Flaws in XP SP2

[PGPfan]

broderp-

I think you've 'hit the nail on the head' with what you posted.

Yes, XP is by far the most stable OS Microsoft has ever made. The only thing to remember, (and you already mentioned it) is that there are some (a small minority when viewing the big picture) that will have trouble with SP2 'right now'. Sorry you were one of them. I saw this with every service pack we ever release at Microsoft while I was there and this is no different. SP2 does have a huge amount of new code in it, and I'd recommend that you 'at some point' try it again. Definately let a few months go by and the interim patchs should help iron out last minute problems.

I have SP2 on all 13 of my personal machines. I had one that was finicky to get it installed, otherwise no trouble so far. For the most part, that other thread that mls pointed out really isn't trouble with SP2, rather showing that some programs need to have their ports manually enabled to communicate properly threw the new firewall.

Can I ask what troubles specifically you were seeing?


-PGPfan

[heffe2001]

Broderp: Actually, you're the exact person many identity theft & virus writers ARE looking for. If they can get a keylogger on your system, get your identity info (SSN, Bank/Credit card numbers, etc), then they can royally screw your credit/identity up.

Anybody who thinks that they are below the need for security fixes is just kidding themselves...

BUT if you're having problems with SP2, by all means don't install it. Although I'd bet if your system was newly formatted without any other software loaded, it'd have worked fine, unless you have a piece of hardware that's not got drivers that are compatible with SP2 (unlikely, haven't heard of any, but you never know).

[mikejaner]

Actually heffe2001, the people the virus writers are looking for, are the uneducated and ignorant . I can have the most unsecure system on the net, but as long as I know what to do to prevent getting in trouble, like surfing websites I don't know, open email that I don't recognize, run programs witout checking them out first, put my system out on the internet instead of behind a firewall, then I will not have problems with these things they are talking about. People need to realize that Microsoft may have the most vunerable system on the market, which is debatable, but they also have the best, most compatible with hardware, and software system out there. I for one love linux as an alternative OS, but mainly use Windows, due to the fact that I can get my job done by just doing what I have to do, rather than searching for the right package, or port and messing with config files half of the day. Each OS has it's flaws and you will never have a statement which will end the debate... ever.

My $ 0.02

[broderp]

Originally posted by PGPfan
broderp-

I think you've 'hit the nail on the head' with what you posted.

Yes, XP is by far the most stable OS Microsoft has ever made. The only thing to remember, (and you already mentioned it) is that there are some (a small minority when viewing the big picture) that will have trouble with SP2 'right now'. Sorry you were one of them. I saw this with every service pack we ever release at Microsoft while I was there and this is no different. SP2 does have a huge amount of new code in it, and I'd recommend that you 'at some point' try it again. Definately let a few months go by and the interim patchs should help iron out last minute problems.

I have SP2 on all 13 of my personal machines. I had one that was finicky to get it installed, otherwise no trouble so far. For the most part, that other thread that mls pointed out really isn't trouble with SP2, rather showing that some programs need to have their ports manually enabled to communicate properly threw the new firewall.

Can I ask what troubles specifically you were seeing?


-PGPfan

SP2 locked my system so it would not boot. On microsofts forum, I found instructions on how to use recovery console to uninstall. That was fine, but then when I tried to boot, I has an error and missing WINSRV.dll. After much more time to fix this, my PC finally booted up, but took over 5 minutes to do so. I decided then to backup what I needed and prepared for a "FORMAT DRIVE C" option.

[broderp]

Originally posted by heffe2001
Broderp: Actually, you're the exact person many identity theft & virus writers ARE looking for. If they can get a keylogger on your system, get your identity info (SSN, Bank/Credit card numbers, etc), then they can royally screw your credit/identity up.

Anybody who thinks that they are below the need for security fixes is just kidding themselves...

BUT if you're having problems with SP2, by all means don't install it. Although I'd bet if your system was newly formatted without any other software loaded, it'd have worked fine, unless you have a piece of hardware that's not got drivers that are compatible with SP2 (unlikely, haven't heard of any, but you never know).

NOPE, I tried it (it was not relavent to the issue at hand so I left it out) when I re-installed XP from a clean install. SAME THING. Reguardless, the only program on this PC is SAGE!!! (with a few codecs etc....) If SP2 has issues with just THIS, then I really must be unlucky, but looking at the forum here and the issues popping up with sage and SP2, I doubt it.

[heffe2001]

My Sage machine runs SP2 just fine, only problems I've had lately was with Intervideo's PVR suite I put on that machine, removed that and everything was fine. I think one of the kids had somehow set up a timed recording in that software, and it was trying to use a tuner that was already in use.

Guess I've been lucky, but every machine I've put SP2 on has worked just fine.

*EDIT* What other people are having problems with SP2 and Sage? I just checked the other support forums, and couldn't find any other issues??

[broderp]

MAYBE I'm using the WRONG version????

Here's why I say this...

My PC's are all XP HOME EDITIONS. When booting up the little animated "thinking" ticker is a GREEN, and the boot screen says "MICROSOFT XP HOME" on the screen.

After installing SP2 (from download, 266+MB file) when it boots (this is as far as my PC gets, as it locks on the boot screen) the "thinking" ticker is BLUE, and there are no words to let me know I have HOME or PRO!

Could I have the wrong version?


(I may have the GREEN and BLUE colors reversed, but you get my meaning. I use PRO at work daily, so I know they are different, but I cant remember which is which at this moment in time.)

[broderp]

Originally posted by heffe2001


*EDIT* What other people are having problems with SP2 and Sage? I just checked the other support forums, and couldn't find any other issues??

Just look at the forum here and see how many SP2 entries there are. I also found several threads on microsofts web site on this and my error upon removing SP2, so it's something they HAVE SEEN and already have a FIX for! (Sortof)