Tech: WinXP SR2 Major Release

Subject: Tech: WinXP SR2 Major Release
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 17 Aug 04 - 10:00 PM

Microsoft has reportedly begun distribution of their new Windows XP SR2 release. For those who may not have been following the news, this is a MAJOR UPDATE to security systems for Windows XP, and may make some changes in how WinXP behaves for you.

The majority of professional advisors are recommending that most WinXP users should get and install this update; but there have been some reports of problems with a few specific programs. If anyone with WinXP has questions about whether they might want to NOT install the upgrade, they should be looking into it NOW.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: WinXP SR2 Major Release
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 17 Aug 04 - 10:01 PM

If you are using WinXP automatic updates, the SR2 patches you need will be downloaded to you automatically. If you have the default automatic update setup, you will be told when the download is completed, and have the option to install or not install.

If you are not currently using automatic update, Microsoft – and common sense – recommends that you turn it on if you want this update. The SR2 release requires download of at least 60 to 80 MB, and if you aren't current with prior updates it can reportedly run as high as 800 MB. If you're not current, it would probably make sense to go ahead and install existing critical patches, or as many as you can, to minimize the size of the download for the SR2 package.

With automatic update, the files can be downloaded to your machine in the background, whenever you're "connected." This background download should not be visible to you during any normal operations, and should not interfere with your normal web activities. When the update files appropriate to your setup have been downloaded, you will be able to install them if you choose to do so.

If you're now connected for automatic updates, and for some reason you don't want this update now, you should "unregister" for the automatic system. Anyone running XP SERVER programs can download a utility to "mark" machines to not receive the download. The "mark" will expire in about 60 delays, so it's only a delay – at least for now.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: WinXP SR2 Major Release
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 17 Aug 04 - 10:04 PM

A current article that describes this release briefly, and puts it into context with other things one might expect from Microsoft, is at Windows Update By Sebastian Rupley, September 7, 2004, PC Magazine. Read it if you're interested.

Most of the problems that have been found with this release affect only SERVER VERSIONS of WinXP, and should have little impact on individual users. There are a few individual application programs that have been affected. Microsoft has released a list of about 50 programs that will require resetting some things, most of which will be of interest only to system administrators or those running WinXP Server programs.

The programs that individual users might have that could be affected are mainly those that require an "open port" for web communication in order for the program to run. Microsoft Watch, Sunday, August 15, 2004, Microsoft Lists Apps Affected by XP SP2 By Mary Jo Foley, lists a few of the programs known to be affected:

In an effort to head off support calls, Microsoft has published a list of about 50 programs from both the Redmond software giant and third-party software vendors that require tweaking in order to work properly with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2).
Among the applications that are encountering problems are Web servers, remote desktops, file-sharing applications, FTP clients, multimedia streaming software and e-mail notifications. A number of systems-management applications and games also require manual modifications in order to work properly with SP2, according to Microsoft

After you install Windows XP SP2, client applications may not successfully receive data from a server," acknowledges Microsoft in one of its Knowledge Base articles published to its Web site.

At the same time, some "server applications that are running on a Windows XP SP2-based computer may not respond to client requests," the Knowledge Base article added.

In the months leading up to the recent launch of its SP2 collection of security updates and other fixes, Microsoft had warned its customers that a number of its own applications would require modification in order to work correctly with SP2. Microsoft officials have warned that SQL Server 2000, Microsoft CRM 1.2 and Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer 1.2 all would require tweaks.

In the recently published Knowledge Base article, Microsoft also admits that its Visual Studio .Net development tools and Systems Management Server 2003 products may require users to open network ports manually before they work properly with SP2.

Other information from the last article:

Other third-party programs which may require users to open ports manually in order to work with SP2 include:

Autodesk's AutoCAD 2000, 2002 and 2004 releases;
BMC Software's BMC Patrol for Windows 2000;
Computer Associates' ARCserve and eTrust 7.0 releases;
Macromedia's ColdFusion MX Server Edition 6;
Symantec's AntiVirus Corporate Edition 8.0 and Ghost Server Corporate Edition 7.5; and
Vertitas' Backup Exec version 9 and Volume Manager 3.1 products.

Among the third-party games that may require SP2 tweaks are several products from Atari, Electronic Arts' "Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2," and Activision's Star Trek StarFleet Command III version 1.0.

Microsoft is rolling out XP SP2 in stages. On August 16, Microsoft is set to begin pushing SP2 to XP users automatically via its Automatic Update and Software Update Services patch-management services. Microsoft already has made the update available to customers who had been beta testing the service pack and to developers. PC makers and retailers are expected to begin offering SP2 this fall.

A CD version (free on request) is supposed to be available "later," but no schedule has been announced. Microsoft does state that this update will "not work properly if your Windows XP is not a legal copy." One assumes that means "registered."

John

Subject: RE: Tech: WinXP SR2 Major Release
From: mack/misophist
Date: 18 Aug 04 - 12:16 AM

I didn't read it because I don't do windlws, but OSNews.com has an article about software that runs differently after the sp2 update.

Subject: RE: Tech: WinXP SR2 Major Release
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 18 Aug 04 - 02:51 AM

There have actually been quite a few articles about the problems the beta guys have found. Unfortunately, most of them have been in places the typical users don't get to.

It took my a while to figure out that most of the problems have been "geek stuff" - mostly associated with the server programs. There are a few kinks for the game nuts, but most of them are too proud to have (or admit) any problems. Most reports are that any problems with typical user programs have been minor.

I have been "invited" to load a couple of unexpected Office updates that I suspect are intended to prevent problems that the SR2 load might cause. Anyone who hasn't looked lately might want to take a look at the Office download site as well.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: WinXP SR2 Major Release
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Aug 04 - 06:49 AM

For some of us trapped for financial reasons in the earlier Office World (95) - this is one less incentive to move up to XP...

Subject: RE: Tech: WinXP SR2 Major Release
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 18 Aug 04 - 04:00 PM

Foolestroupe -

Actually, if this update solves a few of the remaining security problems that WinXP has had, it is one MORE incentive to move up to XP.

I sympathize (empathize even) with the financial limits you may have, but unfortunately that's a situation you have to deal with. About the only "help" I can offer is to suggest that you look carefully at how many threads you've contributed to, in which you mention lost data, system failures, broken programs and such; and see if the nickels and dimes that dribble away there might be better spent on a more current system.

I still run Win95 on one machine that is incapable of running anything later. It is used rarely, but there are occasional times when it gets pretty heavy use because it's a portable.

I have Win98SE on an old machine that was "crippled" by a hard drive failure. I replaced the drive from salvage, but simply haven't set it up for heavy use. It fills the need for "guests" to have a place to play if our main machines are in use.

I have Win2K on Lin's machine, which I don't use much; but I do get to do the maintenance so I'm pretty intimately familiar with it. It's very "powerful;" but it clunks, clanks, rattles, and fights with you - much like your Win95.

I use WinXP - because it's the best thing that's come along. It is currently the ONLY Windows OS I would recommend to anyone getting a new one. You should be feeling bad that you can't afford it, but you'd really like it once you learned a little about it.

From your descriptions, it's unlikely that your current hardware would support a useful installation of WinXP. In your situation, you might be better off looking at one of the 'NIX/NUX systems; but despite all it's good qualities, Win95 -or even Win98SE - is likely to become progressively more of a burden on you than it may be worth.

But as long as it works - charge on with it.

John