B-HLQ,

Always glad to help. ;)

Take Care,

Richard

On dial up at home (and no burner on my laptop despite a 2mb pipe at work :{ ) so I've ordered the CD from Microsoft.

Out of interest does anyone know how big the file is on Windows update?

timmcat,

On Windows Update it can be anywhere from 75Mb to 266Mb.

Take Care,

Richard

Which Messenger are you referring to, Windows Messenger or the Messenger service? It left the service alone on my machine and the service is supposed to default to off now.

goates

Whoops, quite right goates. :O I meant Windows Messanger. The annoying messenger service has remained dead.

Well, apart from having changed the icon showing that it's connected to WLAN, I haven't noticed any changes yet.

Took about 90 minutes to load - lots of fights with Symantec and some 'security center' thing came up when it re-booted. Seems to have vanished now....

I've tried it out on a couple of test boxes - one is fine, but the explorer process seems to die on the other, leaving me with nothing but my wallpaper and a moveable but unclickable mouse. Even Ctrl, Alt, Del does nothing. Uhoh... :ugh: :{

I have been doing fresh installs with the WinXP CD which already has SP2 in it and they go very smoothly. All that I see during the install is an extra screen that was not there on the WinXP w/SP1 CD.

The only thing that is annoying is the Security Center, it keeps wanting you to add an Antivirus program. Until you do, and you update the Antivirus program, it keeps popping up the reminder balloons.

Richard

I have Norton Systemworks on two computers here with Norton Anti-virus. On one the Windows Security Center recognises the Anti-Virus, on the other it doesn't. It didn't have trouble with the ZoneAlarm firewall on any of the computers though.

Meh, it still beats using Windows98... ;)

goates

Same here. It recognises Norton AV 2004 on one computer, but not Norton AV 2002 (current, updated and legal) on the other - even though both state "All of the Symantec products installed on your computer are currently up-to-date." No doubt a temporary thing which will be sorted out soon....?? Meanwhile I've turned off the so-called virus protection monitoring on the security centre thing because it clearly isn't working.

But over 90 Mb to fix the faults in the basic Win XP??

Just got through to the advice line - in the UK it isn't 0860 60 10 100 as inidicated on the MS site - it's actually 0870 60 10 100. Eventually they tell you to redial 0845 090 2025 - so that's the no. to ring for SP2 queries. They allege that it's Norton's problem and that they should come up with a fix. Which, of course, is typical MS bolleaux. That's like saying "We've got something which can tell you if your printer needs new ink cartridges" - but which only monitors, say, magenta and cyan and can't tell you about yellow because its database doesn't include yellow. The bloke on the other end said that he'd pass on the observation - but I doubt whether any fix will be forthcoming from Gate$' empire!

Nail biting couple of hours yesterday ..... it seemed to go quite painlessly.

The kids are still happy because it hasn't affected their on-line gaming but I've noticed a minor niggle with Money 2003. I used to be able to double click on just the day or month or year part of a date entry and have that highlighted for change. I can only get the entire date to highlight now when I double click on it. I then have to positon the cursor and drag across the bit of the date I want to change. A damn nuisance if you've got a batch of entries to do.

All in all, much less anguish than I thought I'd have.

ST

SP2 - good for you. Probably.
 

NTBugtraq which follows NT/2000/XP etc. security issues recommends that SP2 be supported because it's the first time ever MS has truly supported making a system secure *even* if that means pi$$ing off people who wrote insecure code in their applications.

Previously, it was "don't break the apps, even if they're not secure". This approach is better if it means fewer opportunities for worm/virus creators.

We will be starting a trial at our firm by installing a clean WinXP install with SP2 and installing our application software using test machines. If these work OK we will image this using Symantec Ghost and deploy it to our various models of PC. It is extremely unlikely we will be patching existing systems, but that's coz we can afford not to.

Incidentally we operate the Windows firewall on our internal network, but have customised it slightly. This is in addition to our dedicated firewall, in case a laptop brings something nasty inside the firewall. If you want to use Remote Control programs you have to open the firewall for that port though. In SP2 you just point at the program you need to get out and it figures out the rest.

I've tried the windows update feature, but it won't let me download it, reported it to MS and the reply was they were extremely busy at the moment please allow 48hrs!

How do you order sp2 cd?

Further to my last query about why the XP SP2 Security Center doesn't recognise Norton AV 2002 even with all its current updates, this is from the Symantec support site:

Q: Why does the Windows Security Center say that the status of my Norton security product is "unknown."

A: Your Norton security products contain tamper protection features that prevent malicious code from determining their status. This tamper protection also prevents the Windows Security Center from determining the status of your Norton security products. Shortly after Microsoft releases Service Pack 2, Symantec will make a correction available through LiveUpdate. This correction will allow the Windows Security Center to correctly identify the status of your Norton security products.

So hopefully it won't be long before there's a patch to correct the mis-reporting of Norton AV 2002 status!

Thanks Mike J ordered one.

I must be having a good day fixed 2 problems now (see ATI Radeon AGP thread )

and now the sp2 download problem, if you are unable to get the autoupdate or download working and get the followin error code 0x80244001 then do the following:
When searching for available updates on the Windows Update site, you see the 0x80244001 error

Problem description

This error may occur if the MSXML3.dll is missing or not properly registered.

Applicable operating systems

Windows XP

Windows Server 2003

Resolutions
1. Register MSXML3.dll
Click Start.
Choose Run.
In the Run box, type regsvr32 MSXML3.dll.
Click OK.

Since loading SP2 I have a problem with Amazon (US and UK) in that all the command icons are missing their images and just show the place holders with red crosses. Everything else seems fine, and it also doesn't seem to happen on any other site (so far). I can't spot anything in IE tools to fix it and the SP2 firewall is off.

Ideas anyone???? :bored:

ORAC,

Just to test, right click on one of the red X's and choose Show Picture.

Let me know if it shows it or not.

Take Care,

Richard

First thing I tried, no joy.

Installed SP2 today without any tears (so far!) having received the CD from Microsoft within a week of ordering. When the inevitable re-installation of XP comes along will I have to load both SP 1 and SP 2? I understand that it is the usual practice to include all prior updates in a Service Pack but I have the feeling that SP 2 only includes updates issued since SP 1. In other words, does the 'cumulative rule' not apply in this instance?

The CD contains the full version of SP2 as well as SP1 - otherwise how would they know which parts of SP1 you installed and which you didn't? So in the unlikely event of OS crashing an SP2 reload will suffice (unless of course it caused the problem in the first place :uhoh: )

None of the above,

When the time comes for the fresh install, you could slipstream SP2 into you current WinXP CD so when you do the Fresh Install, you would already have SP2. ;)

Take Care,

Richard

A m o f w and Richard............

Many thanks for your responses. In circumstances like these I always invoke 'None of the abpve's First Law of Hassle' which states that nothing is what it seems. When the whole edifice crumbles in an undignified heap at my feet I shall approach the reconstruction task with aplomb!

Thanks again, chaps.

N o t a

Must be a few problems with it.

There are high priority updates for it already.

Just bought an HP laptop (P4 3.0ghz, 512mb, 64m ATI Radeon 9000, 60gb HD, CD-RW, 802.11g) for 735 GBP. Finally found an amazing bargain, so had to go for it.
(been staying away from Laptops until they could compete somewhat fairly with my Desktop.)

I've been using Win2k forever on my Desktops but my laptop will have XP installed, with apparently the SP2 being installed by their staff as we speak (well, as I write this), so just a quick question or two for all you XP users who have ventured into SP2:

1. In Win2K everything is configurable and its nice to get under the hood, do I have the same ability in XP?
2. Where would I turn off my firewall in XP? Or configure everything?
3. Do I need to download an admin pack for that kind of access and control?

Pre-thanks guys.

P.S. This is the first place I go to for computer aide now, its always been amazingly helpful, so kudos!!! <grin>

Ridley

Ridley,

If you are getting XP Pro on your laptop, you will have the same abilities as 2000. However, if you are getting XP Home Edition, you won't nearly the same level of control. With XP SP2, there are new control panels for the Security and related features.

goates

CD arrived (apparantly a couple of days ago but no one told me!). Installed tonight with no problems surfacing so far - the security centre even recognises my freeware 'Antivir' virus scanner.

I've since run Windows update and it's telling me I'm bang up to date with critical patches, just a couple of software updates I'm not that bothered about.

Ridley,

I have SP2 running with all the new Security Warnings Disabled. In Windows Security Center, there is a link titled, "Change the way Security Center alerts me".

I have all three unchecked, because I have a Hardware Firewall, I do not use an Antivirus Program, and I want WinXP to tell me when there are updates and I choose when to download them. ;)

Take Care,

Richard

Thanks Richard, just did the same.

I love my hardware firewall and don't need the cute little software ones, so it was nice to know I could disable a lot of the cute features. (firewall, auto-update, etc)

Now, on to installing my 25 power apps I use.

I'll see you all in about 20 years. <grin>

lol

Ridley

Ridley,

We will be here. :ok:

Take Care,

Richard

P.S. Well, if Frances does not get us that is. ;)

Which Firewall?
 

Now I've got Bill's shiny new XP SP2 firewall, do I disable it and retain my Mcafee Firewall, or is it better to go with XP's offering and ditch my existing software?

Any thoughts anyone?

Tim.

I've kept ZoneAlarm and turned off the SP2 firewall - as far as I know the MS firewall doesn't moitor outbound traffic, whereas ZoneAlarm does. I don't know the details of the McAfee product, but if it is similar then i'd keep it. It's always worth knowing what is trying to call out to the internet.

timmcat,

I would use your Firewall vs the one offered by M$'s SP2.

Take Care,

Richard

Hi All,

I had an automatic update installation for SP2 some weeks ago.
All runs fine with a little help from this forum posts re. Norton vs SP2 warnings (but no big issue).

However, offspring plays Counter strike with the rest of the world on this PC. This has always worried me for some reason and have stuck his game on a separate partition of the disk.
I run Zone Alarm, Norton antivirus 2004, Spy ware Guard, Ad aware 6.0, Spybot and Spy ware blaster.
The PC is a Dell 2400/IntelCeleron CPU 2.40GHz/RAM:512 MB/OS: Win XP Home. Partitions through Power Quest partition magic 7.0

Maybe nothing to do with his game but since a few days I get the notification” LAN 2 speed 160 Kpi, limited or no connectivity”

I never had any LAN2 notification before.
When going to the page with LAN status it shows “limited or no connectivity” with a ‘repair’ link.
Running the link ends up at
“”Windows could not finish repairing the problem because the following could not be completed:
Renewing your IP address
For assistance contact the person who manages your network””

Is this normal or am I linked into something?

Thanks in advance.

a is dum,

It would be worth starting a new thread. List the NIC you are using along with how you connect to a Router and/or Internet with some details about the hardware used.

Take Care,

Richard

P.S. Also include if you use a DHCP Server or set the IP Manually.

Glad to see your still alive Richard.

Marcus

Marcus,

Doing well. The school is back up and running. (We had put the aircraft in hangars just in case.) No problems from Frances. Short of power outages and tree branches, no problem from Charley either. :ok:

Take Care,

Richard

Richard,
Glad to see you and the NACinc. school survived Frances.
If you need some branches? I can send you a few, we have a few in the backyard from yesterday's mini storm here! ;)

Re the thread, yes I will start a seperate thread if that helps, on the subject LAN2.

Thanks.

I thought Frances had hit the East Coast and Richard is on the West Coast?

Charles,

Even on the West Coast of Florida we were touched by Frances. It was not bad at all. Frances was so big that it covered the entire state. :eek:

Take Care,

Richard

Hiya uys,

Found this ever increaseing list if programs that DO NOT work with sp2, so be careful


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242


Mike