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Denying installation of SP2 permanently

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by Christer, 2004/08/25.

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  1. 2004/08/25
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Hello all!

    Some people say that they won't install SP2 and Windows Update v5 at all. The reasons vary but how would they avoid being nagged to death about installing these two?

    As I understand it, Microsoft will wage a war of attrition on anyone who refuses!

    Thanks for Your time,
    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #1
  2. 2004/08/25
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Easy! Disable Auto Updates.
    Auto Update is good for the novice or the user who does not want to get into managing his system and only just wants to use his system "worry free" with no intervention by himself. But Auto Update can be annoying.

    Very often (at least one in 25) a MS Update is released that breaks something else or causes other problems or has the potential to cause other problems. Thus it is best IMHO to read up on new updates prior to installing them. The unsuspecting user will often opt to let Auto Update install updates as they are available and then ends up with problems, never thinks to look at MS Update (trusted) as the possible cause.

    I always wait a few weeks after critical updates are released and wait even longer after SPs are released. (at least on my business system) On my other systems I sometimes install anything at all knowing full well the risks and also having the ability to restore a drive image backup.
     
    TonyT,
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  4. 2004/08/25
    Paul

    Paul Inactive

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    Seems to me that once all software and/or hardware compatibility issues have been sorted, the only reason one would not want to install SP2 would be if you had an XP installation with one of the banned product keys.

    I've installed it on a slow Celeron 466 MHz PC up to a P4 2.8. No issues.
     
    Paul,
    #3
  5. 2004/08/25
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    TonyT,

    I actually have Auto Update set to "notify before downloading" and it never gets past that. I always go to the Windows Update Catalog and download manually to have the update(s) in store for future installations.

    Disabling AU would deny me that "notification service" and would force me to put in more effort to keep up-to-date and why would I want that?

    However, being nagged about SP2 isn't something I look forward to but if one comes with the other ...... :( ...... so be it!

    Christer
     
    Last edited: 2004/08/25
    Christer,
    #4
  6. 2004/08/25
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    Paul,
    my intention is to install SP2 sooner or later, depending on two factors:

    1) When it gets available in swedish. This will be easy to detect.

    2) When any bugs that may affect my system have been corrected. This will be a matter of a fresh Ghost Image and a trial installation. If it doesn't work well ...... :cool: ...... in go the Ghost Boot Disks!

    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  7. 2004/08/25
    dobhar Lifetime Subscription

    dobhar Inactive

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    At work I had Auto Updates disabled and just updated manually after checking out update but after installing SP2 I found that I cannot do a Windows Update without having Auto Updates enabled.

    From Windows Update page...
    So if Auto Updates is just "Stopped" Windows Update starts but if "Disabled" or "Manual" and Auto Updates stopped you get the msg above.
     
    dobhar,
    #6
  8. 2004/08/25
    Johanna

    Johanna Inactive Alumni

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    Kent,
    That is correct. BITS, AU and Event Logs must be enabled for any ver 5 Windows Update. That is why I started the wuauclt.exe thread, because I felt suckered. I accepted the ver 5 WU, then disabled AU and the AU TURNED ITSELF ON w/o my permission. Grrrr!!! :mad:

    I don't see me installing SP2 in the near future. Why bother? I don't think I need the additional "security" (read "configure every communication setting on the comp ") and I don't want any other Services to begin running that I DIDN'T TURN ON.

    Johanna
     
    Johanna,
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  9. 2004/08/25
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Actually, one could have many reason not to install SP2 yet.
    (btw, I have 3 XPPro in original packaging unopened purchased from the MS Online Employee store as I'm an MSMVP)

    Reasons not to install SP2 just yet:
    1. Still beta. ALL final service packs should be considered beta for at least 6 months after they are made available by MS. Historically, service packs have always contained undiscovered bugs and 6 months is fair amount of time to get them worked out.
    2. SP2 primarily addresses security issues. (as well as other OS functions) The security fixes in SP2 are good and some are redundant and yet others are not really fixes. There are still known issues that are being handled by default enabling of Auto Updates and the Firewall. While tyhese features are great for the average user, the XP firewall is worthless to a more seasoned user with a hardware firewall and/or a more robust softwall.
    3. Workstations in a corp environment may need to have other 3rd party software and hardware updated prior to installing SP2. Can be costly to a company to do that.

    2 & 3 you have already stated in your post, but there could be other reasons as well.

    What if the user considers that SP2 will have no bearing on how he uses his copmputer? What if the "fixes" in SP2 do not apply to this user? In other words, the user has SP1 and his system runs just fine, never gets spyware or viruses, never has issues. Why would he want SP2 just yet and "fix something that works ".
     
    TonyT,
    #8
  10. 2004/08/25
    dan239

    dan239 Inactive

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    Johanna

    I share your feelings as I do not like anyone doing something to my computer, either by forcing me to or doing it without my permission. However I have installed Windows Update V.5. As a result I had to set AU and Bits to automatic startup. Event Log was already set to automatic.

    Then I discovered that I could set the Automatic Updates tab in Control Panel/System to 'Turn off automatic updates' and I can manually go to the update site and scan and select as before V.5. I usually select the Express choice.

    Now I do not get any annoying notices and no automatic downloads. I simply check occasionally for critical updates and select what I want. At the present time there is one update that I am ignoring because it caused me a problem with the Task Scheduler.

    Is it possible that SP2 will change this when I install it, which I will not do until the smaller version is available?

    Would someone who has SP2 installed check this out for me? If this will no longer work as I have it now, I may refuse SP2.

    Daniel
     
    dan239,
    #9
  11. 2004/08/25
    charlesvar

    charlesvar Inactive Alumni

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    Hello Dan,

    AFAIK, reading all the articles, v5 is a preview of AU under SP2.

    To clarify AU under the new "regime ":

    If AU is turned off thru the Panel, still can get the Updates manually via Start.

    If AU Service is disabled thru XP's Services panel, can't do that - the update site won't work.

    The Catalog site (download only) is working in any case. The question is whether it will continue working the same way as in the past.

    Regards - Charles
     
    charlesvar,
    #10
  12. 2004/08/25
    dobhar Lifetime Subscription

    dobhar Inactive

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    Hi Daniel...
    FYI...Running WinXP SP2...I reset my AU Service back to Automatic and restarted the service...I then turned off AU in the AU Tab and can access WU without the error I had in #6.
     
    dobhar,
    #11
  13. 2004/08/25
    dan239

    dan239 Inactive

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    Kent

    Thanks for checking that out. It make me feel a little more comfortable about installing SP2 when the smaller version is available.

    Daniel
     
    dan239,
    #12
  14. 2004/08/25
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff Thread Starter

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    I have all those services set to the default value and v5 works fine. Default values are automatic for AU and EL, manual for BITS.

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #13
  15. 2004/08/25
    Newt

    Newt Inactive

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    A slightly contrary viewpoint here.

    I did the usual "I WILL control the updates to my PC" thing for years thru NT4, 2K-Pro, XP thru SP1. I ran BigFix and had all the Microsoft update stuff disabled.

    On my home system I decided to see if M$ had gotten the updates thing right with this version so with the SP2 install (which I like, BTW) I have set to auto-update without even asking.

    I know it's early in the process but so far I'm a happy camper. I would only do this with broadband on 7x24 but given that, I sorta like having one less thing to worry about.

    As to the 'if SP1 ain't broke, why fix it' question, I'd have to say that from what I'm reading and seeing I really think that we are very soon going to see patches that assume you have SP2 and won't work right without it so it is probably a question of when, not if, on loading SP2.
     
    Newt,
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