting IE6.1, I'll continue to use it. By then, IE7 will be more
| >> mature.
| >>
| >> --
| >> Gary S. Terhune
| >> MS-MVP Shell/User
| >> www.grystmill.com
| >>
| >> | >>> Can someone answer these questions please?
| >>>
| >>> - Is the "Microsoft Core XML Services (MSXML)" update critical and
| >>> really necessary for all Windows users? Why? I read the description and
| >>> I didn't understand it well enough to make a choice. I just use my PC
| >>> for email, photo editing, specialied shopping and scientific
| >>> information. Not too happy to keep adding XP updates unless they are
| >>> really useful to the kind of user I am.
| >>>
| >>> - I still have IE6. Again I have read on updating to IE7 and do not see
| >>> too much of a gain in updating unless I am not aware of special
| >>> benefits.
| >>>
| >>> Please comment, I always learn from responses here.
| >>> Thanks, Joan
| >>>
| >>
| >>
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

There is no SP2 for IE. There *is* an SP2 for Windows XP. You find the
version number for most apps in Help>About. For Windows itself, you find it
in the System properties (System applet in Control Panel, or right-click the
desktop icon, then Properties.)

 

[David Webb]

You need to get up-to-speed on these revision levels, just don't make them up as
you go along.

See this tech article which references IE6 SP2:

How to troubleshoot problems accessing secure Web pages with Internet Explorer 6
Service Pack 2
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/870700

I have IE 6 SP2 installed, as shown in IE Help|About.

"Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message
| There is no SP2 for IE. There *is* an SP2 for Windows XP. You find the
| version number for most apps in Help>About. For Windows itself, you find it
| in the System properties (System applet in Control Panel, or right-click the
| desktop icon, then Properties.)
|
| --
| Gary S. Terhune
| MS-MVP Shell/User
| www.grystmill.com
|
| | > Where do you find this version level (IE 6.1) noted/documented?
| >
| > I'm running WinXP SP2 with IE 6 SP2. There is no such version noted in IE
| > Help|About, or in PC audit reports from Belarc Advisor and AIDA32.
| >
| > I do have IE 7 blocked from Windows Update, and I have no updates waiting
| > for IE
| > 6.
| >
| > "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message
| > | > | You have IE 6.1, Joan. Don't ask, I didn't teach them math.
| > |
| > | --
| > | Gary S. Terhune
| > | MS-MVP Shell/User
| > | www.grystmill.com
| > |
| > | | > | > Thanks for the information, it did help me make a decision.
| > | >
| > | > I agree with your rational for staying with IE6 but I do not have
| > IE6.1 as
| > | > you mention. My version is listed as ;
| > | > 6.0.2900.2180.xpsp_sp2_gdr.0070227-2254. Am I supposed to have a newer
| > | > version than I have? I have done all updates except the ones I
| > mentioned,
| > | > so what should I do?
| > | >
| > | > Thanks again. Joan
| > | >
| > | >
| > | >
| > | >
| > | > "Gary S. Terhune" <none> wrote in message
| > | > | > | >> If an Update is marked Critical, install it. Just because you don't
| > see
| > | >> yourself using it doesn't mean you aren't using it. Even if you
| > aren't,
| > | >> the stuff is there on your machine and vulnerable.
| > | >>
| > | >> I prefer IE6.1, others prefer IE7. Supposedly the latter is more
| > secure,
| > | >> but that's mostly a matter of idiot-proofing, AFAICT. At least until
| > they
| > | >> stop supporting IE6.1, I'll continue to use it. By then, IE7 will be
| > more
| > | >> mature.
| > | >>
| > | >> --
| > | >> Gary S. Terhune
| > | >> MS-MVP Shell/User
| > | >> www.grystmill.com
| > | >>
| > | >> | > | >>> Can someone answer these questions please?
| > | >>>
| > | >>> - Is the "Microsoft Core XML Services (MSXML)" update critical and
| > | >>> really necessary for all Windows users? Why? I read the description
| > and
| > | >>> I didn't understand it well enough to make a choice. I just use my
| > PC
| > | >>> for email, photo editing, specialied shopping and scientific
| > | >>> information. Not too happy to keep adding XP updates unless they are
| > | >>> really useful to the kind of user I am.
| > | >>>
| > | >>> - I still have IE6. Again I have read on updating to IE7 and do not
| > see
| > | >>> too much of a gain in updating unless I am not aware of special
| > | >>> benefits.
| > | >>>
| > | >>> Please comment, I always learn from responses here.
| > | >>> Thanks, Joan
| > | >>>
| > | >>
| > | >>
| > | >
| > | >
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

Wanna tell me where to get IE6 SP2? What is the full version number of your
IE?

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

PS -- Hmmm... While I need to say that it isn't infrequent that the KB has
erroneous info, you appear to be right that they arbitrarily decided that IE
in XPSP2 is to be called SP2. Makes no nevermind, AFAIC, it's probably the
same thing as IESP1, which included real changes.

But thanks for pointing that out. Still, I think it's kind of irrelevant. If
you have XPSP2 installed, it has to be IE6SP2 or IE7. There' is no
stand-alone IE6SP2 for, say, WinXP SP1.

 

[David Webb]

Good. Now that you understand this, what about your statement concerning the IE
6.1 version? Where did you get that from?

You said, "You have IE 6.1, Joan. Don't ask, I didn't teach them math."

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

1. I was wrong, she has IE6 SP2. FWIW, I spend most of my time assisting
Win9x users, and SP1 is as high as it goes. And I still can't find more than
a couple of KB articles that even mention IE6 SP2. The one you cite and
another listing IE versions. Whereas SP1 has a ton of references. No excuse,
just an explanation.

2. When you round a figure like 6.0.2900.2180, you don't get 6.1, much less
6.2. Lots of folks don't realize that the version number in Help\About,
especially for MS products, doesn't have a really close relation to the
common name for the version. That's why Joan thought she only had 6.0.

If that doesn't answer you question, please rephrase.