Office Service Pack 3 - Really? Why?

[Keygrip]

My compyooter is constantly advising me to downlaod and install Office 2003 Service Pack 3............but I'm running Office 2007 (Ultimate).

This duzznt make sense to me, so it arouses suspicions.

Any thoughts as to the yes/no decision?

=^..^=

[Keef]

I got one last night advising me to download a service pack for my Office 2007.
Since I'm on Office 2003, my reaction was the same as yours.

The answer is obvious now: you got mine, I got yours.

I turned OFF all those automatic updates a long time ago. That's avoided a lot of pain since. I rely on ZoneAlarm and the virus protection stuff to look after me.

I spent this morning "fixing" the computer of an old parishioner that had locked up because of a Windows update. Several bits didn't work any more, and hadn't for a while. Now all sorted, updates turned off, and she's happy. Shields Up! gave her machine a full "pass".

[Erikk]

Have you ever used Office 2003 on your computer?
If, did you remove it properly? Maybe there are some registry keys left which cause the update programm to think that you are actually using 2003.

I don't think there is any need to install the sp3 update if you are only using the 2007 version (without specifik problems).

My advice, if it ain't broke, don't fix it ;-)

[Keygrip]

Wow, amazed at the speed of the answers, "lol".

I logged out of PPRuNe, to sweep the garage floor, then remembered I hadn't checked the admin forums - logged back in. Two answers already.

Keef, I have disabled the "yeah, just go ahead and do it" automatic setting, it now just alerts me to the fact that there are some updates available and lets me choose.

It's offering this SP3 as described, and the ATK0110acpi utility of which I speak on a different thread. Not sure why that is there either, as I don't appear to be running the AiBooster file to which I believe it refers.

Interested in your other comments about ZA etc. I've always understood that it's easy to get conflicts when running more than one anti whatever system - so tend to stay away from many of them.

I *have* a home network (four computers and a printer) running behind a cable modem/router which provides a firewall. I have AVG running on all four machines, windows defender firewalls and anti whatever ware.

What else do you recommend (and, for my uneducated brain, why)?.

Note: I do use the network a lot for file transfers and do use "GoToMyPC" on a daily basis to access my main desktop machine when away from the office.

I also use RealVnc to connect and view/operate the other three computers from my office one (but that's all in the home network).

I'd be worried that whatever system I installed would block some of these attempts. Would be grateful for your advice.

Erikk, no Sir. Never run anything other than Office 2007 Ultimate on this desktop - I only built it last February and already had the new software waiting to install.

Even if I had, I did a complete HDD format and complete re-install of Vista Ultimate this last weekend.

That's why I'm cofuzzled as to the suggestion to download SP3 for 2003.

Whew, longer answer than anticipated. Off to read the admin threads now.

[daved123]

keygrip
Hopefully having determined you don't need/want those particular updates, have you visited the M$ update website and in custom updates ticked the boxes and told it not to remind you about those updates again ? (XP function, not sure about Vista)
dd

[Keygrip]

Ahhhh!! So that's where the boxes are. I had seen them, but lost them again. Thanx.

[Tarq57]

Interested in your other comments about ZA etc. I've always understood that it's easy to get conflicts when running more than one anti whatever system - so tend to stay away from many of them.
A good rule of thumb is 1 (and only 1) antivirus, 1 (and only 1) software firewall, 1 (and only 1) antispyware. More than one of the same category are highly likely to conflict, cause slowdowns, and in many cases, can not be run/installed when another is already present.
Zonealarm is basically a software firewall, but also can be a suite, comprising AV as well. You would not want to be using ZA AV and AVG (which has, itself, become a suite of sorts.)

I *have* a home network (four computers and a printer) running behind a cable modem/router which provides a firewall. I have AVG running on all four machines, windows defender firewalls and anti whatever ware.
Windows Defender is an Antispyware (AS), not a firewall. Opinions vary as to its' effectiveness. It runs in realtime (resident.)
Anti whatever ware is probably an antispyware, and probably a demand scanner (like the venerable Spybot.) You can install as many demand scanners as you want. I would recommend the current "best" ones are MalwareBytesAntimalware, and Superantispyware. They are useful for detecting and removing stuff that a lot of AVs don't.

What else do you recommend (and, for my uneducated brain, why)?.

A Hosts File (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm) on any machine with a web interface will prevent a large number of known bad sites connecting. A similar effect can be achieved using SpywareBlaster, by Javacool, (This won't conflict with anything) or the "immunize" feature in Spybot. (Make sure any of these are updated regularly.)
Other "immunity" of sorts can be achieved by reducing permissions in browsers, so that, for example, it will prompt to run active scripts in all but the intranet zone. That would stop a lot of what's called "drive by downloads", where a user can get a trojan just by visiting a site, without clicking on anything. Problem is you have to have an idea of what web page might be safe to allow scripts on, or not. And some of them (most, probably) lose some functionality without scripting.

[Keef]

I agree with what Tarq wrote.

One firewall (I reckon ZoneAlarm; certainly not the Windows one), one anti-virus (I use AVG on the laptop, Avast on the desktop, nothing on the Linux box, nothing on the fileserver which is inaccessible from the Internet, and doesn't do e-mail).

I have a VPN from the Norfolk cottage back to the house in Essex, and it "just works". That means the primary defence for the whole system is the NAT firewall in the home router. I checked that with the Gibson "Shields Up!" site using the laptop with all protection turned off (so it wasn't the laptop's protection I was testing). It got a "full stealth" rating, so I reckon that firewall is OK. I suspect the same VPN would work from anywhere I was using the laptop, but I'd worry about security on a hotel or similar ADSL connection, so I don't do that.

I have a "hosts" file, but haven't updated it for a while. Reminder to self...