Convert to Sp2 from Sp1 or not?

[BIGbadjohn]

Not right now. I have all updates turned off.

I am surprised at the number of "yes" votes, I thought that the majority of users on most of the forums were against updating to SP2.

[JasonGW]

Just do a simple google search using these keywords:

SP2 Problems

You will get: Results 1 - 10 of about 966,000 pages for SP2 Problems.

Now say only 10% of the results are actual SP2 problems.

That gives you 9,660 pages to look through.

Happy reading.

I'd upgrade to SP2 just for the experience! Again.

Treeman

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To be fair though, most SP2 problems are had by morons who do the *upgrade* install instead of the *integrated* install.

Just as with OS's, I'd say with service packs you should NEVER upgrade but always install from a slipstreamed source. The only notable exception is if you are talking about Enterprise Servers where you can't afford the downtime (and those usually go OK because you tend to have less extraneous crap installed on a server than on a workstation).

Jason

[Marsden]

I just love the folks that think they are smarter than the company that created the software and the millions and millions of users who use SP 2 every day without incident.

Live the dream!

[Treeman]

SP2 was developed for the masses. The idiots that had no idea that opening an unknown attachment, previewing unknown html email, or downloading software from unknown sources could get them into trouble.

So if you fall into this catagory then please do install SP2.

As for power users, I really don't see any benifit.

To the MS sock puppets that only know recent Microsoft products, please give the rest of us a break. If you ran MS products from Dos 6.6 to the present, you've earned the right to an opinion, if not, please go back to your X-Box and be quiet.

Myself, I thought Windows 3.11 was the best Microsoft product that rolled out.

MY2Cents,

Treeman

[albator]

In fact spk2 is for newbie. Those who never heard about a 3rd party firewall. How many times a month do you xp firewall update ?

Just to back what I said read this:

However, for many IT administrators and security experts, whose daily existence revolves around the battle of keeping systems up and running while trying to stay one step ahead of human-generated attacks, SP2 is more about system failures, and the purported benefits are not viewed as very attractive.

"Any operating system upgrade has the potential to break existing applications. In a large organization, that could be catastrophic," says Bruce Schneier, founder and CTO of security services firm Counterpane Internet Security. "The security benefits of SP2 are minimal enough that some IT managers didn't think them worth the risk."

http://www6.tomshardware.com/column/20050414/sp2-01.html

So who the newbie, and who the power user ? THere are no real benefits of spk2. But there are amy incovenients:

-It add services that cannot be disable without losing compatibility of installshield. Then it downgrade perfomance.

-Lots of apps don't work with XP SP2 including some of Microsoft's own. (even Halo by Microsoft )

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...ct=windowsxpsp2

-It still vulnerable, the it lie with the illusion of security.If you think security, dont think Microsoft. (compare vulnerabilities found before and after spk2 )

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/windows/0...39173703,00.htm

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1638037,00.asp

-SP2 breaks network connectivity by limiting the number of connections you can make in a given amount of time. ( dont ask why you have slow bittorent download )

-It dont change anything to the old IE. (should replace it with firefox )

I think people should try using spk1a and see. If like me you dont need all xp services, After spk1 you will only miss 11 security update. Only 11 ! I integrate them and the trick is done. How could you support message like : Your about to run a .exe this could bla bla bla !

[chilifrei64]

OMG... Dont even get me started.. SP2 is proven. I am no n00b and I use SP2. As in all my previous posts.. Install SP2, it is a proven featureful SP.

Some Apps have been broken by it but there are fixes for most all of them on the manufacturers website.. However these applications are few and far between. In all the networks that I manage, I ran into a problem with 2 applications and both were business type apps not home apps.

Here are a list of all the features/ updates.. Obviously dont read all of these.. This is just my way of proving that it fixes more than it breaks.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...%5bLN%5d;811113

I use SP2 on ALL my machines and my computers arent slow or anything of that nature. If you dont like a feature.. turn it off. There are plenty of websites that can show you how to do this.

Edited September 7, 2005 by chilifrei64

[HyperHacker]

Definitely. Just DON'T install it directly onto your existing installation; it'll cause nothing but problems. Slipstream it into an install CD (nLite can do this automatically), delete the old install (best format the partition, if you're like me and keep your OS and your files separate), and install from scratch. My old computer (which did have some weird CPU/motherboard defect which screwed up certain programs, mind you) wouldn't even boot when I installed it into an existing installation, but it worked fine (as well as it ever did anyway) slipstreamed.

Though you will want to disable some of the added services, particularly the Security Center. It keeps popping up these messages saying things like your firewall is off and your AV definitions are out of date, because it's too dumb to know if you're using a 3rd-party firewall/AV that doesn't suck.

[xtp183]

Don't know whether I'm agreeing with albator for the reasons he stated, but I do know that SP2 totally convinced a copious amount of existing SP1 users that the upgrade was beneficial. I'm guessing that these users didn't know how to configure their router correctly . If your worried about security, configure your GPO, and your router. You'll have more protection than SP2 can provide.

[chilifrei64]

What the heck does configuring your router have anything to do with security on Windows. Now.. if you meant firewall.. then maybe..

And GPO.. gimem a break..

Ill tell you what.. if you can tell me how to fix unchecked buffer overflows with GPO and Stateful Packet Inspection.. ill revert.

Ill be the first to admit.. you can lock down the hell out of a workstation with GPO.. but i think everybody is taking this out of control. You CANNOT work around vulnerabilities with GPO and routers. And just installing FireFox will not instantly make you more secure.

When a good hacker is trying to hack your machine, they will fingerprint your OS.. if he finds that you only have SP1 installed.. he has a full list of stuff he can exploit. With a fully patched Windows XP SP2.. they will have to find their own exploit because all known exploits are patched.

As for the "More protection than SP2 can provide" gimme a break. The only way this is possible is if you configure automatic updates to run automatically and enable windows firewall and configure user rights assignements to customize security permissions.

Dont get me wrong.. I dont use Windows Firewall BUT.. on a corporate network, I do because it will stop a virus outbreak on your network and will stop unauthorized access to the computer. It has been proven to be better at fighting spyware(still needs work). And has a full security featureset for network communications.

GPO and Router config.. come on.. we need to give better advice than that.

Edited September 9, 2005 by chilifrei64

[HyperHacker]

if you configure automatic updates to run automatically

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Then it will install SP2 like it or not.

[Hatefulsorrow]

I agree. Upgrade.

[xtp183]

GPO and Router config.. come on.. we need to give better advice than that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's great advice, if you'd give it a chance. Anyways, I've added my 2c. If you want to hear more about it, then ask.. but otherwise, I'm done with this thread.

[Redcloud]

Why would you not upgrade to SP2? Don't understand?