I try to avoid absolute statements, especially when talking about anything from Redmond, Washington, but if you are running the Windows XP operating system it is absolutely essential that you download and install the long-awaited Service Pack 2 update. This is a genuinely big deal.

SP2 is a huge (266MB) overhaul for the security features in XP, Outlook and Internet Explorer. It includes a new firewall that is actually supposed to be pretty good, and it closes hundreds of the most notorious holes in these three programs. It won't be bullet proof, in fact I won't be surprised if a sleazeball comes up with a hack to some new fix in SP2 before the end of this week. But the base and SP1 versions of Windows XP are so vulnerable that this is an update you simply have to have on your computer.

There are two ways to get SP2: If you have broadband you can download the entire update as one superpatch here. Or you can visit the Windows Update site in the coming days where it will be available in smaller portions in the coming days. (As of this morning it wasn't available through Windows Update.) I recommend turning on the Automatic Update feature in XP to automatically check for critical updates like SP2 if you're not running it already.





Brian

I went to your link and found this message:

This installation package is intended for IT professionals and developers downloading and installing on multiple computers on a network. If you're updating just one computer, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/protect

There is a BitTorrent torrent for downloading this and possibly side-stepping overtaxed servers. Though if any of you are inclined to use BitTorrent you probably already read this on SlashDot.

-JP

What have you heard about people experiencing problems after the download?

Someone told me to hold off because there have been issues, but they did not know what kind of issues.

jgibson2 Wrote:I went to your link and found this message:

This installation package is intended for IT professionals and developers downloading and installing on multiple computers on a network. If you're updating just one computer, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/protect

That is the standard paragraph Microsoft uses for all of its downloadable patches and utility software. It is the digital equivilant of the matress tag warning. The download is intended for IT people who need to install this update on several computers but it is the same download you'll get through Windows Update when they make it available, and Microsoft won't come after you if you use it on just one machine.

There's also an advantage in having the entire service pack in one download if you occasionally reformat and reinstall Windows on your system. This is going to be 266MB if you download it in chunks or in one piece, or if you get it today, tomorrow or next year. If you can have a copy of SP2 on a CD it will make your next installation of Windows much easier.

drmomentum Wrote:There is a BitTorrent torrent for downloading this and possibly side-stepping overtaxed servers. Though if any of you are inclined to use BitTorrent you probably already read this on SlashDot.

FWIW, I downloaded SP2 yesterday at around noon eastern time and was got 480Kbps through the entire download. That's only about half of what my DSL can do on a good day, but for what it is and the time I was downloading I was impressed with the speed.

But speed is the reason why Microsoft is delaying the launch of SP2 through Windows Update for a few days. I can't comprehend the load this is going to put on their servers and the net when millions of consumer systems try to get SP2 through Windows Update.

I feel really sorry for anyone who will have to get this through a 56K dialup. If you are in this boat, it will be worth your while to get access to a computer on a broadband connection that has a CD burner. Download the whole patch from the first link I posted, burn it to a CD and install it on your computer. You'll literally save dozens of hours of downloading time this way.

Magick1 Wrote:What have you heard about people experiencing problems after the download?

Someone told me to hold off because there have been issues, but they did not know what kind of issues.

I posted this (and got it) a day after the release. I haven't run into bugs yet, or seen any specific bug reports at the sites I trust.

When you reboot after installing SP2 there will be a wizard to walk you through the new security features. The big one is Windows Firewall and the most noticeable change is that it does not allow ActiveX programs and applets in the default settings. You have the option to turn on the program and then it will work fine, but I haven't found a way to permanently add a program to a safe list. That's the closest thing I've found to a fault so far.




Brian

FWIW, the Miami Herald suggests you wait a couple of weeks until this thing has been widely tested in the wild.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/9359277.htm?1c

overall SP2 has alot of fixes, mainly security patches, also comes with a Security desk thing now too... I had also read something about slowing up Broadband speeds by control how many packets can be sent at once, thier is a fix for this, simply Reg edit if anyone runs into this, I havnt heard of anyone yet.

Be carefull when upgrading to it tho, have heard of a few running into compatibilty issues and having to reinstall XP all together, even reformatting.,.

Not to scare anyone, but just a heads up, as always Backup before you Messup..

Waaaaah! I run XP on a VERY finicky dialup connection (will often totally zero out (even with three windows "loading") unless you sit there opening an IE screen and closing it over and over to kickstart the connection for a few seconds). I have no access to CD burner and broadband on the same computer. Waaaaah! I will never get this downloaded.

Cindy

Okay, I understand that I want SP2. All the techie newsletters that I subscribe to state the same thing.

Most of them have stated that you should simply wait your turn when it comes time to d/load the thing, let Windows Update do it automatically.

Question: Is there any need for me to "rush" the download from the site you've published, Brian? I'm running a great firewall, my connection is VERY secure, and the first thing I'm going to be doing is shutting off the Windows Firewall so I can keep running the one that I trust.

Are there any other real issues where I should go out of my way to get SP2, or should I simply wait my turn?

to answer your question poseidon. No, wait your turn..no need ot rush and get it..as you stated, and I will do the same, shutting off the crappy XP firewall...lol I like mine better...

Cindy, you can order a free disk of the upgrades, I have heard.

Or, wait until next month and a magazine, PC I believe, will actually have the SP disk on the cover.

That would be much better. Rumor has it this could take up to 2 days on a dial up connection.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downl...fault.mspx

It is available to Order on August 25th...

I downloaded and installed SP2 a few days ago. I haven't noticed any differences once I shut off the security nagging about firewalls and virus checkers.

Okay... now I'm concerned maybe I don't want SP2.

According to this article by ZDNet, SP2 interferes with many anti-virus programs, including Norton Anti-Virus (what I use). There are also a few dozen other programs that will conflict with SP2.

Brian (or someone else if you know the answer) --

Quote:Corporate users have publicly aired concerns regarding the update, with some companies, including IBM, telling their employees to hold off on installing the service package until all of its ramifications can be better understood. However, others have said that the benefits of SP2's updated security features outweigh any immediate administrative concerns caused by the release.

If I disconnect the firewall that comes with SP2, am I going to be able to keep my anti-virus program? If not, why on earth would I want to have SP2 on my system? I'm far more concerned about a computer virus than I am a hacker trying to get personal information off my computer.

i dont see why you would not be able to use, NAV or any other anti virus with SP2, have not heard of this being an issue, yet..

Jeff, SP2 just checks to see if your virus defs are up to date. It's working great for me so far.

Followup: SP2 Looks Like a Winner By a Nose

WinXPnews™ E-Zine Wrote:We got plenty of feedback on the final release of XP Service Pack 2 in response to last week's editorial. A majority reported installation without any problems, but a significant number did run into minor or major issues.

Great e-zine, very informative for XP users. Check out the article and the links to the full XP feedback on their site for info, assistance with work-arounds, advice, etc.

Magick1 Wrote:What have you heard about people experiencing problems after the download?

Someone told me to hold off because there have been issues, but they did not know what kind of issues.

All I've heard about it is that Michael Froomkin posted a note on his blog that he'd installed it, it was a nightmare, and he uninstalled it. He wasn't really very specific, but I gather that the problems he'd been having with Windows just got worse.

Bob

Win XP should die a horrible death. It has killed one of my computers already and is working on making several of my clients computers totally unusable.

Boycott Bill - Buy a Mac.

• Magnitude Media •• Mashable •• Face Book• • Twitter

No problems here, loving XP SP2.

Ditto here. As I said in my first post the only problem I've found is SP2 won't load any ActiveX programs automatically, and given the problems Microsoft has had with sleazeballs writing malicious ActiveX programs that's not a bad idea. I only wish there was a way to certify safe programs, like my beloved Dave's Quick Search Toolbar.

Tom and MJ-what have you heard about the SP2 version of Windows Firewall? I haven't heard about any vulnerability problems. Have you?




Brian

all's good here. I can use gotomypc and other stuff no problem.

Cool. I did my biannual reformat and reinstall over the weekend and decided to try AVG Antivirus and the Windows Firewall instead of Norton. The AVG is a definite winner and I like the unobtrusiveness of Windows Firewall much more than Norton Internet Security.

They're both free, too. That doesn't suck.




Brian

Thanks for the XP SP2 CD order link

...and now of course Windows XP service pack 3 is out.

So far, so good, at least on my Thinkpad.

It's not causing any problems on my virtual machine either. Of course, I don't see it doing anything wonderful for me either

SP3 is more like a traditional Microsoft service pack. There are a couple of new security features, but the rest of this a bundle of patches.

I'll believe the speed improvements when I see it.

Microsoft will provide extended support for XP until 04/08/2014. Security updates will continue until that date.

http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?...16&p1=3223

http://windows.about.com/b/2009/02/06/xp...status.htm

Good. Matthew will have aged out of Scouts by that time and the laptop I use to maintain troop records can go the way of the dinosaurs.

Well shoot, we were just moving the church computers away from XP because the support was ending.