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IBM Tells Employees To Hold Off WinXP SP2
robpoe writes "As reported by ZDNet, IBM's technology department has warned internal users to not install Windows XP SP2 until IBM can fix some known issues with the way IE6 is updated, and Big Blue can make a customized version of the patch - 'The company's technology department said the delay is 'due to known application problems and incompatibility with IBM workstation applications.''" However, the article also mentions that: "One IBM employee in the company's internal technology department characterized the decision as routine."
This is very much standard practice here at IBM. We aren't even supposed to use windowsupdate and instead use an internal tool that installs patches.
I think you need to read the blurb again. Particularly the part about "employees" and "internal users".
Of course. No IT department of any size is going to allow end users to willy nilly install or not install OS patches and Service Packs as they choose. Anyone who doesn't use a system like SMS is going to distribute the SP, probably in a customized install, to their users through an official internal channel and say "run this".
This is especially important for XP SP2, because it does break a lot of stuff. In particular, it breaks the (enterprise class) products we produce in several places (I personally am working on our own hotfixes to be sent out ASAP). This is the sort of problem companies like IBM want to avoid. So, all things considered, this is a total non story.
Windows XP Service Pack 1a was merely a release that made them compliant with the Java VM lawsuit. SP1a does not include Microsoft's version of the virtual machine.
Check your facts before you post.
The really funny thing is, I don't think there's a big pressing need to install this patch. Waiting a while is the best move to make.
What does this patch do for you? Well, I've been using RC2 for awhile, and here's what it's done for me:
1) Broken Thief III such that when I load levels, my computer crashes.
2) Screams bloody murder when an app opens a port - except for loopback - but even when I explicitly wanted that port opened it still raises a dialog.
3) Messed up MSN Instant Messenger's hotmail addin so it now links to Outlook and Outlook Express even though I don't even USE Outlook.
4) Messed up my MSN Instant Messenger buddy list by trying to group them into random categories I didn't even want
5) Installed more gooblygook into Windows Media Player that asks for copyright protections etc that I don't want and makes me go through the configuration screen all over again
6) Added a popup blocker I didn't want - that I can't easily turn off - into IE - that conflicts with Google Toolbar - instead of one easy click to get a popup on a site that you were expecting to pop up (such as a separate chat window for customer support), you now need to go into the options to turn popup blocking off, then click the google toolbar... twice the hassle.
And other nice oddities.
I say, wait until this beast has been patched...there's nothing worth running out for.
Tepp
I used to work desktop support for IBM and can tell you that IBM has its own web-based software distribution and installation service that it uses internally. The same thing was done for SP1 - users were told not to install from Windowsupdate.com and were instead told to install from the internal servers after the patches were changed to work better with the IBM internal machines - this is because there are modifications made to the Windows image used in system builds resulting in a custom IBM build of Windows so to speak. No real shocking news here.
Specifically it was NOT addressed to clients (note Sam doens't call them customers anymore).
It was a letter on the IBM Intranet addressed to the 300,000+ IBMers (for reference, I am one. I've read the letter. Of course, I do NOT speak for IBM). The letter does not mention specifics, but IBM develops a TON of software for use internally. These applications have to be tested with SP2 before they release SP2 internally.
This is completely routine, and has been done on many patches before this one. It is IBM being cautious and testing a new component with the thousands of other pieces of software that keep IBM moving. I for one, am glad our IT staff takes the time to do this.
Actually we can install stuff on our destop and laptop machines, just so long as it isn't illegal ... they rely on our commonsense.
If we do stuff up our machines they'll just blank them off and re-image them, after all our work docs should be on the network drives.
The funny thing is the last sentence of the story: "One IBM employee in the company's internal technology department characterized the decision as routine".
So a routine decision makes the front page of Slashdot, clearly advertized as "IBM doesn't trust Microsoft".
The basic anti MS movement is still out there.
Write boring code, not shiny code!
Not give local administrator rights to the users machine would be a good start ... can't install it then can they :-)
Or you could ban internet access entirely, most users don't need it anyway.
"Sexy Man" is not an moderation option.
Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
It's 266MB for a complete network install package, to handle all 32bit releases of Windows XP. The actual percentage of that total needed to install on a single XP Pro system will be considerably less.
On a side note, the service pack is actually released, and totals 266MB (272,391KB).
Our company has 50,000 desktops.. guess how many builds we have..
3.
Sure, you get the odd niche group who do customized dev work, they run their own build, and do their own IT, but we aren't responsible for upgrading them. So yeah. 3.
Not Meta-modding due to apathy.
Me too. I got the same error message. I checked the svcpack.log file that it leaves behind in the \windows directory and it indicated that the problem occurred while doing something to the registry, but it provided no clue as what section.
I posted a query on a MS newsgroup and got a response from an MVP that indicated that it was a rights issue, that I didn't have rights to modify some section of my registry.
My suspicion is that this problem resulted from my machine having being a member of two different active directory domains during its life.
Anyhow, I threw in the towel and reformatted the disk and did a clean install of the original XP release followed by SP2. That worked just fine, but it was quite a chore to reinstall all the software I had accumulated in the two years since I last did a clean install.
To "fix" Issue#6. Hold down the left-CTRL key when clicking on the link that is being blocked.
What does this patch do for you?
It fixes alot of well known vulnerabilities, adds some great features to the firewall, adds a popup blocker, and the Security Center provides great support for some well-known virus scanners to make sure users are up to date on virus definitions.
Installed more gooblygook into Windows Media Player that asks for copyright protections etc that I don't want and makes me go through the configuration screen all over again
What gooblygook does it install into WMP? Or do you mean it just makes you go through the configuration screen (where you can just hit Next, Next, Finish - must be difficult). It saved all my previous settings and did not reset anything when I first loaded up WMP. You mention both, but really it doesn't appear to install anything new here - just verifies your previous settings.
Added a popup blocker I didn't want - that I can't easily turn off - into IE - that conflicts with Google Toolbar - instead of one easy click to get a popup on a site that you were expecting to pop up (such as a separate chat window for customer support), you now need to go into the options to turn popup blocking off, then click the google toolbar... twice the hassle.
You can't easily turn off the pop-up blocker? I know thats so hard to go to Tools, Internet Options, Privacy, and then uncheck the "Block Pop-Ups" box. I feel for you man!
Do have Daemon tools or 120% Alchol installed.
Or any appplication which emulates CDs.
These applications are notorious in locking system files.
You should uninstall the application and then install SP2.
You can reinstall the emulation program