should I or not

[etat]

I re-did my computer after messing it up. Got about everything downloaded back on it.   I hate it when that happens. Now I've got a question.  Should I download XP SP2 update or not?  It seems it messed a few things up, but most probably maybe with my help.  Now computer is urging me for updates.  I really don't know.  Should I ignore it, or download the updatesL  :P

[sandmar]

sure ck........download them now while you have all the knowledge to reinstall fresh on your mind  : Seriously,I would get all the updates available.

Sandmar

[Avalancher]

We had a never ending amount of trouble after downloading and installing SP2. There are a a number of programs that cause a bunch of problems with SP2. You can check with Micrsoft for a list of known problems, or read this article with a link to the list http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,117434,src,ov,00.asp
Just for starters, if you use file sharing programs like Winmx,etc you can expect problems My machine, a fairly new Dell took almost 20 minutes on a cold boot, trying to configure itself after the installation. I finally after much effort deleted the service pack, but you need to be skilled in bios and registry editing to do it, it protects itself.
I hated it myself, I turned off that constant reminder to install update, it was just something more running using up CPU resources.

[Phorester]

Our computer crashed bigtime after downloading that thing.  Lost the email address book, lots of Word folders.  My wife was on the phone about 16 hours (no exxageration) with both Dell and Microsoft trying to get our computer working again.  Microsoft themselves told her that they had millions of customers that had trouble with it.

I'll never download another thing from microsoft.

[Larry]

I got SP-2 bout a month ago.  No problems downloading, installing, or using it.  Really like the pop-up blocker for IE.  Think it also has some security fixes.  

Guess some people have had problems but seems like the bulk are somehow related to the Windows firewall.  I have never used there firewall as I much prefer the Zone Alarm firewall (the free one).  I do know stuff like ws_FTP and streaming stuff has never liked any firewalls.  Zone Alarm fixed there firewall about 6 months ago and haven't had to turn it off for any program since.

[GF]

FYI
   We have bought some of the new Dell's to network were I work we have actually ran into problems with the integrated network interface working part of the time with SP2, Dell is aware of the problem but really can figure out why some work and some do not, they just end up swapping out the entire unit.

  I have to agree with Sandmar since it fresh on your mind how to reload I would go for it.  We are updated a couple hundred remotely the other day, and everything worked fine on them.  

[Norm]

Go for it CK, there are plenty of security updates that you really need included in it. As far as the firewall goes it's always been there in xp pro just not turned on by default. If you are worried about that kind of stuff we use zone alarm at work and home it's real good but kind of hard to set up. Spammers would go out of business if more people used it.

[DextorDee]

Don't forget Antivirus and Spyware. Going on the Internet without antivirus can undo your new setup real quick.I vote install sp2.
my 2cents

[Ianab]

If you have a nice clean set-up on your PC, SP2 'should' install with no problems.
I've seen a few come unstuck, and had to do data recovery and re-install windows on them. It's usually if the machine was infested with spyware or a virus or just plain sick to start with.
If you have a nice clean install of windows, and a backup of your data.. then go for it  

Ian

[Paschale]

My broadband supplier, Comcast, recommended against downloading and installing the SP2, as well as the last Dell technician I spoke with.  I've had too many troubles with my computer in the past to even think about downloading something that could even have the remotest possibility of screwing things up.  I use Norton for my firewall, for what it's worth.  It really sounds like it's a gamble, one that I'm not willing to take personally.  Just my two cents

[rebocardo]

Update as soon as possible. Part of the problem are virus and trojan programs that install themselves into vital DLL to hide themselves that cause problems when you try to update the file. They will not let themselves be overwritten. So, your current build (besides being infected) with the newest service pack ends up using older components where the jumps/addresses no longer exist or have been changed. So, when the applications or O/S use them they go to la-la land and get hung.

[etat]

More and more Confused.  Kinda thinking about flipping a coin. The computer has a firewall now that you can turn on and off.  When I downloaded the service pack before it wouldn't turn off, it just stayed on all the time. A couple of things weren't working right so I tried rolling it back to a earlier date. In doing that I lost my google and ebay toolbar and a couple of other programs. I tried everything I could think of to get them back over the course of a couple of days including searching the net for advise and they just wouldn't download. So then I tried restoring it to where before I rolled it back, and things got worse.  Finally I bit the dust, put a couple of things on a disk in case I lost em, and went for a partial system restore.  Everything's back and working now, and stuff will download again.  I don't download a lot of programs.  All I can think of right now is Infraview, IEspell (spelling is a real weak point for me), Image Forge, Google Toolbar, and Ebay Toolbar. I usually don't download games unless I see them here. Also I don't open Emails with attachments.  If I get a email from someone I don't know I always just delete it.

I managed to save the data files, and I'd just hate to mess it all up again.  The computer I have is a Compaq Presario with extra drives that I seem to have no use for.  (Comes from sending Wife, Mom, and Dad after a new computer when I finally had enough of Windows Me.  I figured as slow as Me was and as much trouble as I had keeping Me running this one would be better. One of these days I'm going to get a new monitor cause I'm still using the old one.  This computer  is a lot faster, except for when it started acting up the other day and I started tryin to fix it.. Oh, I forgot, I also use Spybot but I won't try it in advanced mode again cause that's over my head too.  

Question.  How do Trojan horses an viruses usually manage to get into yer computer if you don't open emails with attachments?

[gizmo]

I d/loaded SP2 the day it came out. If you don't have cable or DSL it will probably take all day to download. I actually haven't had any problems with the SP2. I also have Norton installed and use that firewall etc.

[rbarshaw]

Rather than spending the hours downloading, just call this #, and they will send you a free cd with all the latest upgrades on it.  8) FREE  8) 800-360-7561 or 866-584-5341. If you have a new clean install of XP, you should not have any problems with the upgrade, I've done it on 3 different computers with no faults, and one is the server for my home network.

[etat]

thanks rbarshaw, think I'm going to call the number.  It takes appx 16 hours to download the updates on the land line.

[UNCLEBUCK]

Trojan virus got me last year . A friend of mine put me on a list of like daily jokes that seemed to be bulk mailed and had some attachments in it .Once in awhile my norton anti-virus would pop up and say trojan virus -non repairable ! I didnt know so I jus clicked it off. At the same time I was on a state run auction list and when I sent my next email to my friend everybody on the state auction listing like thousands of people got 200 emails from me and then when they emailed it sent 200 more to everyone so I cancelled the auction list immediately and cleaned out my computer and reloaded everything . Trojan virus was just waiting to explode and it did. I only accept a few emails now from family or else I go look in my junk mail filter from now on. glad you got recovered ! It can really wreck ones day !

[etat]

Thankfully the night I redid it, (it also took part of the next day) it was raining all day.  Hard. Not good roofing weather so I was working on the porch rails, and ocassionally working on the computer.  The same day one of my good friends called and told me the old roofing gun I'd sent him wasn't working. (I sure was glad I didn't send a warranty with it).  After a bit of discussion and we figured out we couldn't fix it over the phone I told him the best thing to do was climp up on the roof and throw it as hard as he could against some concrete!  I was about ready to do the same thing to this computer for a minute.  

I felt really bad about the roofing gun but as we were talking  he laughed and told me about the time he CUT a boat in half.  ON PURPOSE!  It's not my story to tell but let me tell you, I'm STILL laughing just thinking about it.  

[VA-Sawyer]

Sorry man, you are not getting away with doing that here . You can't tell us about a story without telling the story.  Come on... out with it.

Oh, by the way, I have SP2 and no problems.

VA-Sawyer

[Avalancher]

Question.  How do Trojan horses an viruses usually manage to get into yer computer if you don't open emails with attachments?

Trojans can even ride in on websites that you view. So sites have active x controls that implant automatic dialers that use your modem to make long distance calls, change your homepage, and throw up popups that automatically send your browser to another page, and it is almost impossible to get rid of them. Nortons, Mckaffee, etc just wont recognize them and overlook them in a scan of your system. I found one product that works real welll, try http://intermute.com/ and download the free trialware of spysubtract. It will find those little buggers, as well as get rid of those profiling cookies that are monitoring your web acitvity.
I can promise you have at least several of those cookies right now on your machine, using up your bandwith by sending info on your activities.

[etat]

Thanks Avalancher, I'm pretty computer illerate, but I'm still trying to learn.

VA-Sawyer, twas a member of this forum what tole me about cutting that boat in half. I was telling him how I actually DID throw my first roofing gun against some concrete, (it was a cheap one) and left and told my hands I was going to go try to find a better brand.  I'm afeered if I told it without his permission he'd come look me up, and cut MY head in half!.   ;D

[SwampDonkey]

I updated to XP SP-2 a month ago and was cautious with the firewall. It came up with about 10 programs it wanted to block but I told it to ignore them. I have to disable the firewall if I want to work on my websight in Dreamweaver (web authoring software). Also I have to disable the 'On Access Scanner' within my virus checker in order for Activesync to work properly with my handheld PDA/GPS unit. Any type of program that networks or goes onto the internet may ahve these troubles. You can go into the firewall settings and place programs in the list to leave alone. The firewall and possibly the built-in antivirus software of XP SP2 is the source of most problems I suspect. They did warn the various distributors that some programs just won't function properlly with the new SP2.

cheers

[etat]

I've been running my computer since I had to redo it without updates.  It has been running prefectly.

However, I called that number rbarshaw posted and ordered the CD.  It just arrived today.  The last time I downloaded the SP2 update it took 16 hours and I lost my internet connection several times.  Now I'm wondering if this is what could have been causing some of the problems with my computer.

Before I ran the CD I cleaned up my computer as best as I could.  I cleared the history, and deleated the temporary files and deleated the cookies.  Then I ran Disc Cleanup and  Defragmenter.  Then I restarted the computer.

When it booted back up I created a restore point and named it 'before sp2 update', just in case.

The cd took about 20 minutes to run and update my computer.  Afterward it ran I shut it down and rebooted the computer again.  It didn't take NEAR as long to reboot as it did when I downloaded the update from the Internet.

It seems to be running perfectly after the update.  Thanks everyone.