Xp Service Pack 2 Is it worth it?

[rantsh 0]

Hi everyone, when it first came out I had downloaded the SP2 for my laptop, at that time it totally screwed up my laptop, made it slow and unstable. So i had to reinstall windows from scratch and decided to stick to sp1 and any other updates that are not sp2 related.It's been a while since that, I just wanted to know your opinion on the latest sp2 versions, is it working well for you? and more important, do you find it RELIABLE?

[abhiram 0]

and more important, do you find it RELIABLE?

Well, it isn't exactly a huge improvement in features for the normal user, but there are some instances where I found it more reliable.

All of my friends on my LAN and myself have had this problem of the system continuously shutting down as soon as it started with an error message saying 'RPC has exited unexpectedly, system shutting down now' which will cause the system to shut down in 1 minute. My guess is, this was because of some virus or something that is floating around in out LAN which is not detected by NAV or any other AV. After installing SP2, we don't have this problem anymore. This was actually the main reason for installing SP2.

I admit the security centre is of not much use, but it tells people who have abolutely no idea about computers about what the first line of defense against hacking and infiltration of their machines consists of.

I've also heard that some systems get screwed because of installing SP2, but most of these systems are more than 2 years old. It's true that SP2 slows down the system, but if you have 256+ MB of RAM, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

All in all, IMO, SP2 is ok if you've got a decent system which you bought in the last couple of years. Otherwise, it's better not to install SP2 because it installs a whole lot of new background services which do slow down the system considerably.

[saneax 0]

Well I have a couple of WinXp's which were connectedto a Linux PDC, as soon as I loaded the SP2, the connectivity problem started, the roaming profiles were lost...I wouldnt recommend it at all...there is a registry setting which can help and which I have done.. to circumvent this problem..

[hazeshow 0]

I HATE SP2. It really sucks that Microsoft releases a socalled "Service Pack" and after installing you have more problems than you ever had before. Windows gets slower, and in worser cases you experience network problems and device incompatibitlities. For example Nero CD Burning software needs an update to work with SP2.

[finaldesign1405241487 0]

Hi everyone, when it first came out I had downloaded the SP2 for my laptop, at that time it totally screwed up my laptop, made it slow and unstable. So i had to reinstall windows from scratch and decided to stick to sp1 and any other updates that are not sp2 related.

 

It's been a while since that, I just wanted to know your opinion on the latest sp2 versions, is it working well for you? and more important, do you find it RELIABLE?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It works for me fine. No problems, I even manage to integrate SP2 into old installation cd of winxp with sp1 on it...

[hazeshow 0]

Ooooh ... and I hate the bootscreen! The word "Professional" is gone! It always made me feel so good to discover on every system boot that I use the professional version and not the home version. Made me feel like I'm someone special, you know what I'm talking about. And now? No difference in bootscreen anymore, kind of software bolshewism.

[ur2eatmeat 0]

Service pack 2 is the best thing i think for windows XP.. used it since it came out. aand the problems Ive had have been probably cut by at least 95%

[jipman 0]

The booting time sure seemed to have improved. Instead of 8 bars to pass, it turned out to be 3. I don't like all those new implemented stuff though, security center, firewall, all those weird confirmation screens. I do like the bluetooth support

[EJK-lifesaving-nederland 0]

Hi all,I think Microsoft has done well with the SP2. But I didn't need it myself. I just installed it because i thought it would fix some major problems or something. And mostly it did. Outlook finally works, after a year of trying to fix it. But I play lots of games, and they aren't working all. Allright, Warcraft TFT still works, but the rest is screwed up. And when I installed the latest nVidia driver, nothing changed. I still think Windows XP is a great operating system, but not for a gamer like me! Regards

[abhiram 0]

Ooooh ... and I hate the bootscreen! The word "Professional" is gone! It always made me feel so good to discover on every system boot that I use the professional version and not the home version.

Hmm... my feeling was just the opposite ... I liked the fact that finally I've got the actual Windows XP that was supposed to make it's appearance and that they won't be improving any further on this anymore. It's finally Windows XP and not Home or Professional or Beta or testing or anything... just 'Windows XP' .

[hazeshow 0]

Hmm... my feeling was just the opposite ... I liked the fact that finally I've got the actual Windows XP that was supposed to make it's appearance and that they won't be improving any further on this anymore. It's finally Windows XP and not Home or Professional or Beta or testing or anything... just 'Windows XP' .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's what I mean. No class warfare anymore, no aristocracy anymore, bootscreen revolution has won - only ONE Windows XP for all.

 

Well, of course I won't let these bolchevists do that to me, and i immediately edited the bootscreen bitmap. Now I have a Windows XP Ultra Professional Platinum 2006 Edition.

 

GreetingZ

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

a) I don't have SP2 bcause I run Linux;) it's useless and my SP1 machine cannot contact w/ my bro on the network when playing games!c) It slows down the machined) it introduces new problems then fixing themxboxrulz

[wutske 0]

I don't have WindowsXP SP2, because I hate all the security messages you get. I feel like I have lost control over my machine, it just makes me and my pc work slower. My pc is secure and completely up-to-date, I have a good virus scanner (and a combination for on demand scanning), a tight firewall (and I'm behind a router), I do not use IE or Outlook (Express), and I have some Adware removing tools.Why do I need a balloon that say that my pc isn't secure ? I do not need more security than I have now. I do not need a message that says that the file I want to open is downloaded from the internet, I know that, I maybe have a short memory, but I do remember that.If it's not clear, I do not want all the freaking questions, and I do not have WiFi.

[xboxrulz1405241485 0]

wutske, u have lost 90% control, just by using Windoze, it's closed source, and you don't use the full potential of your computer already, go opensource!xboxrulz

[abhiram 0]

Why do I need a balloon that say that my pc isn't secure ?

You can disable that message by going to Security Center -> 'Change the way Security Center alerts me'. You can enable or disable the annoying pop-up balloon that pretends it knows everything about your computer.

I do not need a message that says that the file I want to open is downloaded from the internet

Well, if it's any consolation to you, even firefox asks you the same thing in Windows. I don't know how to disable that but, I'm sure someone on this forum probably knows how to. I really didn't find that too much of a trouble. The most annoying ones are the security center, automatic updates and low hard disk space popup balloons.