Windows XP SP2 - Worth While ????
 

The vast majority of the worlds XP users don't know what their doing. Placing nag icons in toolbar will get the masses to use a firewall, update their patches, and load a virus checker. MS has raised the baseline for security on XP, and that's a Good Thing.

It works fine for me so far. Boy that's some blue text

Works great for me on all work computers, personal computers, and friends' computers I've installed it on (totalling probably about 50 or 60 different machines of varying hardware platforms).

i haven't installed it on any machines yet, primarily due to all the bug reports i've seen about application incompatabilities, gaping security holes and reductions in performance (from slashdot, neowin, news.com, etc.)

Worthwhile only if you're a masochist.

HA! I voted "couldn't care less" because I couldn't. I can't believe they still make Windows machines.

*hugs his problem free Mac*

I have been using it sence the frist network beta release. I have had no problems with it to date. I like the fixes, there is less to worry about.

I like it because I don't have to worry as much about browser hijacks when I look at warez or porn sites and forget to use Firefox. IE seems to be far more secure, so far.

have to go with 'could not care less'
I used SP1 briefly several installations back and never have touched them again.
not worried about browser hijacks unless they get my Opera as IE is gone from this system.

SP2 works fine on my fiancee's computer, and was working fine on my old Compaq. But it doesn't want anything to do with my new system I built. :rolleyes:

What do I know? I'm still running Windows 98. *shrug*

Works fine so far in the few days I've had it running. Nero gave me a warning message about an issue with it but I was able to burn fine.

Neither myself or any of my friends will touch it.
It totally fubared someones computer I know.

I like the upgrade. I didn't have any firewalls before, but now I use the Windows one. Better than nothing I guess.

Nothing wrong with that, I still know a number of individuals and businesses that are still using Win 3.1.
And they'd prefer not to change. :hmm: :confused:

it's ok considering all the security vulnerabilities it fixes.

Working good so far.....

It's fine for me. It messed with my monitor dimensions but other than that it's working fine. I did have to get an anti-virus and MS gave me several choices. I went with EZ, which gave a free 1 year download, don't know why figure all the A/V's are pretty much the same.

I'll give it a "worthwhile" vote for 2 reasons.

1. I've been running it for a month or so and haven't had any conflicts.
2. It may not be a secure as we would all like, but it is more secure than it was.

it's ok if it works on your computer. But it does not add anything that special and the new security features don't work with some things (like the windows firewall will not work with the VPN)

Y2KDREAD, then this will provide some comfort reading I hope. I'd meant to post this on the day of writing but completely forgot until I saw your post.
http://cam.wadla.com/line_imgs/bar86.gif
XP SP2 distribution accelerated, VPN problem fixed
Joris Evers, IDG News Service

23/09/2004 08:59:48

Microsoft will accelerate the rollout of Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) over the next month and has released the first official update for SP2 to fix a problem some users had with VPNs (virtual private networks).

As of Friday, Microsoft had distributed SP2 to roughly 20 million users through the Automatic Updates feature in Windows and the Windows Update Web site, a Microsoft spokesman said Wednesday. Most of these users are home and small business users, he said.

The software maker is accelerating distribution of SP2 to reach its goal of updating 100 million PCs through Automatic Updates by Oct. 18, two months after SP2 was first made available through the automatic update service.

"Microsoft is aggressively monitoring and managing the download of SP2 and will be increasing the number of downloads over time," the Microsoft spokesman said.

Microsoft has been gradually pushing out SP2 to users via Automatic Updates since Aug. 18 and is still adding localized versions of the security-focused update. SP2 is currently available in about 16 languages, according to the Microsoft spokesman. Microsoft has said it will offer the update in 25 language versions.

Shortly after Microsoft released SP2, a problem was detected that affected users of VPNs. Microsoft last month made available a temporary fix and earlier this week released a permanent fix in the form of an update, the first patch for the mammoth SP2.

The update, detailed in article 884020 in Microsoft's Knowledge Base, fixes a problem with applications attempting to connect to loop-back IP (Internet Protocol) addresses other than 127.0.0.1. SP2 blocks all those addresses and users see an error message.

Microsoft made a network installation package of SP2 available to enterprise customers on Aug. 9 and started automatic delivery to PCs running Windows XP Home Edition on Aug. 18. Automatic delivery of the service pack to Windows XP Pro machines was postponed until Aug. 25 to allow business users more time to block the update.

Microsoft has labeled SP2 a "critical" update and urges all Windows XP users to install it as soon as possible. As of March this year, Microsoft had sold about 210 million Windows XP licenses, not counting volume license sales to businesses. There are about 600 million Windows PCs in use worldwide, Microsoft estimated in July.

More information on the SP2 VPN issue is available at:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=884020

Just as a heads up, SP2 includes over four hundred security fixes, modified behaviour for Windows to be more secure, etc. - in my view, that's something special and worthwhile.

<p>I second that. I wish I had never installed it on my machine at home. No one else I know has had the problem of freezing or hanging I have had since its installation. At work I haven't installed because I am about to switch out machines.

So, some of the people voting "worthwile" do so because it doesn't ruin their system? I'd say it'd be worthwile if it actually *adds* something to your system... :)

As for the one guy with the mac: my current system with XP is rock solid. I can have it running for days without a hitch, and haven't had a crash for over a year. Macs can be more stable because their hardware is pretty damn standard. Windows is just as stable with good hardware. (And FYI, I crashed a mac once. :) )

I'm still running my original PIII-600 (384M) running XPSP2. It's never shutdown (with the odd exception for mandatory updates/installs) or powered off.

It runs 24x7 without a single hitch.
Why does it run 24x7 - I run SETI @ Home (my stats).

I've only even seen the system crash or old blue screen of death once, and that was when I accidently unplugged the audio cable and stupidly plugged it back in while the system was running - causing a hardware addressing failure (doh!).