Ready or Not, Here comes Windows XP SP2

TheViffer writes "Beginning April 12, 2005 Microsoft will remove all temporary blocking of Windows XP SP2 by automatic update and Windows update which it has granted to those organizations that requested it. So unless you run Software Update Service (SUS), chances are you will get a mix of SP1 and SP2 running at the same time. Let's just hope you have these programs that are known to experience a loss of functionality when they run on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer and these programs that seem to stop working after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2 patched, upgraded, or removed. Might be a good time for help desk personal to pencil in a week (or two) of vacation."

Comments

SP2 is actually a good thing.

[bigtallmofo]

I know that it breaks some programs and has caused some people problems, but the alternative of ridiculously insecure Windows boxes running rampant is worse.

I've been running Windows XP SP2 on all of my computers (which admittedly is a small population of 3) with no problems. The built-in popup blocker is more rigorous than anything else I've seen and itself breaks many things (most amusingly Outlook Access for Web), but for the most part is plays fairly nice.

Re:SP2 is actually a good thing.

[demaria]

"Installing Service Pack 2 will not affect Norton AntiVirus." source: symantec.com
"Installing Service Pack 2 will not affect Norton SystemWorks." source: symantec.com
McAfee support site shows how to load their web downloaded products with SP2. It's just an approval of an activeX control.
"BlackICE PC Protection and BlackICEServer Protection work fine with Windows XP's Service Pack 2." source: iss.custhelp.com
"All ZoneAlarm products (5.1 and higher) are compatible with XP SP2." source: zonealarm.com

At least this time

[2names]

we have a list we can refer to. So many times in the past it was just a "try it and see" situation.

The Real Story

[mslinux]

SP2 will not automatically be installed. It will download automatically, but someone still has to accept the license agreement and manually install the service pack. There is nothing automatic about the install. Please stop spreading FUD about SP2!

Re:I don't understand this whole "service pack" th

[Tibor the Hun]

10.2 to 10.3 was not a minor upgrade. (There's nothing minor about Expose, but if you're not using it it might look just like eye-candy. Also the speed improvements are amazing. There were also over a 100 other features which I can't recall.)

10.3.4 to 10.3.5 is a minor upgrade, and you do get that for free.

I use SP2 at work, and do like it. (And by "like" it, I mean I don't really like it, but it's better than SP1.)

You're not comparing apples to apples

[Ucklak]

OSX 10.0 to 10.1 to 10.2 to 10.3 isn't XP to XP SP1 to XP SP2.
It's more like Win95a to Win95b to Win95c to Win98 to Win98SE to WinME.

OSX 10.2 is vastly different from OSX 10.0 and same from 10.3 to 10.2. 10.4 to 10.3 again will be vastly different. The differences are greater than XP SP1 to XP SP2 or Win2K sp1 to Win2K sp2, etc...

Win95 is Windows Ver 4.0
Win98 is Windows Ver 4.1
WinME is Windows Ver 4.9
Win2K is Windows 5.0
WinXP is Windows 5.1
Win2K3 is Windows 5.2

Full versions of Home based are $200 with upgrades at $100 (Yes you can get them cheaper but this is the legitimate on the record price)
Full versions of Pro versions are $300 with upgrades are $200

OSX 10.0 (Cheetah)
OSX 10.1 (Puma)
OSX 10.2 (Jaguar)
OSX 10.3 (Panther)
OSX 10.4 (Tiger)

All versions are $129 for a full version.
(They also don't require virus protection @ 50/yr or spyeare protection) ;-)

Re:Scientific software is disproportionally affect

[LurkerXXX]

If SP2 is breaking stuff, 99% of the time is because it's trying to use some network port that is now blocked with the firewall. Just sniff the traffic going in/out of one of the SP1 boxes, see what ports the apps seems to require, then open those ports after installing SP2 (or turning on the firwall in SP1)

How to make SP2 not suck

[TetryonX]

First of all, I have found that all the incompatibility comes from two realms: NX-bit protection and the new Windows Firewall. Both are easy to disable.

NX (off): Edit your boot.ini by removing that /NoExecute=OptIn or /NoExecute line. (Go to System properties, Advanced tab. Startup and Recovery startup Settings button. and hit the edit button in the new window., it will open up your boot.ini file).

Clear, simple, and every application will no longer flip out. + you'll get a boost in performance (I take a 10% performance hit when NX is on my laptop, far more visible in photoshop than any other application).

Windows Firewall: First off, GET A BETTER FIREWALL! Next step, net stop sharedaccess and find it in your services (Start->run: services.msc) Disabled it.

Horrah! Your windows should now perform in it's old SP1 ways. (I have yet to find any application to fail after these features were disabled). Oh yeah if you get annoyed by that Windows Security Center, in it's main window on the left side it has a way to change its notification (to completely off because nagging programs suck).