afraid to download SP2!

[jeffr]

My system runs fine now...I've read so many horror stories about what happens AFTER SP2 is installed, I'm afraid to do it...any thoughts?

[ktkendall]

I've had no problems with SP2, but havn't noticed any improvement or anything really different either..

[Panama Red]

Nothing to fear. I've installed SP2 on about a dozen machines so far and only had an issue with one. Best to run Adaware, Spybot, and Defrag your hard drive before you do the download. Also disable your antivirus and shut down any other running programs. Post back your experience. SP2 is primarily a security features update and addition.

[carlmccut]

No problems follow Red's guide and you should have no problems. There is a site with compatabily issues with some programs. Will be right back going to find it and post it for you.

[carlmccut]

There is another site that I saw that listed programs that had issues with SP2. I can not locate it right now here is another http://www.echelon.com/support/softwarelist.htm. Does anyone know where there is another site that list compatability issues with SP2?

[Panama Red]

Here's some that MS listed a while back.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/842242

[Hi Ho]

I have installed SP2 on both of my machines without any problems. The firewall gets annoying sometimes because it blocks internet access to applications until you click "unblock". You only have to do it once though.

[rcvalencia9]

nothing to be afraid of. installed sp2 and everything went fine. incompatiilities will be fixed by also downloading updates for incompatible programs. i had a lot of BSODs on my PC bec of unupdated McAfee Security Center but after receiving an update everything went fine.

Did not notice any major difference but i think its an important update. a MUST.

[kram 2.0]

I speak al contrar the above testimonies. My laptop, a Toshiba Intel Celeron 1.2Ghz laptop, was a very fast machine despite its CPU speed and 256MB of SDRAM. However, after recommendation to update to SP2 by my Sys Admin, I went ahead and downloaded it/installed it. The installation was succesful - it's at odds with none of my software. HOWEVER, I have to say the system is running very slugglishly now - I am inclined to reinstall SP1 if it wasn't the security concerns that I may have for a system that is on the internet 10+ hours a day. Updating security on the operating system is crucial, but I seem to get the wave that SP2 has it's downsides. Your choice.

kram

[digitalfreedom64]

I've installed SP2 on all 4 of my machines and have had no problems. I would suggest having a second firewal and disabling the windows firewall. The windows firewal isn't al that great

[john ranger]

No problem here, and remember there is nothing that can't be fixxed!

[thefultonhow]

Originally Posted by jeffr My system runs fine now...I've read so many horror stories about what happens AFTER SP2 is installed, I'm afraid to do it...any thoughts?

I work as a "user assistant" at my college, which means that people come in with various computer problems and I fix them. I've been working for a month and a half and have installed SP2 on every computer that has come in that didn't already have it, and I have not really seen any problems. The same goes for the other User Assistants. I did have a problem with it on the Dell Optiplex GX200 that I gave to my dad, but it was a driver compatibility issue with the onboard video, and since it had a PCI video card, I just disabled the onboard video in Device Manager and it worked fine.

One thing that I have noticed is that 256 MB of RAM is not enough to run SP2 smoothly, but if you have 512 or more you should be fine.