microsoft to discontinue SP1 support by October 2006

[mazinz]

Just giving the heads up that microsoft is stopping SP1 support by October 6 (or it was the 10th) 2006. This now forces many users (myself included) to upgrade to sp2 if you want continued update support. SP2 literally destroyed my PC a long time ago and forced me into reformatting. I hate microsoft.

Sorry I do not have a link for you. I found out from MS's latest updtaes, their little icon in my system tray "told" me the info.

[Faustus]

SP2 is awesome.

[redwudz]

I've used SP2 on about a dozen computers since it came out and never had any problems. I'm not surprised they quit supporting SP1. If you put in SP1, and all the updates that were released up to the time SP2 came out, then you already have everything thats in the original SP2 anyway.

[jimmalenko]

I've used SP2 on around 100 PCs (XP Pro) with no problems to date. I've learnt a few tricks of the trade, such as disabling the popup blocker, windows firewall and security centre notifications by using group policy.

[Supreme2k]

I never understood how SP2 was "frying" so many systems. I think that many of those "testomonies" can be chalked up to MS-phobes who didn't apply it, but said it fried their sysem to be one of he 1337.

I've installed SP2 on close to 100 systems. No problems yet. But I guess that I should expect Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined to come out of the back of my case, if the naysayers are to be believed.

No offense, mazinz.

[Faustus]

Well the truth is its a big update and if there is one thing I've found its that ANY update can cause a system to explode.

However usually its because something was jacked up in Windows before it came along, and the update just changed something that brought it to critical mass.

[RLT69]

I never understood how SP2 was "frying" so many systems. I think that many of those "testomonies" can be chalked up to MS-phobes who didn't apply it, but said it fried their sysem to be one of he 1337.

Think again buckwheat.

I ran into problems. Some programs will not work and/or install under SP2 and these are program that are stated to work under XP! I came across three programs that had problems:

Paperport 8
Nero 6
HP ScanJet Software

All said their software would run under XP. However, they would not work under SP2. Paperport's site said buy their new version. Nero and HP had update but HP updates still did not work. Nero worked fine after the update.

Thus SP2 can render some of your programs un-useable.

[lordsmurf]

I had issues with SP2 on a computer, and to be quite honest, I did not see any difference between an SP1 and an SP2, so I didn't bother updating any of the others. SP2 seems to be mostly MS versions of software I already had from 3rd parties.

[jimmalenko]

All said their software would run under XP. However, they would not work under SP2. Paperport's site said buy their new version. Nero and HP had update but HP updates still did not work. Nero worked fine after the update.

Thus SP2 can render some of your programs un-useable.

Is that Microsoft's problem, or the individual software vendors making claims that are untrue ?

[ROF]

I never understood how SP2 was "frying" so many systems. I think that many of those "testomonies" can be chalked up to MS-phobes who didn't apply it, but said it fried their sysem to be one of the 1337.

I think this does actually happen but the cause is not service pack 2. It is a lack of proper maintenance or other issues with the software already installed before these people upgrade. I have had to repair several machines where the user tried updating to service pack 2 and now their system is all screwed up. From flat registries to messed up drivers. I have seen all kinds of nonsense. Mostly I have traced it back to people installing the same software two or three times and thus causing a cluster of junk in their registry. Keep installing those USB2 device drivers over and over again. How about all those nonsense programs that come with your external hard drive? It didn't seem to work the first time and rather than investigate why you just install it again and again and again. See a pattern here? It is not service pack 2 that is "frying" your systems. It is your inept computer habits that is doing it. Service pack 2 just tries to bring it back in line. It's not a miracle worker you know. I install service pack 2 roughly 3-5 times per week in both reinstallation and new builds. I have hundreds installed and thousands of hours looking at those stupid splash screens. I am happy to report that when installed on a properly maintained machine Service Pack 2 has zero issues. It is not frying the machine. It's the user.

[pepegot1]

I was forced to upgrade to SP2 because Access 2003 would not run on the MDAC 2.80 version. SP2 changed it to 2.81 and all is well. I had many old programs and utiliies(clocks & spell checker) that I feared would not be compatible with SP2, but I found no problems. Everything works just fine. The ony problem I had is that depending on what is in memory at shut down/restart, the computer would shut down quickly or take 2 minutes and 20 seconds to shutdown/restart. I obtain a quick shutdown program QSD ver 2.6 and shut downs are quick and reliable so far-a little more time is needed for certainty. However, things got better not worse.
Some old program were AMI Pro Word Processor and Lotus 123-they all work fine.

The advice given above is true as some software will not work on SP2-I am lucky not to have any. Keeping a clean computer, less junk in directories, is also important. My machine is well tuned and kept fairly clean.

[jimmalenko]

I was forced to upgrade to SP2 because Access 2003 would not run on the MDAC 2.80 version. SP2 changed it to 2.81 and all is well.

You possibly could have still baulked SP2 and just upgraded MDAC to V2.81 with this:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=78cac895-efc2-4f8e-a9e0-3a1af...DisplayLang=en

[lordsmurf]

It is a lack of proper maintenance or other issues with the software already installed before these people upgrade. ......I am happy to report that when installed on a properly maintained machine Service Pack 2 has zero issues. It is not frying the machine. It's the user.

That's fun to say ROF, but people like myself saw weird crap happening on fresh XP installs that got SP2 as the very next thing. Drivers were the biggest problem, followed by some other odd things at boot-up or shutdown.

I hate the hardware in question, and the drivers even more ... but SP2 didn't help any.

[Dv8ted2]

I think this does actually happen but the cause is not service pack 2. It is a lack of proper maintenance or other issues with the software already installed before these people upgrade.

That is one of the only things you have said that I agree with

[jimmalenko]

I did not see any difference between an SP1 and an SP2

I hope you mean operationally, and not just visually.

[ROF]

It is a lack of proper maintenance or other issues with the software already installed before these people upgrade. ......I am happy to report that when installed on a properly maintained machine Service Pack 2 has zero issues. It is not frying the machine. It's the user.

That's fun to say ROF, but people like myself saw weird crap happening on fresh XP installs that got SP2 as the very next thing. Drivers were the biggest problem, followed by some other odd things at boot-up or shutdown.

I hate the hardware in question, and the drivers even more ... but SP2 didn't help any.

Yeah, I probably shouldn't say zero issues. There is always some odd phenomenon that occurs. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you view it, Service Pack 2 is not the first piece of software to cause other software code to run contrary to the way it's supposed to. Stuff happens. It was just my observation that quite a few people who have problems with Service Pack 2 already have other issues before they installed. While the issues may not have been apparent at the time, when Service Pack 2 was installed the issues jumped into the forefront and manifested itself in the form of conflicting drivers, invalid library files, or other oddities.

[jimmalenko]

FWIW all my experiences with XP SP2 have been in the form of a slipstreamed install CD onto brand new PCs, such that the machine is loaded with a fresh copy of XP SP2 from directly after the format. Maybe this is why I've not had any problems.

[lordsmurf]

I slipstreamed the second, and last, time I did SP2. For whatever reason, with SP2 on the system, it refuses to shutdown the system, it sort of hangs, and I have to jam in the power button for about 10 seconds to get it to power down. It has APCI, and I tried to force APM, but it just won't cooperate. SP2 is the likely culprit. The system has almost nothing installed.

[lenti_75]

there are bugs with SP2....you people who said that used it on 10000 installs....DID YOU REALLY USE IT ?

there is a BIG difference between install it and actually use it...



I had problems with SP2 and personally dont; use it, it's just a SP1 with 2 after....and some shitty firewall crap in it.

:P

[jimmalenko]

there are bugs with SP2....you people who said that used it on 10000 installs....DID YOU REALLY USE IT ?

there is a BIG difference between install it and actually use it...

I used it on 4 or 5 of the machines .... but I'm tech support for computer-illiterates using the rest of them. Trust me, I'd be the first to hear about something going wrong with those PCs

[ROF]

there are bugs with SP2....you people who said that used it on 10000 installs....DID YOU REALLY USE IT ?

there is a BIG difference between install it and actually use it...

I used it on 4 or 5 of the machines .... but I'm tech support for computer-illiterates using the rest of them. Trust me, I'd be the first to hear about something going wrong with those PCs

Same here. 5 active machines of my own and tech support on the rest of them. I see these other computers at least once a year for the first three years after I install windows on them because any new machine I build I offer one free service and complete cleaning once per year.

[budz]

Never had any problems with SP2 on any of the pc's I've built for myself or for others.

[lenti_75]

most of the people use their pc for surfing the net....

I had problems with it, after install some software just crashed.

[edong]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=884130

[Dv8ted2]

most of the people use their pc for surfing the net....

I had problems with it, after install some software just crashed.

Then update the software instead of blaming SP2. Technology evolves. If you run in place, the world will pass you by.

[RLT69]

FWIW all my experiences with XP SP2 have been in the form of a slipstreamed install CD onto brand new PCs, such that the machine is loaded with a fresh copy of XP SP2 from directly after th format. Maybe this is why I've not had any problems.

For the record it was a brand new machine with SP2 already loaded.

Is it Microsoft's fault or the vendors? Well since the vendor developed the program to work under XP and then Microsoft rolls out SP2 and then the program breaks, yes it's Microsoft's fault. I know this might be hard for techies to understand but talk to a developer sometime and then you will understand.

[Dv8ted2]

FWIW all my experiences with XP SP2 have been in the form of a slipstreamed install CD onto brand new PCs, such that the machine is loaded with a fresh copy of XP SP2 from directly after th format. Maybe this is why I've not had any problems.

For the record it was a brand new machine with SP2 already loaded.

Is it Microsoft's fault or the vendors? Well since the vendor developed the program to work under XP and then Microsoft rolls out SP2 and then the program breaks, yes it's Microsoft's fault. I know this might be hard for techies to understand but talk to a developer sometime and then you will understand.

Microsoft is within it's rights to change the operating system. It is up to the third party developer to keep up with changes.

[Poppa_Meth]

I've got HP scanjet software and Nero 6 installed on several machines running SP2 with absolutely no problems. Something else in your configuration is screwed up.

[MJA]

When installing a major update like SP1/2 best to format then install



1-windows
2-windows update
3-anti-virus/firewall
4-drivers
5-programs(nero.firefox...)

[tekkieman]

I hate jumping on bandwagons, but I have never seen such elitist crap in my life. "I've installed it a million times and never had a problem, so you must be a moron". Get over it. It does cause issues, otherwise, people wouldn't be reporting issues. End of story.

Who's fault is it? Well, let's see: working app, Microsoft changes code, app breaks. No doubt about it, it's Microsoft's fault. Do they have the right to do it? Of course they do, but it doesn't make it not their fault. Yes, there is always another side to a story, and it is possible that people who wrote code to Microsoft standards never took security into account. Then again, neither did Microsoft. Now that MS has to start thinking about security, some of these apps are likely to break. But if you look at that from the other side, you will see the trap. First you're told you have to do it one way, and then after you do, they change the rules. I can tell you that even MS development partners are not told enough in advance to counter what MS rolls out.

Finally, here is a source of some of the problems:

When installing a major update like SP1/2 best to format then install blah, blah, blah

The point of a service pack is to apply it to an existing installation! If you must format your machine to apply a patch, it is not a patch at all. It is a new version.

Of course, you could avoid all this and just run linux instead....