Service pack 2

sabelu

Hi I have a PB Easy 6100 laptop and have set it up with XP Office. When I went to the MS site for updates expected to get SP2 come down but didnt. Have since sent for the CD Rom should I install or will the laptop play up. Should it have downloaded as an auto update ?

criminal_smile

Not entirely sure why you couldn't download SP2, but you say that you have Office XP......SP2 is outdated now anyway.?
The latest SP for OfficeXP is SP3, which you can get HERE .
Will your laptop go doolally when you install it? It IS a MS update, so there is always a chance. Make sure to set a restore point prior to the installation, sothat you can roll back if it doesn't work.
HTH

Party_Animal

Is SP2 outdated for XP Professional? I still haven't installed it as I'm a bit wary and everything's working fine without it, but there are updates waiting to be installed, which I assume are SP2.

Edinburghlass_2

I'm with you Party_Animal, still haven't downloaded it and wonder if I should?

shrek101

I have 4 pcs all with sp2 on and works fine. Not sure if the 1st post means sp2 for office or sp2 for XP.

Browntoa

I would install SP2 now, any bugs that first appeared have been ironed out and it does close a load of loopholes in Xp, if you do it from the free disk from PC world there is no need to download it.

once installed if you already have firewall software then turn of the default Windows one that is installed in the Update, you will find it in Security Centre, another new bit !!

danmanchester

@ Part Animal - if you have disabled automatic updates to stop the installation of service pack 2, this message appears on the Microsoft website :Time is running out! Please note that the mechanism to temporarily disable delivery of Windows XP SP2 is only available for a period of 240 days (8 months) from August 16, 2004. At the end of this period (after April 12, 2005), Windows XP SP2 will be delivered to all Windows XP and Windows XP Service Pack 1 systems.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2aumng.mspx

So looks as if they REALLY want everyone to download it now!

Browntoa

yes, you are right, it becomes a compulsory download soon

andy88_2

I just read about this 2 days ago as well. So it looks like I eventually get round to installing it off the disk from September. Otherwise Windows Update will no longer be available

From Fred Langa's newsletter that I've just subscribed to -
http://langa.com/ item 9 on current one (7th April)

That said, Microsoft still won't "force" anyone to upgrade on or after April 12th: If you don't want the SP2 upgrade, just don't go to WindowsUpdate, and don't let your PC update automatically.

Of course, by avoiding WindowsUpdate, you also won't get any other patches and updates; and that's the "carrot" that MS can offer: If you want to stay with XP SP1, that's fine, but you're on your own. If you want access to any of the WindowsUpdate services with XP, you'll have to upgrade to SP2. It's your choice.

Installing off disk will be much better than download from dial-up; 12 hours for a condensed version.

Does anybody know if the SP2 disks now available are more up to date than the September mag-cover ones? As I'm up to date with the rest of WU, perhaps the question doesn't really matter?

I don't think a restore point will undo it, but when I installed SP1, there was an option to backup the installation. Takes up about 1GB though, so somewhere I have an email from Microsoft with a link to advice on how to delete these later. Perhaps SP2 has the same?

Sorry if this is waffling on a bit too much. Thanks for any replies

andy88_2

Mr_Skint wrote:

SP1 did ask if you wanted a restore point (backup) SP2 does it on auto pilot as for wether the newer SP2 on disk is better now I dont think so! but the download is, you can always give em a ring. 0870 50 10 100 (if this number has to be removed fair enough.)

Yes. I was just wondering if there was a chance of confusing this with the normal System Restore.

I just phoned them * and checked; answering my own question (sorry) the SP2 disks are all the same; there will probably be a couple of fixes to do afterwards. And the SP2 installation makes a backup as well.

As to whether it is better or not, I heard maybe some older programs clash, but if future WU depends on it, it sounds like gonna have to do it anyway.

* for people that don't like 0870, ring their Irish number using 1899 or other cheap call providers (see Martin's callchecker)

0035314502113 menu options 3 then 2

I put this on saynoto0870 a while back but not updated yet

Party_Animal

danmanchester wrote:

@ Part Animal - if you have disabled automatic updates to stop the installation of service pack 2, this message appears on the Microsoft website :Time is running out! Please note that the mechanism to temporarily disable delivery of Windows XP SP2 is only available for a period of 240 days (8 months) from August 16, 2004. At the end of this period (after April 12, 2005), Windows XP SP2 will be delivered to all Windows XP and Windows XP Service Pack 1 systems.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2aumng.mspx

So looks as if they REALLY want everyone to download it now!

I haven't disabled anything, but I've got some updates waiting every time I log in, which I assumed was SP2 and I haven't installed them. Would appreciate any help and not sure how to do a roll back.
Thanks I hope your horses come up.