SP2 observations

[Panama Red]

Just built a new computer with a fresh install of XP Pro. I had downloaded SP2 and burned it to a cd a couple days ago and decided to install it on this new customer build to start out fresh. I installed the SP2 upgrade after I had fully updated the system. Part of my normal install includes customizing the Services settings using Blackviper.com's info as a guide. Several of the Services I intended to Disable were already disabled! And two or three (I forget exactly how many) Services were not even listed. Another thing I have noticed is the XP screen that displays as it is loading now only says Windows XP instead of Windows XP Professional. Anyone else noticed any differences?

[fftaz336]

Yeah, check out the windows update site from the Windows Update on the start menu. Also look at you control panel(classic view). Quite a few more icons.

[Panama Red]

Looks like I don't need to install PopUpStopper anymore either. IE now has a built in Pop Up Blocker with notification below the address bar.

[Matt_Smi]

Yeah I have heard about it already having some unnecessary services disabled by default. I was going to go though my services list using Black Viper’s site as a guide and disable all the ones that are unnecessary, but I am going to wait and install SP2 first, see what it disables and then go though it.

[Statica]

Seeing a little of what went into putting SP2 together, I can tell you that this time around they really listened to the masses.

[RayH]

PanamaRed You should have slipstreamed with SP2 to Windows XP disk. You wouldn't have had to upgrade Windows anything, except for Journal viewer and .Net flamework, if you wanted them.

I slipstreamed and upgraded my Office in a fresh installation. I got a 800 MB smaller footprint.

[Panama Red]

Originally Posted by RayH PanamaRed You should have slipstreamed with SP2 to Windows XP disk. You wouldn't have had to upgrade Windows anything, except for Journal viewer and .Net flamework, if you wanted them. I slipstreamed and upgraded my Office in a fresh installation. I got a 800 MB smaller footprint.

Thought about slipstreaming, but I wanted to see what effect others will have when they download and install the SP2 as a stand alone product. Most people won't know how to slipstream and I figured I'd be better able to answer my customer's questions if I knew first hand how the install went. Are you saying that with SP2 installed, your os disk space is 800MB smaller than the XP install without the SP2? Or that you compared an SP2 downloaded install with a slipstreamed install and saw the 800MB decrease?

[doctorgonzo]

I installed SP2 on a machine with XP Pro on it, and I have noticed that startup times are longer after getting to the desktop. Has anybody else noticed this?

Also, even though I have Windows Firewall disabled, the Application Layer Gateway Service (alg.exe) wants to run. Is there are particular reason for this?

[RayH]

PanamaRed I upgraded to WXPSP2 and Office 2003 simultaneously. Office was more of a pig. I run without System Restore that saved about 500 MB. I also dump the $$Uninstall files (500 MB).

I knew that slipstreaming was going to save me at least 450 MB because I wouldn't have the C:\Windows\Service Pack files. But I also got rid of a few things with XPLite.

If you slipstream SP2, I believe that you can dump the C:\Windows\Service Pack files. Windows will ask for the WXPSP2 DISK when it needs to find files. With the Service Pack files still installed, it asks for the WXP disk.

But the 800 MB less I saw was the difference between an upgrade install and the slipstream install after everything got reinstalled.

[virusdoc]

Originally Posted by doctorgonzo I installed SP2 on a machine with XP Pro on it, and I have noticed that startup times are longer after getting to the desktop. Has anybody else noticed this?

I have also noticed slower boot times (post desktop display) with SP2, with a lot of disk activity. When I Ctrl-Alt-Del to look at what processes are functioning during this period, the only thing I detect is my Trend Micro virus scanner. It never used to function at startup, so I can only assume that SP2 instructs it to perform some sort of startup scan. The delay is quite noticeable (30-60 seconds). I guess I can live with it if it is necessary, but it is annoying. One of the things I really liked about XP vs Win98 was that I could be launching a program within 30-45 seconds of hitting the power button. No more.

[RJ]

Hm, strange. My SP2 systems does not delay, I can just launch program almost instantly after I get to the desktop, on both my PC (which I updated to SP2) as on my mom's PC (on which I did a clean install with slipstreamed SP2).

Updating to SP2 is usually safe, but I have read that sometimes it can go wrong or something like that. I guess a clean install with a slipstreames SP2 will help you. If you have a spare hard drive you can try on that one to see if it works.

RJ

[andyms18a]

i get the same delay with xp pro sp2 i think its the new security centre checking that av and firewall is turned on and auto update is enabled

[RJ]

Hm, that could be it. I have turned that off, so that could be the reason why I don't have the delay.

EDIT: I turned the security center on, and I too got a delay. But it was only about 5 to 7 seconds.

RJ