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-   General Conversation Archives (11/2000 - 01/2005) (http://www.ironworksforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=28)
-   -   Another Win XP SP2 Topic (http://www.ironworksforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=92120)

Bahamut 11-02-2004 07:11 AM

Hey Guys [img]smile.gif[/img]

Now that Win XP SP2 is out for a long time, and my update already bugging me to install it, I don't know what I should do.

I have Win XP Pro, and so far so good. Now I am hearing things about incompatibility and such after installing the SP2 so I haven't installed it yet.

I would like to know your experiences with SP2, and if it is harmless enough to install it. [img]smile.gif[/img] I don't want to have unnecessary issues and such...

Thanks in advance :D

Bozos of Bones 11-02-2004 07:18 AM

It's only safe to install it to a virgin system, meaning without anything but windows, and after SP2 you install video, sound and what not drivers. I've had some serious trouble with installing to a used partition, but on a formatted it works just fine. It's not a bad addition to the overall security of the PC. And yes, don't update your PC, download the 270MB(IIRC) update for multiple computers, so you keep it if you make a mistake.

shamrock_uk 11-02-2004 07:25 AM

Personally, I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole. I installed it on a virtually clean Windows system (two days old with only drivers installed) and it crippled different parts of the internet for me. Oddly enough, it's all microsoft stuff, so i couldn't log into anything using a .NET passport or MSN messenger. After three days of trying every fix on the net ever, I just uninstalled it.

For the brief time it was installed, I found it intensely annoying and patronising. Example: when installing unsigned drivers, you used to receive a prompt warning you, which you could accept and install. Now, you receive the prompt, but you are repeatedly prompted all the way through the installation (read about 30 times). The Microsoft solution for this is to 'turn off the warning for the duration of the install' - how is that more secure?? One could easily forget to turn it back on. For another example - Internet Explorer no longer downloads .exe files by default - I was wondering what happened to my download, when I suddenly noticed in a tiny part of the toolbar a message saying it hadn't been downloaded because it could be dangerous and I had to click there. They didn't even give you a pop-up asking you about it. They've gone from 'security lax' to 'nanny security' and I found it really impaired my experiences with Windows.

If you have SP1, don't use Internet Explorer or Outlook Express, have a decent firewall and AV programme, don't open suspicious files, you have no need for this piece of junk.

If of course you do still use IE or Outlook Express, then it's probably a good idea. But allow me to direct you to www.opera.com or http://www.mozilla.org/ for two alternatives that will keep you just as secure in your browsing and avoid you having to install this monstrosity. I would give it at least half a year before you should install this - wait till all the bugs have been sorted out.

[ 11-02-2004, 07:32 AM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

Bahamut 11-03-2004 06:16 AM

I have SP1, and I have IE and Outlook. I use IE sometimes because my main browser is Mozilla. Thanks guys... SP2 sounds scary. :D

Variol (Farseer) Elmwood 11-03-2004 06:21 AM

Yeah, sounds really scary! It would be nice if people wouldn't abbreviate so much, so I would actually know what SP2 and SP1 is, thanks.

[ 11-03-2004, 06:22 AM: Message edited by: Variol (Farseer) Elmwood ]

Bahamut 11-03-2004 06:27 AM

SP means Service Pack. :D

Variol (Farseer) Elmwood 11-03-2004 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bahamut:
SP means Service Pack. :D
Thanks you big Dragon you [img]smile.gif[/img]
What does the service pack do? I have XP Pro as well and I'm not sure if I've already installed this with an update yet?

Bozos of Bones 11-03-2004 09:52 AM

You probably have Service Pack 1 installed. The Service Pack 2 includes various security additions to the XP system. A firewall, some pop-up blockers and the like. The tools themselves aren't better than commercial, or even personal firewalls and blockers, but this is designed to be robust and stabile, and I've never considered that I'd ever say that Micro$pft made something stabile. Your system will load a few seconds slower, use more physical memory and may reduce performance on slow-processor machines(<400) but the trade-off is in a good last line of defense security. If for nothing, the firewall is worth installing as it is incorporated into the system itself and therefor more difficult to bypass or deactivate.
What shamrock said is true, navigating it is a bit more of a pain, but most of the options are twakable in various settings menus.

[ 11-03-2004, 09:53 AM: Message edited by: Bozos of Bones ]

Variol (Farseer) Elmwood 11-03-2004 06:35 PM

Ok, but like I said elsewhere I use Firefox on 1 PC and Netsc 7.2 on the other. I'm also connected on a Router, which has firewall as well. So, this other stuff would never come into use, Right?

[ 11-04-2004, 06:53 AM: Message edited by: Variol (Farseer) Elmwood ]

Bozos of Bones 11-03-2004 06:41 PM

Well probably not. Since it might cause some problems and chances are the benefits won't even come into play, don't bother installing this for atleast 6 months untill they clean out all the bugs on compatibility and such.


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