October 26, 2004

Well, it's arrived, the long awaited and touted service pack 2 for Windows XP. What is it, and should you upgrade? 

This is the second time I'm addressing SP2, click here for the first discussion.  The reason I want to follow up on the past discussion is because there are a few things you need to know and consider BEFORE upgrading. 

There is a lot of information out there to look at giving advice on what to do.  Microsoft recommends you check with your hardware manufacturers on driver updates, etc. before doing the update.  Click here for Microsoft's links to vendor sites.  For a list of some software applications which have issues with SP2, click here. Microsoft has a web site regarding SP2, click here for more.

How have people been doing after they upgrade to SP2?  For the most part, most people haven't had any major problems. Approximately 10% of those who have upgraded have had some types of problems.  As far as my customers are concerned, only a couple have had major issues.  SP2 will set a restore point, but I still suggest you also set a restore point before installing the update.  If something goes wrong, you can boot up in Safe Mode and restore back to before the update.

One of the biggest issues I have seen is the update will turn on the Windows firewall.  The new firewall is much better than the original, but it is still not as good as a regular firewall program.

For instance, if you have Zone Alarm installed, the Windows firewall being turned on may prevent you from being able to access the Internet, so you will need to manually turn off the Windows firewall after the update.  You also need to make sure you have the latest version of Zone Alarm, since the older versions do not get along with SP2. 

Also make sure to backup all your data before you do the update.  I haven't had anyone yet who has had to do a system restore after the update, but there are stories out there about this happening, so you want to be prepared just in case something goes wrong.  Better safe than sorry.  All in all, I still think this update should be applied to your computer. J ust follow the recommendations and things should go smooth.

As with any other major updates or upgrades, there are always compatibility issues.  I still wish they could just be satisfied with the status quo and not continue the upgrade path with such enthusiasm, but that's the computer world.

Whether or not you are updating or not, you should get in the habit of keeping track of updates for all your hardware and software. Things just run smoother when you keep everything up to date.  The service pack 2 update will take close to an hour to perform. 

You can order the update on a CD from Microsoft by clicking here. If you have a broadband connection, the update will install as fast as it does from the CD.  Since this is a major update, it will take a while. 

If you have any questions or comments, click