XP SP2..Still persona non grata?

c0y0te

Like most people I've avoided upgrading to XP SP2 so far, but I'm just wondering if its still an 'avoid at all costs' scenario for a home user/games player and occasional business use?

c0y0te

aidan_walsh

I installed it the day it came out, and haven't had a problem with it.

monkey tennis

The widespread idea that SP2 should be avoided is a result of a combination of mass panic and cynicism. The same crap happened when SP1 was released. Sure, some people have had problems with it (although I've yet to hear a complaint from someone who I would consider genuinely knowlegeable; most of the moaning seems to come from home lusers who are panicking because the firewall blocks their kazaa or whatever).

No complaints here so far.

Sherifu

No problems with it for me.
You do need to allow access through firewall for your games if you're playing online, or else turn it off.

RKM.

Dr. Dre

monkey tennis wrote:

The widespread idea that SP2 should be avoided is a result of a combination of mass panic and cynicism. The same crap happened when SP1 was released. Sure, some people have had problems with it (although I've yet to hear a complaint from someone who I would consider genuinely knowlegeable; most of the moaning seems to come from home lusers who are panicking because the firewall blocks their kazaa or whatever).

No complaints here so far.

Agreed.

c0y0te

I guess you are referring to the MS firewall?

I've got a netgear adsl modem/router with firewall built in, supported by Zonealarm pro software based firewall and mcafee anti-virus.

Assuming I upgrade to SP2, what impact will it have if I just switch off the MS firewall thingy?

c0y0te

L5

c0y0te wrote:

Like most people I've avoided upgrading to XP SP2 so far, but I'm just wondering if its still an 'avoid at all costs' scenario for a home user/games player and occasional business use?

c0y0te

i think you'll find most people have installed it.
i hae it since day one, no problems.

seamus

Only gripe I have with SP2 is a much trimmed down permissions interface. You don't have the option to set in-depth user permissions, and Sharing consists of a "Share this folder" button - you have no idea exactly how secure your files are or aren't.

I'm sure Colm told of a way of getting the old interface before, but I don't remember.

Anyway, no problems with SP2 here either. I don't have my machine on all the time, so it's Anti-Virus notification is handy when I've forgotten to update AVG.

kinkstr

monkey tennis wrote:

The widespread idea that SP2 should be avoided is a result of a combination of mass panic and cynicism. The same crap happened when SP1 was released. Sure, some people have had problems with it (although I've yet to hear a complaint from someone who I would consider genuinely knowlegeable; most of the moaning seems to come from home lusers who are panicking because the firewall blocks their kazaa or whatever).

No complaints here so far.

id did block my filesharing programs but it also prevented me from updating my anti virus and spyware programs

aidan_walsh

But these were problems that were made known to the major vendors before the SP was released, giving them time to iron them out of theri packages... Which many of them did within a reasonably short time of the pack being released.

muffen

the "firewall" is a stupid inbound portblocker, and its been there since XP first came out (only difference in SP2 is that they actually turned it on).

My advice, get SP2, go into security center and disable the windows firewall and get a real firewall.

If you are using P2P apps, enter the following in google and apply the patch: Windows XP SP2 firewall p2p fix.

Oh, and for the automatic updating, I set it to alert only .. don't really want Windows to download big files while I'm playing games...

Sherifu

seamus wrote:

Only gripe I have with SP2 is a much trimmed down permissions interface. You don't have the option to set in-depth user permissions, and Sharing consists of a "Share this folder" button - you have no idea exactly how secure your files are or aren't.

I'm sure Colm told of a way of getting the old interface before, but I don't remember.

Anyway, no problems with SP2 here either. I don't have my machine on all the time, so it's Anti-Virus notification is handy when I've forgotten to update AVG.

I think its
Tools, Folder Options, View, uncheck USE SIMPLE FILESHARING
in explorer
RKM.

hulhi

c0y0te wrote:

Like most people I've avoided upgrading to XP SP2 so far, but I'm just wondering if its still an 'avoid at all costs' scenario for a home user/games player and occasional business use?

c0y0te

in my view, the only people who should "avoid it at all costs" service packs, are the type of people who are using "cracked" windows or illegal product keys

c0y0te

Fair enough. I'll install it tonight and see what happens.

I've downloaded the 'fix' for the TCPIP issue with P2P just in case it's needed.

Thanks for the advice.

c0y0te

MrVestek

Microsoft didn't put any code into SP2 to determine wether the OS was legit or not, as was stated by a microsoft employee (i remember reading the quote in a magazine article, PCFormat i think) stating that at this point they didn't care if a user was using an illegal copy of windows or not and that they just wanted their systems to be more secure to stop virii and the like spreading like wildfire across the net. Something to that effect anyways. I could be wrong tho, my brain has a tendency of making up things...

seamus

Achilles wrote:

Microsoft didn't put any code into SP2 to determine wether the OS was legit or not, as was stated by a microsoft employee (i remember reading the quote in a magazine article, PCFormat i think) stating that at this point they didn't care if a user was using an illegal copy of windows or not and that they just wanted their systems to be more secure to stop virii and the like spreading like wildfire across the net. Something to that effect anyways. I could be wrong tho, my brain has a tendency of making up things...

Actually they did, but I think it only compared the licence key against the list of known stolen/forged keys.

My brother's brother got a message saying just that when he attempted to install it.

hulhi

they have kind of a blacklist for some product keys like FCKGW-*** which are literally on every website around the world

seamus.
off subject. interesting concept there, my brother's brother. hmmm?

Sherifu

seamus wrote:

Actually they did, but I think it only compared the licence key against the list of known stolen/forged keys.

My brother's brother got a message saying just that when he attempted to install it.

There are actually two specific keys they check for.
If you don't have either key or know how to change your key *cough*
you can install sp1 & sp2.

RKM.

seamus

rmulryan wrote:

There are actually two specific keys they check for.
If you don't have either key or know how to change your key *cough*
you can install sp1 & sp2.

RKM.

He must have been unlucky then to have one of these keys.

[strike]I generated a new key and he reinstalled XP, worked fine[/strike] He rang MS Support and bought a legit key.

Sherifu

You could always downgrade to windows 98 if they wont give ya a key.
See how well it works:
http://www.kontraband.com/show/show.asp?ID=301&NSFW=

c0y0te

I have a legit copy, so no worries there. I was more concerned with the firewall and configuation issues, and whether it had stabilised at this stage.

So - I'll give it a whirl tonight and see what happens.

c0y0te

kaimera

only problem with SP2 is it changes the local security policy to not allow the guest user to log onto your machine. A bit of a bitch in college when it happens and you need to *share*

c0y0te

I installed the SP2 patch last night, no issues. Did the whole P2P fix thingy and optimised my TCPIP settings at the same time. Checked some online games and stuff - no issues.

Seems fine so far. Thanks for the feedback.

c0y0te

monkey tennis

kinkstr wrote:

id did block my filesharing programs but it also prevented me from updating my anti virus and spyware programs

You must have had it misconfigured.

muffen wrote:

the "firewall" is a stupid inbound portblocker, and its been there since XP first came out (only difference in SP2 is that they actually turned it on).

To be fair, they've enhanced the amount of control you have over it, and they've added a few tricks. Also, the mere fact that the filter is on by default would stop the majority of modern worms etc that traverse the net. Naturally, a more full-featured firewall would be a much better option, but you must bear in mind that SP2 was designed with ignorant f*ckwits in mind - the type who wouldn't even know what a firewall was, never mind have the presence of mind to install and configure one. And these are the people who are responsible for the pervasiveness of modern windows-based worms, so SP2 could effectively make a big difference.

billy the squid

Downloading SP2 was one of the sorryest things i have done.

It seems to leave little or no memory in my computer. Listening to music on the PC is a disaster with the tunes sticking and stuttering along. 256 MB of RAM a might have to buy more i guess.

Should have stuck to SP1 and a good firewall,