I received a number of replies to my question of whether it was safe yet to install
sp2. I have copied and pasted the replies (with names and addresses removed). All
but one respondent said to hold off, and even that seemed to apply only to
networks, not the stand-alones that most of us have at home. I plan to look
further into the tourbus site (see below) to see what their recommendations are.
Thanks to all who responded.
Susan
One PC columnist (Walter Mossberg?) advised that home users, with the home
version of XP, NOT download SP 2.
This is of course anecdotal, but my son downloaded it and his computer has
been unusable ever since. My sister downloaded it and after the repair
people got done cleaning up the damage, her computer worked again, but her
files were gone.
Beware.
*****************************************************
Can't point you to any literature, but I can tell you that it trashed our
computer.
We found out that the Bios on some Intel machines have to be upgraded before
you install Service pack 2. Go to the Intel site for a complete discussion.
Good luck
*********************************************************
I subscribe to Tourbus (Patrick Crispen is one of the two webmasters on this one)
and he indicated it would be sometime in November. I still haven't gotten anything
from the Tourbus about upgrading just yet....Here's all the links to his info on
XP2...
http://www.tourbus.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi
His Sept 17th letter had the following;
Quick Clarification: XP SP2 CD Audience: XP users
Last week I said that you should order a copy of Windows XP SP2 on CD- ROM but not
install it until after Halloween. A few people wondered if, considering the
problems a few people have been having upgrading to XP SP2, it would be better to
wait to order the disc until just before you're ready to upgrade. That way
Microsoft would have time to put some new updates on it.
Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. The XP SP2 CD-ROM is pretty much etched in
stone. Microsoft isn't going to add, delete, or change anything on that disk for at
least six or eight months. So there's no real point in waiting.
But how are you going to be able to get the patches necessary to ensure that your
computer doesn't become a really loud, expensive door stop when you upgrade? Well,
we'll talk more about this when we get closer to Halloween, but the upgrade process
you're going to follow will be:
1. Run the latest version of your anti-spyware program[s] to make sure your
computer is free of spyware.
2. Visit your computer manufacturer's web site and download any patches they
recommend. If your computer manufacturer doesn't have a homepage, you'll need to
run the Belarc Advisor to identify the major components in your computer and then
visit each component manufacturer's web site for the necessary patches.
3. Install Windows XP SP2 from the CD-ROM.
4. Immediately run Windows Update to get all of the new patches that aren't on the
CD-ROM.
So, get the XP SP2 CD-ROM today but put it away for later.
To order a free copy of XP SP2 on a CD-ROM, just hop on over to either
http://tinyurl.com/6g675
or
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/defau lt.mspx
Both addresses take you to the same page, and that last address needs to be on one
line. The English language version of XP SP2 is available today, and versions
written in other languages will be released over the next two weeks.
You can also find free copies of the XP SP2 CD-ROM at many major retailers
including Circuit City, Best Buy, and Office Depot. Maybe. I had to beg the clerk
at my local Circuit City for the disc, and it took him about 15 minutes to find it
somewhere in the back of the store.
*****************************************************
SP2 installs a firewall. If your district uses remote assistance it won't
be able to get through the firewall. SAISD supposedly figured out a way to
install SP2 and still be able to use remote assistance; however, the
drawback is that the district technicians must visit each XP machine on the
campus to make the changes.
***************************************************
Unless you have a good reason NOT to install SP2, like a unique legacy
software known not to work with it or an unusual networking situation
blocked irretrievably by the new firewall, install SP2 immediately. The
exploits are coming thick and fast now and unpatched machines are being
zombie-ized. I's not urgent only for standalone machines.
--
Susan Burstein
Portland Middle School
95 High Street
Portland, CT 06480
portlandms@comcast.net
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