SP2 pack, to install or not.

I hear you, Phantasm, got it a little twisted, didn't I?, apologies, I just thought that they might carry on in the same vein.
At least it is a good thread, inasmuch as it is creating a a very lively, healthy discussion, that can't be denied.
By the way, I see another Darth has crept in!

Maurice

That article is ALL just one person's opinion. Its just what one person thinks.

Sorry, but that is all just one user's little story, no matter if they write for the Inquirer or not.

Its not evidence or science. Its just a load of bull.

SP2 comments

I have to agree with Phantasm66 that incidental testimony isn't proof or even evidence by itself. I read the post and the writer seemed to be a prime candidate for Phantasm's assertion that most issues with SP2 are a result of a poorly managed computer.

The writer has an almost cavalier attitude toward even basic computer maintenance and security yet chose to blame SP2 for all of his problems. And it doesn't look like his system is completely crippled nor does he mention what measures he took to fix his issues and what was finally found to be the causes.

Poor science. Poor journalism.

I imagine, like all new things, SP2 has had a few issues with it's installations. What major new development doesn't have bugs? I know they have a tech support completely devoted to SP2 issues. But, after having gone through a few minor bits of, well, really just newness with the package, I find it no problem whatsoever.

One point: I'm not sure anyone actually said as much, but it seemed to me that some may think that SP2 provides an anti-virus program. I don't think it does. It does offer better spam and adware protection but not real virus support. Don't get rid of your AV subscription.

Phantasm66, am I right here?

To my mind, you want to take all OS updates, plus have a firewall, plus have up to date anti-virus software. SP2 has features to check if you have anti-virus installed. Microsoft just bought an anti-virus company to take it over and probably will bundle free anti-virus software with longhorn.

Because I recommend doing a full OS backup (like making a drive image, or norton ghost file) of the OS before doing ANY major brain surgery like installing a service pack. In fact, it probably recommends that you do this before a service pack install, or an OS upgrade. In any case, if you have experience of doing this kind of thing with Windows, you DO backup first. That's nothing to do with SP2, its just generally good practice.

I even do backups in Linux of the whole OS before making major changes that might not be easy to undo.

None of this changes the fact that people should be installing SP2 without delay. There is nothing wrong with it, and holding off just helps the spread of viruses and other problems.

I have to do the same sort of things with Linux sometimes as well.

This sort of thing is NOT limited to Windows, and certainly not limited to SP2 installs.

No one has any intention of a war. Its all just clean, respectable fun

However, I do have a problem with people coming here and posting things that are not true. OK, we can't all be right about everything, and there is so much computing in the world, but where its just out and out crap, I do have to try to set things right. I have a duty to this site to, because credibility is everything. If people think that we post utter BS here, no one will take us seriously. And this IS a very good site.

Anyway, I suggest that anyone who has not downloaded and installed SP2 to, but please try to backup with Drive image or something first. If you have issues after the install, post here with them, but do consider wiping your machine and doing a clean install and then installing SP2 first before you start blaming SP2 for your troubles.

All that said, if ANYONE has any data relating to an actual study or evidence of some sort that SP2 fails constantly for no good reason, and can give us a link to it, it will be on the front page before you can say "general protection fault."

I agree with Phantasm66 here this is a very good site ..Probbly the best one left on the net ...

you need to back up everything when you are installing anything that has to do with your os.. It is a good idea to back up data least ever six months maybe more

So far Xp is probbly the best OS M$ has put out for a while

Sure some people like SP2 and have no problems with it and some have had problems with it ..I remember when people were having problem with SP1 untill they fixed that .. The only fact is is that sp2 does not like some apps this of course a Microsoft os we are talking about sometimes they jsut picky ..

Anyway this a great board with some great people with great knowledge some people have knowledge in security others more towards repair and trouble shooting this is how this board works ..

Keep up the great work

semper fi

Phant, the last thing I want to do is argue with you. You have far more expertise than I do. I phrased my comments wrong to Maurice. I did not mean to make a recommendation, just a comment on how I personally felt about SP2. I'm sure that many people have had no problems at all. It is just that I have read articles in some computing magazines that tend to make me leary of it. I have not had any problems with my current setup, I update and run my anti-virus, spybot and ad-adware frequently and do not download any stuff that is questionable and I have both a hardware and software firewall in place. Since everything is working fine for me, I am apprehensive about adding an update that may hurt, not help, me. Since I am definitely NOT an expert, I am afraid that I might run into a problem I cannot fix. Since you work with people like me, I think you can understand my reluctance. Again, I'm sorry I got your dander up.

Jeff

There was nothing you said that annoyed me. Please remember that you are more than welcome to post opinions here.

I was attacking the whole "SP2 is rubbish" thing in general, not anyone's specific postings.

And I am very glad we have people like you visiting here.

I can understand jshields13 why you may be reluctant, but you wont know what will happen untill you install, it may install first time and you will have no problems, then again it may come across a problem, but to not install just in case is not a good thing, it's kinda like not crossing the street just in case you get hit by a car, if things do go wrong it's a good way to learn about solving PC problems most of my knowledge came from trial and error, as long as your not doing any major harm to components there is nothing wrong with it, and if things do go wrong and you cant solve the problem there is always the good folks on this site to help out .

Don't get me wrong, I am afraid of a service pack install too (unless I've taken a full system backup with drive image) but SP2 is no more scarey and no more problematic than any other OS update I have done recently, no matter what the platform.

I have one of those pirated copies of XP. My brother-in-law gave it to me just after the release of XP. I am getting ready to purchase a new-in-box copy from Newegg, can I "repair" the OS without losing info or does it require a complete format and reload?

Oops, Baywatch, in my opinion, not a good idea to admit having a ****** copy on an open forum, a while back, I said that I had d/loaded games, what a flea in the ear I got, from several members, & rightly so, I saw that afterwards, never again did I do this,&if I remember correctly, got a mild ticking off from a staff member. Knowing them over the years though, they'll be firm but fair, especially as you say that you intend to replace it with a genuine disk.
I might just get a comment myself, for putting in my five cents worth!, as it is, offending word or words may be edited out in this post by TS's auto system

Maurice

Whadya mean, Indiana man, "shady business" on my machine??......how dare you, er, oh, I see what you mean, sorrreee!
Only kidding, once I was almost persuaded by a friend to use that sort of disk to install XP Professional replacing XP Home that I still have, in the end we fell out, we had too many arguments about computers.

Maurice

This is not a reply, hope it's OK to place it here, it is relevant, in a way. A friend in Canada keeps telling me of problems she has with her computer, funnily enough, she seems to have problems, perhaps due to SP2, I keep telling her about TS, & at last I think she is about to sign up, her name is Edna Becker, retired, with her husband in Western Canada, if she doesn't appear in a little while, I'll give her another nudge, she's an old friend, & won't mind.
I sent her a virtual copy of this thread, so she now knows what the site set-up looks like.

Maurice