Forced SP 2 Downloads on Windows XP

[Hiro]

http://blog.informationweek.com/windows/archives/002597.html


Beware unplanned SP2 downloads on April 12




On Tuesday, April 12, Microsoft will turn off the blocking feature that has made it possible for some enterprises to block Windows XP Service Pack 2 downloads by employees who use Automatic Update. That means in companies that used the blocking tool, SP2 will be downloaded automatically to desktop computers that use Windows' Automatic Update feature.

In its April 4 report on business adoption of Windows XP SP2, AssetMetrix warned that a surge of SP2 downloads on April 12 could stress IT help desks and cause "productivity brownouts" among employees. But a Microsoft spokesman downplayed that scenario, saying fewer than 1% of Microsoft's enterprise customers ever used the blocking tool anyway. Small businesses and consumers will be unaffected by the change, he says, because the blocking tool was not available to them.

AssetMetrix advises companies that did use the blocking tool, yet now want employees to upgrade to SP2, to do so gradually before April 12 in order to avoid a big-bang support problem. It's worth noting that April 12, as the second Tuesday of the month, is the same day that Microsoft is scheduled to release its monthly software patches, if any are forthcoming.

[bachviet]

No worry here at work since we still use Windows 2000.

[doolittle]

if you have automatic update disabled it wont matter. this only effects people who intalled a block for sp2 while running automatic update.

[Markel]

I was holding off on SP2, but when I recently had to reinstall XP, I decided to go ahead and upgrade to SP2 (since I could always just re-install again if anything got messed up). Thankfullhy, it's been working fine for me.

[bbrian]

Sp2 is pretty solid and a hell of a lot more secure. Enterprises should be jumping on it. I feel sorry for the people working at enterprises that block it.

[Nija]

Sp2 is pretty solid and a hell of a lot more secure. Enterprises should be jumping on it. I feel sorry for the people working at enterprises that block it.
From Slashdot (http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/04/06/1657216&tid=201&tid=172&tid=218)
Here is a list of known software that is not compatible (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=884130&product=windowsxpsp2)

[navyones]

No worry here at work since we still use Windows 2000.

We still use Windows 2000 at my work too. I think it is a much more stable operating system than Windows XP.

[bbrian]

I know there are some issue, but not many of those apps are 'enterprise' apps and the ones that are mostly just have annoyances. Most enterprises are still 32bit too, which lowers the compatibility list quite a bit. Considering the amount of money an enterprise can lose if a trojan/malware steals customer/client info, I would think most enterprises would replace the problematic app and install SP2 asap.

I also hear a lot of buzz about custom apps.. we have a bazillion custom apps here written in borland c++, MS c++, vb, perl, c#, cobol, pascal, etc.. and we had zero problems with sp2. There's also a simple workaround to disable DEP, which removes many of the incompatibilities with the apps in the MS list.

[bbrian]

We still use Windows 2000 at my work too. I think it is a much more stable operating system than Windows XP.
There's a lot of information available in the IT industry to show otherwise. Pretty much every security problem that exists in XP or XP SP1 exists in 2K. MS had their developers focusing on bug and security fixes for SP2, many of which were in 2K as well, but weren't fixed in 2K and probably won't be fixed in 2K.

[Jeffbx]

:stupid:

Once you use XP for a while, you'll wonder how you ever put up with W2K. From both a usage & administrative POV, I like it much better.

[shocky123]

I say **** it... it's Micro$haft's own fault for trying to force people into downloading their Crap sp2 update. I hope there's a HUGE 'support brownout'... serves them right....
*spits in disgust*
~Kyle

[bbrian]

gotta love the anti-ms mentality. Maybe you meant it as a joke, but from previous posts I've seen from you I'm thinking it wasn't.

Our support requests have gone down with SP2.. no more viruses, malware, adware causing problems. They want to force people to get it because they can't force people to stop clicking on stupid attachments in email or browsing illegal/questionable sites that install malware/trojans. If everyone with XP would install SP2, their support requests would go down and security holes found in previous version would be less significant allowing them to focus on the next release of windows.

[mechmike0034]

http://blog.informationweek.com/windows/archives/002597.html

We need this "Tinfoil Hat" smiley: http://www.okaygood.com/icons/tinfoilhat.gif

Like I have said before, I have installed SP2 on over a hundred machines with zero problems (other than not checking for spyware on the target machine first - my since unrepeated mistake)...