Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests Thoughts on Windows XP SP2

All I had read to date was that it would be best to wait till it becomes available via auto update. Well, that day has come. I am up to date on all the windows updates except this.

Maybe I am paranoid for no reason, just wanted a few expert opinion on the new SP.

I'm not exactly an expert, but I have been using it for about a wekk now and have had no trouble whatsoever. Doom3 and Far Cry still run just fine and some of the new security and download features are rather nice. The new wireless networking setup and access wizard is far and away better than before too. Only thing to caution is that people with Athlon 64 systems are being advised to pass for now until some bugs get worked out. I dont know what said bugs are but it is appearantly enough to hose your install. As with any big update though, back your stuff up first.

I'm paranoid as well. Even the IT department at the University is recommending a "controlled deployment" of SP2.

If your in desperate need of more security then go for it. If you like to actually use your computer wait a few months until they get the bugs out.
Here is what MSoft has to say about it:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242

Here is a brief list of programs (games only) that SP2 crashes out with:
Age of Empires II: Age of Kings
Chess Advantage III: Lego Chess
Combat Flight Simulator 3
Command & Conquer: Generals
Command & Conquer: Generals Zero Hour
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2
Conflict: Desert Storm
Dead Man's Hand
Earth & Beyond
Elite Forces Vietnam: Special Assignment 2
Freedom Force
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Medieval Total War
Midnight Outlaw: Illegal Street Drag
Moto Racer
NASCAR Racing 2003
NBA Live 2000
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
Roller Coaster Factory
Scrabble
Serious Sam: The Second Encounter
SimCity 4
Star Trek: Starfleet Command III
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Starcraft
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield
Tribes 2
Unreal II
Unreal Tournament 2003
Unreal Tournament Game of the Year Edition
Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Collector's Edition

So like I said, if security is an issue for you then it might be a worthwile update. If you play any of the games listed, and other non-gaming programs that aren't listed, you will have problems.

Hell, where my brother works they were installing SP2 on some 1ghz machines and 3 out of 5 wouldn't boot and needed a new installation because even rescue didn't help...

the last version of xp i had installed had a beta of sp2 integrated, that was like 2 months ago, it was rather buggy because it wasn't supposed to be released yet... i'd say it has good security features to stop spyware and popups, but it was way too controlled for me.

i did notice some of the download and popup blockers on my friends computer and she only uses autoupdate, so at least some parts of sp2 have been released in auto update.

im updated. and everything has works fine for the last week or so. Only thing i noticed was it seems my web browsing speed has decreased. Its like it takes second for explorer to react when i click on something. doanloading and such isnt any slower. but the actual program seems slugish to react. I did notice there is some sort of built in pop up blocker. I figured that migh have something to do with it. That and im running a Emachines with 128 mb or ram

I installed it the day they realeased the network install. I have had 0 problems with anything. All my programs work well, the new wireless stuff rocks.

99blacksesport, that list is inaccurate. I have just about all the games on that list(Don't ask). I have played a few of them since I had the SP2 Beta and I no problems here.

Quote:

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Microsoft stated that most of the problems are associated with the new built-in Windows firewall, where users must approve programs that attempt to make Internet connections. However, some programs use data pages that the firewall automatically blocks, as they are common attack routes for hackers. A work-around is built into the firewall software, as well as the ability for advanced users to simply turn it off.

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I have the firewall off. So, that is why I am having no problems.

Installed it at work, no problems... installed it at home, the firewall f'ed me.

Those games *may* have problems with SP2.

I work for an outsourced IT company, and we're bracing for this thing's unleashing upon the unsuspecting public.

I have used it... I installed it on my POS IBM thinkpad 390E with a Pentium 2 333Mhz and 196MB of ram... Compared to SP1... it actually runs much faster... but the onboard Virus and firewall stuff is junk. It doesnt work that well anyways.