Member Avatar for Catweazle

Just gave this a good read through, and it seems to me that the most helpful piece of advice of all hasn't been posted in the topic!

Service Pack 2 should be taken seriously. It's virtually an OS upgrade, after all. The service pack replaces just about all of your Windows installation core files.

If your system has problems before you install it, it's most likely they'll be magnified afterwards, not fixed. That's the case with any Windows upgrade, and it holds true for problems and corruptions in your Windows install that you haven't even noticed the symptoms of yet. There's no point to blaming the Service Pack if that happens, because the problem was there to start with.

The best way of all to approach updating to the Service Pack is to format, install fresh, and start over with SP2 installed and working. And if you find conflicts when you reinstall some software program or other, then you know where the blame lies, don't you?

Member Avatar for thezukiman

I recently installed sp2 on 30 computers on our network...in general it slowed the performance down quite a bit on nearly all the cpus unless they were very beefy systems up front...I was very disappointed in sp2! Just my 2cents worth!

Member Avatar for Tomncap511

Well. If you are installing SP2 another thing to watch out for is it will completely screw up your wireless settings. I still haven't found a solution to this. I now have to use my laptop with the cable in the back. If anyone has a solution post it.

Member Avatar for rcrevolution

Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP is a recommended upgrade that fixes many issues (mainly security related). It includes all of the critical updates that have been issued since Windows XP was released, which should simplify new installations as well as reinstallations.

First, make sure you meet the system requirements:
At least a 233MHz processor
At least 64MB of RAM
At least 1.8GB of free hard disk space; SP2 is about 75MB, but apparently needs that much disk space to install.
Must be using one of these Operating Systems:
Windows XP Home
Windows XP Professional
Windows XP Media Center Edition
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
NOT for Windows XP 64-bit version

Once you make sure you meet these requirements, go to this link for a list of known conflicts with SP2:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=884130&product=windowsxpsp2

If you are using any of these programs, you need to decide if you want to go ahead and deal with any problems, remove the conflicting programs, or wait for patches to come out before installing SP2.

For instance, I use three programs that are on the list; BlackIce, Norton System Works 2004, and Yahoo Instant Messenger. I’ve decided to uninstall BlackIce until a patch is available; uninstall Norton 2004 and install Norton 2002 in its place – again, until a patch comes out; leave Yahoo IM to see if it is affected, if it is, I will uninstall it until there is a fix.

Once you have decided to upgrade to SP2, there are two options:

1.) Download, which, due to its 75MB size, will take awhile, even with DSL.
-- Click on Start and look for Windows Update near the top of the list or;
-- Go to www.microsoft.com and search for the SP2 update or;
-- Turn on Automatic Update by going to the Control Panel, select System Utility, click on the Automatic Update tab.

2.) Request a CD from Microsoft at: www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/winxpsp2.mspx
Of course, this means waiting for delivery by snail-mail, but installation will be much quicker and you’ll have it if you ever need to reinstall Windows XP. Also, if you have dial-up, you won’t keep your line tied up for hours or have to worry about being disconnected (not that that ever happens, right?).

Hope this information will help someone.

doesnt XP need at least 128MB to even run?

Member Avatar for rcrevolution

where can i download windows movie maker 2 now, without having to dl SP2?

Member Avatar for dlh6213

doesnt XP need at least 128MB to even run?

According to Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/upgrading/sysreqs.mspx), XP will run on 64MB of RAM.

I actually used a laptop that had 64MB & XP, and believe me, you don't want to use it that way! I don't even think 128 is enough, I find it works best with at least 256MB.

Member Avatar for dandimmitt

And in terms of SP2's supposed "security enhancements", you might want to have a read of this:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/0...ecurity_review/

I read it and appreciated it, what i didn't understand were the risks. I went through an disabled the services as suggested in the article and didn't use the computer for a couple of days. When i came bazck to it, norton internet security went bananas, announcing internal program errors, and telling me that there was a problem with my liscence and god knows what all. then i dicovered that that computer woudn't even access the internet on dsl. by the time that i got it working again, I had re enabled all of the services that the article had suggested should be disabled.
I'm not sure what the solution is, I guess just trust the firewall and hope for the best.
just a word of caution.
dan

Member Avatar for dlh6213

That link didn't work for me, but perhaps it's just as well. If that article caused you so much trouble, why would you want others to read it?

Member Avatar for Mastertech

You can find more information about SP2 and the steps necessary for a successful upgrade here:

Optimize XP - A Windows XP Optimization Guide

The security enhancements in SP2 are well worth the upgrade, just make sure you system is Virus and Spyware free before installing. This has been the biggest reason for upgrade failures. Steps 1 and 2 of the Guide will help you clean your system of them.

;)

commented: Looks like a very useful link! -- dlh +2
Member Avatar for dandimmitt

That link didn't work for me, but perhaps it's just as well. If that article caused you so much trouble, why would you want others to read it?

It was an article that i read in daniweb and i thought feedback might be appropriate. I was not recommending it!

Member Avatar for aussielad

SP2 is a complete waste of time. Why does everyone hang off MS for their patches, only to be forced to install more patches to patch what SHOULD have been done in SP2. Get yourself zonealarm security suite(which includes a virus scanner) and SP2 is redundant.

Member Avatar for Mastertech

SP2 is a complete waste of time. Why does everyone hang off MS for their patches, only to be forced to install more patches to patch what SHOULD have been done in SP2. Get yourself zonealarm security suite(which includes a virus scanner) and SP2 is redundant.

SP2 includes numerous improvements over SP1, the security features added to Internet Explorer are in no way redundant. They eliminate the risk of auto installing spyware for one. The XP Firewall is also very much improved in SP2 but Zonealarm is still a good recommendation.

Member Avatar for ABE

I did a complete re-install for a friend and added SP2 - a problem that I've now found very common occured, because thier PC had a LEGACY MOTHERBOARD they now had no sound! I've searched the net profusely and cannot find a patch to rectify the problem! The end result? ... I had to buy a cheap soundcard and install it. Not a tricky job, but a problem if your PC is under warranty as you can't open the case.

Well done LEGACY / MICROSOFT! :eek:

Member Avatar for aussielad

SP2 includes numerous improvements over SP1, the security features added to Internet Explorer are in no way redundant. They eliminate the risk of auto installing spyware for one. The XP Firewall is also very much improved in SP2 but Zonealarm is still a good recommendation.

Mastertech is right...SP 2 has many improvements, thats why this and other board as full of threads by people needing help when they install SP2, thread after thread people's computer freezes, crashes, programs dont work. I still think SP2 is rubbish, Ive never had a single issue since sp1, my zone alarm security suite keep me 100% safe online. my advice is DO NOT install SP2, no matter what hype MS trawls out. if you dont beleive me, ask others who havent installed SP2, see if they have had problems

Member Avatar for mrwhy

How about warning those who have happily been using BASIC for decades that this "Fix" is TERMINAL DEATH for all the thousands of basic progs they may have written!
And once installed it cannot be uninstalled!

Member Avatar for dlh6213

How about warning those who have happily been using BASIC for decades that this "Fix" is TERMINAL DEATH for all the thousands of basic progs they may have written!
And once installed it cannot be uninstalled!

A warning, of sorts, is here, in post #39.

Instructions for uninstalling it are in here as well, see post #13.

Member Avatar for mrwhy

A warning, of sorts, is here, in post #39.

Instructions for uninstalling it are in here as well, see post #13.

Many thanks
Did not know you could!
Mrwhy

Member Avatar for QKSTechTrainee

For the network administrators out there:-


If you use XP clients and a windows 2000/2003 server, after applying SP2 to clients you will find that any Internet Explorer Maintenance Group Policies will fail if you also use Folder Redirection policies. Thanks for that Microsoft......

Member Avatar for makavelli

Hey all,
I'll wait for SP9 by then I'll have a MAC

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