Windows XP Service Pack 2

[fredtgreco]

In case anyone is interested, Service Pack 2 is out for Windows XP. I have installed it and it works fine. It adds a Windows Firewall, has a built in pop-up blocker for IE (seems like everyone has one these days - my wife's computer has a pop up blocker with Google toolbar, Yahoo toolbar, Ad Muncher, and now IE ) and has a better wireless network interface.

I have not heard of anyone having any major problems as of yet. So if you want to install it (Microsoft will begin rolling it out piecemeal by Windows Update in a few days) here are a few links. Remember that this is FREE and these links are a convenience. The download is 288 MB large, so it is NOT recommended for non-broadband (for broadband users, I got it at about 400KB/sec, a 15 minute download). The links are coded to prevent accidental clicking. You should copy and paste into your browser or download program.

Try this link first:
[code:1:47d68329f2]http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/6/5/165b076b-aaa9-443d-84f0-73cf11fdcdf8/WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe[/code:1:47d68329f2]

This link second of the first is really slow:
[code:1:47d68329f2]http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer/default.aspx?ln=en-us[/code:1:47d68329f2]

Here are some additional links in case the first two are down or you want ftp:
[code:1:47d68329f2]http://dlb.pchome.net/system/patch/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

ftp://sccrc.onlinedown.net/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

ftp://ks.onlinedown.net/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

ftp://dllishui.pchome.net/system/patch/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

http://gzcnc.onlinedown.net/down/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe

http://hb2.onlinedown.net/down/xpsp2_RTM_ENU.exe[/code:1:47d68329f2]

All links are for the same 288MB exe file that is a Windows XP Service Pack 2 executable file.

 

[FrozenChosen]

Fred, what do you mean by extras? I don't want to accidentally download something I don't want...

 

[fredtgreco]

[quote:a0e183625c="FrozenChosen"]Fred, what do you mean by extras? I don't want to accidentally download something I don't want... [/quote:a0e183625c]

Extra links. Not extra stuff. Sorry about the confusion. I've edited my post.

 

[Ex-Baptist]

What can us dial up guys do? Maybe they have software we can order.

Cole

 

[fredtgreco]

[quote:44bfe6cf10="Ex-Baptist"]What can us dial up guys do? Maybe they have software we can order.

Cole[/quote:44bfe6cf10]

Yes. If you go to Microsoft's website, they will send you a CD to install it, and they will even pay the shipping.

 

[fredtgreco]

A couple of additional mirror sites

[code:1:5e3902626a]
ftp://download.axelero.hu/pub/frissites/update/windowsxp-kb835935-sp2-enu.exe

http://www.filemirrors.com/search.src?file=WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe&size=278927592[/code:1:5e3902626a]

 

[Ex-Baptist]

COOL!! Thanks

Cole

 

[LauridsenL]

Thanks so much, Fred. BTW, do you ever sleep?

:bs2:

 

[FrozenChosen]

[quote:b3e87d60f5="LauridsenL"]Thanks so much, Fred. BTW, do you ever sleep?

:bs2:[/quote:b3e87d60f5]

In case you didn't know, Fred is a robot.

[img:b3e87d60f5]http://www.cs.utah.edu/~mflatt/bumpy/jpegs/robot.jpg[/img:b3e87d60f5]

 

[daveb]

I would suggest backing all of your stuff up before you try and install SP2 just in case. Also you might want to make a restore point before doing this as well.

From the technical forums I've seen the reaction is mixed. Some have had their computers not come back up at all after installing this, others have had no problems.

 

[LauridsenL]

[quote:1ec1ef244d="daveb"]I would suggest backing all of your stuff up before you try and install SP2 just in case. Also you might want to make a restore point before doing this as well.

From the technical forums I've seen the reaction is mixed. Some have had their computers not come back up at all after installing this, others have had no problems.[/quote:1ec1ef244d]

I installed SP2 and did have some problems. My computer wouldn't recognize my printer and DrWatson Debugger, which I think was installed with SP2, would create an error message and the computer would freeze, requiring a reboot. I uninstalled SP2 and everything's working fine again. I may try to reinstall it later.

 

[Ranger]

I wonder if there would be a conflict between my regular firewalls and the new Windows one? I guess there is only one way to find out.

 

[Craig]

It downloaded fine for me...

What's scary is that it wasn't until I downloaded this xp update that I was alerted to possible viruses on my computer...I scan my computer once a week and check for virus updates almost everday...I did a virus scan and found 11 threats! What's really dumb is that my norton firewall didn't prevent these threats...glad it was a freebie for a few months and I didn't pay for it.

 

[daveb]

[quote:8600b78af6="LauridsenL"]

I installed SP2 and did have some problems. My computer wouldn't recognize my printer and DrWatson Debugger, which I think was installed with SP2, would create an error message and the computer would freeze, requiring a reboot. I uninstalled SP2 and everything's working fine again. I may try to reinstall it later.[/quote:8600b78af6]

Actually I've heard of lots of problems with DrWatson and SP2 but I'm not sure how to fix it.

For reference here's a list of conflicts with SP2:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;835935

I don't know if you had a problem pertaining to Agp440.sys or not but here's the article on that:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324764

 

[daveb]

[quote:abdd440935="Ranger"]I wonder if there would be a conflict between my regular firewalls and the new Windows one? I guess there is only one way to find out.[/quote:abdd440935]

If you are already running a sofware firewall you could either turn it off or turn the SP2 firewall off. Not sure if both will be able to run concurrently.

 

[fredtgreco]

I have found that the new MS help service of online chat with a support rep is very helpful. You can get to it through Help and Support Center.

I'd do that and ask about these conflicts, and maybe there are aspects you can disable.

 

[king of fools]

Thanks for the links, Fred. Just one question. Is this the full SP2, or is this a beta? My windows automatic download doesn't grab the file, and the windows updates says that it's not ready yet. I'm just concerned about pulling down a deep-link file, becuase I can't tell that it's the full new SP2 or not.

 

[fredtgreco]

[quote:1930415940="king of fools"]Thanks for the links, Fred. Just one question. Is this the full SP2, or is this a beta? My windows automatic download doesn't grab the file, and the windows updates says that it's not ready yet. I'm just concerned about pulling down a deep-link file, becuase I can't tell that it's the full new SP2 or not.[/quote:1930415940]

It is not the beta. It is the release. Microsoft has just not put this on Windows update yet to save themselves bandwith. And I think because so many people on Windows Update are on dial up, they are going to release it piecemeal. It is safe - except for some minor conflicts.

 

[fredtgreco]

Here is an article describing the Service Pack and installation:

http://www.tweaktown.com/document.php?dType=guide&dId=682

 

[king of fools]

I got a blue screen crash! Thankfully I restored it back to SP1. Dell said to try it again without Norton running. I'll try it again. :-(