Windows XP SP2 available

[flizmo007]

For those who care, SP2 is currently available for download.... Proceed with caution. This is mainly for IT pros and Developers for now.. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

This is the final version of SP2 .... Just became available for download today.

[Ericnmel99]

I've had this SP for a while and dont like it. I recomend holding off on downloading it.

[TheRaven]

I've had this SP for a while and dont like it. I recomend holding off on downloading it.\


What don't you like about it?

[daphatty]

I just finished installing it on a dummy PC. Let's see how it goes...

[bignick]

I'm scared to install it on my version of XP..... Im with daphatty, its getting installed on my dummy machine first!

[Ericnmel99]

I've had this SP for a while and dont like it. I recomend holding off on downloading it.\


What don't you like about it?

Its good for the tipical dumb windows user. It automatically sets every security setting to high and enables the firewall. ....but for someone who's more advanced on the pc , it becomes more annoying than anything else.

[daphatty]

Which RC were you playing with Eric?

[bignick]

I've had this SP for a while and dont like it. I recomend holding off on downloading it.\


What don't you like about it?

Its good for the tipical dumb windows user. It automatically sets every security setting to high and enables the firewall. ....but for someone who's more advanced on the pc , it becomes more annoying than anything else.

but at 200+ megs, there has to be some other changes.

[int80h]

kevin@frylock:~$ chmod +x WindowsXP-SP2-ENU.exe
kevin@frylock:~$ ./WindowsXP-SP2-ENU.exe
bash: ./WindowsXP-SP2-ENU.exe: cannot execute binary file
kevin@frylock:~$


I get an error message when I try to install it.

[Ericnmel99]

If you do your regular windows updates, its more like 100Mb. If you dont do win updates, it will install all the latest security upated that there has been for your pc.
Main updates for SP2 are:
Security Center and popup blocker
Win Media 9.0
Firewall

[flizmo007]

Among its security enhancements, SP2:

* Turns on the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) by default, closes ports except when they're in use and improves the firewall configuration interface.
* Recompiles core Windows components to make the OS more resilient to malware-induced buffer overruns.
* Arranges default settings in Outlook Express and Windows Messenger more securely.
* Improves Internet Explorer controls and user interfaces to block malicious ActiveX controls and spyware.

[Ericnmel99]

Which RC were you playing with Eric?

que?

[magilacudy]

Which RC were you playing with Eric?

que?

Release Candidate?

Oh yeah, for some reason I can't install SP2 on my brother's computer. I have my own administrator account, but even logged while on it Windows tells me I need admin privileges to update.

[Lootr2Core]

running for 12 hours now.. just fine.

[SilveRaven]

We have it installed on half of the computers here at work (technical support) and have heard of no problems except some of the firewall/popup blocker stuff that has to be configured. I don't have it installed on my machine yet (want to keep tabs on any differences right now).

[bignick]

Its running fine on my machinces. Gues my copy of xp was valid. he he he

[Graystone]

I'm scared to install it on my version of XP..... Im with daphatty, its getting installed on my dummy machine first!


I dont have a dummy pc so I will go over and install it on my dads

[vanlandw]

I installed it...had no problems...disabled everything it comes with....the popup blocker in IE is nice but i hardly use IE to begin with. For most users this update should help though

[Wshakspear]

Ahhh yes, the update IBM doesnt want thier employees to dl...

[jeremyh]

* Turns on the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) by default, closes ports except when they're in use and improves the firewall configuration interface.

The cool thing about this feature is that it will prompt you if a program you're running is trying to access blocked ports, with a prompt that allows you to unblock them for that program. That's a definite improvement over the old firewall, which blocked everything you didn't expressly keep open.

[KingDox]

Is this the really big 200+ meg version ? I'm just going to wait for the smaller version that all windows users are to use.

[epobirs]

I've had this SP for a while and dont like it. I recomend holding off on downloading it.\


What don't you like about it?

Its good for the tipical dumb windows user. It automatically sets every security setting to high and enables the firewall. ....but for someone who's more advanced on the pc , it becomes more annoying than anything else.

but at 200+ megs, there has to be some other changes.

Keep in mind this includes every single critical patch issued since SP1. It's actually much smaller since many of the DLLs concerned have been patched multiple times, so only the latest version of the DLL is needed.

If you're getting the big file there is also a lot of specialized updates for Media Center and Tablets editions of Windows that only apply to those systems, as well as the latest version Windows Media Center 9 and DirectX 9. This stuff adds up.

If you've been keeping up with the Windows Update releases all along you should have well under 100 MB to download, as little as 50 MB if you've been keeping up with the non-critical patches too.

[epobirs]

A good review for non-technically inclined is here:
http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/windowsxp_sp2.asp

[epobirs]

Is this the really big 200+ meg version ? I'm just going to wait for the smaller version that all windows users are to use.

If you have Automatic Updates turned on you get it as a background process without any effort on your part.

[Moxio]

Alright, I'm downloading now.

I'll give some feedback when I'm done.

[Lootr2Core]

i downloaded it last night, took about an hour or so while I was on Cag and other sites. Seems fine, EASY install, I (so far) like the security updates (firewall, virus etc) haven't really noticed anything else.

edit: it also adds a feature in the start button... SET DEFAULTS..

[epobirs]

i downloaded it last night, took about an hour or so while I was on Cag and other sites. Seems fine, EASY install, I (so far) like the security updates (firewall, virus etc) haven't really noticed anything else.

edit: it also adds a feature in the start button... SET DEFAULTS..

That was added in SP1. They may have made it more prominent to make the DOJ happy but the control panel has been there for a looong time.

[Lootr2Core]

the added link wasn't there in SP1.

Set program access defaults...

[epobirs]

the added link wasn't there in SP1.

Set program access defaults...

It most certainly was. I can see it right now on the system I'm using which hasn't had SP2 applied. If you check old news stories about SP1 when it was nearing release you'll see that it got considerable covverage at the time. This was a major concession to the DOJ and other meddlesome government bodies around the world.

[Lootr2Core]

And I can say it most certainly isn't (as my laptop is running right now beside my desktop) laptap--sp1, desktop sp2.

microsoft screwing with us?

ya the control panel is there.. just like there was an WIndows XP firewall, but its in slightly different form/presentation.

[beerguy961]

I'm running it now and my laptop is noticibly slower loading up. Not a big deal, but kind of annoying...

[coolsteel]

I'm running it now and my laptop is noticibly slower loading up. Not a big deal, but kind of annoying...

My desktop is doing the same thing

[Oktoberfest]

this thing just slows my computer down, i'm uninstalling it right now

[Lootr2Core]

no slowdown on my comp.. only thing is that I had to 'recheck' everything on my other firewalls and antivirus.. no big deal..

[bignick]

They jazzed up the wireless network icon and a few wireless features.