[rant]Today I got a message from Windows saying that there was a new critical update for me to download. I'm thinking this is great, SP2 is going to take care of this for me and I won't even have to do anything. So I download it, no problems. I install it, no problems. Then it prompts me to restart my computer. I tell it that I'll reboot my computer later. I go back to what I was doing. About five minutes later, it again prompts me to reboot. I tell it again that I'll do it later. Five minutes later, same thing. This goes on for about 35 minutes before I leave to go to work. When I do leave, I leave my computer up and running. I just got back, five or so hours later, and find that my computer is powered down. Annoyed because I know it has something to do with that stupid update, I turn my computer back on. After the desktop loads I a llittle balloon pops up out of the task bar saying something along the lines that my computer had completed an "automatic restart" due to the installation of an update. If SP2 didn't make wireless networking so easy, I would have uninstalled it a long time ago. This thing is a pain in the ass.[/rant]
Stupid SP2...we updated several computers in the office and everything seemed fine, until we needed to connect to Oracle databases running on those machines. Absolutely nothing would allow us to log into the updated computer...permissions, rebooting, upgrading accounts to admin privs...nothing. So finally we find a post on Oracle's website that says SP2 automatically installs a software firewall AND TURNS IT ON for you. As soon as we turned those off, we were back in business. Typical MS...they know exactly how you should configure your computing environment.
I don't know which one cause it, but I (Windows XP) installed Outlook 2003 and SP2, and now my Excel doesn't work anymore...it keeps asking me for the Office Setup disk when I try to start it (which, of course, I have in another apartment). I think it wasn't caused by SP2, but by Outlook 2003, but it's still odd... Oh, and that Windows Security Center thing gets on my nerves bigtime also...I already have a Norton Firewall and Symantec Anti-Virus installed...I don't really see how these buggy notifications from Microsoft enhance my security .
Why should I install SP2 after hearing all the negative things about it? I already have a firewall and can take good care of my cpu on my own...
Tips for installing a service pack for Windows: 1) Research it as best as you can. Try to find out what systems are affected by it and how it may affect you. 2) Be ready to reboot. This applies to patches and updates, too. Microsoft's "would you like to reboot now?" prompt really means "you must reboot now." If you're not ready to reboot, don't install it yet. 3) Be careful of your serial number. MS has done some things to crack down on bootlegs, and you need to make sure you won't be locked out of your own system. 5) Have your original Windows disks available, just in case. This is always a good idea. Keep your windows CD handy at all times - you never know when you may need it. 4) Expect change. Service packs always add and turn on a bunch or crap that you don't want - things like firewalls, messaging, auto-update, etc.. You should know by now that this is Microsoft's way, and that you're going to have to spend time looking through your system finding stuff that needs to be turned off. Don't like it? Go to Linux/Mac (they're getting better and better every day) -- droxford
but XP is so broke ... Since starting out with the first release of XP I have d/l-ed over 50 OS updates for security
YEAH! Did the same thing to me, I couldn't believe it. Whenever I leave my computer, I hit the WindowsKey+L to go to the Switch User screen (so no one gets on my comp, AIM away message goes up and stuff like that). When I got back from class it was still at that screen, but once I logged back in I found my computer had been restarted. I will very often say "Restart Later," very inconsiderate for them to try and "sneak" it by you when you're not looking, people could very well have things left that haven't been recently saved and such... not cool.
Man I hate installing programs that require a restart but don't even allow you the option to restart later. Those are the most annoying. Most of the time I just installed it because I'm going to use it, but can live with using it some other day.
Considering my XP has never correctly downloaded and installed SP1, I won't even go near SP2. The day my computer shuts down like that is the day it goes in the trash.
I keep getting (sporadically) "new network" messages, after installing SP2. I have XP Pro, and am the "administrator," with 3 other family members using the PC, with their own user setups. It's a great feature, but is this thing causing Windows to somehow see them as a "network," or is it something else? It's not a big deal, but it's irritating. And, sometimes, when I install a game, from my admin user thingy, you can't play it on the other user thingys! And it isn't true with all games. Bah!
Boo-hoo!!!! SP2 Annoys me!!!! Booo-Hooooo!!! Just kidding, dude... Anyway, I think there should be a "RANT, RAVE AND WHINE" category
1. I guess I'm the only person in the world that hasn't had problems yet with SP2. 2. Why in the world wouldn't you restart? It takes all of, what, three minutes? I always look at a restart - particularly after an install/uninstall - as a 'clean sweep'. To me, it's a must when working on a computer. I want everything completely done, uninstall or install, before I leave it behind.
no...you arent the only one...surprisingly, I havent had a problem one since SP2...except for the irritating on by default firewall...which I dont need... but other than that...it has gone surprisngly well. Im frankly shocked...
