Well got the CD I ordered from Microsoft rather quickly. Just wondering is everone happy with SP2 or did it create havoc on your system???

 

Just installed it yesterday as an update download. So far, I like it alot. It has really cut down on pop-ups and seems to have added a nice layer of security. So far no performance issues or problems.

 

Been working fine on 3 of them here for the last few weeks. I did update NERO (NERO still worked but I tired of the dialogue box warning me that it might not work), and still waiting for an update to Pinnacle. But computers are running fine.

Seems like some folks who are having problems with SP2 is due to the fact their computers are having some issues with spyware or bots that they're not aware of.

 

Is SP2 mostly a security update for IE, or is there other stuff included? I'm running Mozilla Firefox/Thunderbird instead of IE and Outlook, so I probably won't mess with it unless absolutely necessary.

 

service pack 2 is great took me 2 days to download on dial up

get the mozilla browser

upgrade to windows media player ver. 10

and have alot of computing fun

 

Dan, SP2 is NOT mostly a security update for IE. This service pack is up to 230MB of size, and updates the whole OS. It is a very all-encompassing update to XP. However, most of the updates are low level updates that you generally won't see, but let me assure you they are there. Just because you don't use IE directly, don't be fooled in thinking it is not used. Windows itself uses IE for some of its features, even though you may not realize it.

I would definately recommend the upgrade, even if you don't use IE and Outlook. That is like saying, well I don't lock the back door to my house, because I don't use it.

 

Thanks - Looks like I'll have to order the CD. It'll take a month to download as slow and unstable as my dial-up connection is....

 

Just installed mine as an automatic update and seems to be working alright. Computer runs the same now as it did before so I don't know if anything has changed or what not. I like the idea of having some sort of firewall though.

 

Well I just got my computer o'hauled and bombed. With all of the fans and coolers it sounds like a CTD without the turbo ring sitting on my desk. I loaded SP2 and it seems to work great. Pop ups are gone and it seems to like to tell me when it has killed some intruder. The on down side seems to be that initial boot up seems slower by about a factor of 3.

 

So far so good on our two laptops. Mine actually boots up faster but I think I had a corrupted file before the upgrade. I don't use the winders firewall as we've used Norton Internet Security for a couple of years with great success. It even catches spyware by identifying spyware like activity. But the winders firewall looks good!

 

first complant with SP2

I found a couple programs not quite running right after all.

I opted out of the firewall at install because I have macafee and I have many blocked applications so I didnt want to fuss with configin' the new firewall

When searching for the problem with these programs I found that the SP2 firewall enabled it's self ??? I clicked to turn it off and it allows my ports to open but the little green light on windows firewall @ the security center will not go out. not sure what the dilly is with that ?? Ill keep an eye on it and watch my ports to make sure it wont turn itself on again.

I use a small program to view all my ports and open and close them at my will its real easy to use--------- its called cports its from
http://www.nirsoft.net/

its free

 

It B L E W away my notebook. Could not even go back to a restore. Ended up rebuilding my system from scratch (running XP Prof). It failed to install on auto on my desktop - Thank my lucky stars.

Waiting for V2.x of SP2.

Not an unusual problem. I have seen MS updates, an others, bomb of the past 40 odd years I was in the computer business.

Now my CTD, thats another item.... love it....not waiting for V2