Don't rush into installing Windows XP Service pack 2 ?

There seems to be lots of warnings about rushing to install SP2
see Here
Also Fred Langa in his latest Langalist Here

 

This is an interesting situation.

MS wants to avoid a "rush" so as not to overload their servers hence their slow "rollout ", at the same time massive publicity on the security aspect FWIW, and I can't go to a computer related site w/o being told "not to rush ", let the "fool hardy" test it.

I know what I'm going to do, when I'm going to do it, and why I'm going to do it, but for the inexperienced, this must be rather bewildering.

Regards - Charles

 

alboy--You may be interested in these references for some specifics
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/default.mspx
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,1738,2878,00.asp

 

I'm sure the overloading of the servers was/is a real concern, but apparently the main reason for staggering the rollout is...

"We're staging the release of SP2 but it's not just about bandwidth. [The staged release is] for our partners. They need to hit the ground running with support. We won't push SP2 out to millions of people each day from day one; that would result in too many support calls. "

This from Microsoft Group Product Manager Barry Goffe

 

I think the idea of easing out the updates to let folks ramp up support has merit.

Look at the SP2 threads we have on here already and we aren't particularly targeted toward XP-SP2 issues.

 

MS wants to avoid a "rush" so as not to overload their servers hence their slow "roll

The way i see it is that the bigger the patch/update/service pack the more caution you should take in rushing to install it, and they do not come much bigger thah SP2, i am sure that it is an essential update that all users should install eventually but let the dust settle to see what unforseen problems arise and what solutions are found.

 

I agree. What I was commenting on was the mixed messages from various sources.

If you do not have reasonable confidence in being able to undo SP2 - yes indeed, wait. True of any change to the system.

If you do not know why SP2 should be installed - wait.

If you do not have confidence in handlling the aftermath - wait.

Regards - Charles

 

The more I use XP SP2 the more I realise just how big an OS update it is. I'm finding so many little system wide changes, tweaks and additions.
I even hit the wrong tab the first time I went into the device manager after installing SP2.
I think this probably should have been called Windows XP SE update.

 

Some people report this is what happens when you install SP2
http://www.pibmug.com/files/WindowsSP2 .swf

 

I installed sp2 today and had to deal with MS support for hours, since Outlook Express would no longer open. Apparently there is a problem here and after unnistalling sp2, I now have to get back on the phone tomorrow to manually delete Outlook Express, and then reinstall it. The technician at Microsoft told me not to install sp2 until this and other issues are resolved. I am going to take his advice and not install it. Anyone else have problems with OE?

 

Purely as a result of coincidence and dumb luck, I've got a new system I'm going to install tomorrow that's going to have XP Pro on it. I'm assuming that before I do anything else, I might as well download SP2 (since I'm also assuming that XP is not being shipped with SP2 yet) and get that all straightened out before I try to install any software beyond e-Trust AV and Spybot and Adaware. Does this sound plausible?

 

OK, before I download & install XP2 ... How do you turn off the firewall>

 

To disconnect Firewall (XP)

Start menu
select- Connect to
select= Show all Connection window should open

right click mouse over your connection (dialup? LAN?)

select Properties

select "advance tab "

uncheck- internet connection firewall

 

bentley--You may not be able to get SP2 for WinXP Pro until next week. MS is releasing SP2 incrementally, among other things, as mentioned by charlesvar in an earlier post, to cut down on the traffic to their servers.