Topic: OT: Windows XP SP2 RC1 (Read 4268 times)

bc · « **on:** May 05, 2004, 11:04:17 am »

Hi--

Has anybody here tried XP SP2 RC1 now available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/sp2preview.mspx ?

Seem to be a lot of rave reports about improved security, etc. I'd like some informed feedback from people here.

I think I trust the dudes/dudettes here more than at any MS cheerleader forum--if you know what I mean

KingSparta · « **Reply #1 on:** May 05, 2004, 11:20:51 am »

currently it is taking forever to download anyway.

TimB · « **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2004, 11:28:28 am »

Is it only a security release?

-=Tim=-

bc · « **Reply #3 on:** May 05, 2004, 11:40:10 am »

I have it downloading now--at 3KB/sec on a cable conex--should have it for Memorial Day!!!

Toodles...

GHammer · « **Reply #4 on:** May 05, 2004, 12:44:04 pm »

Quote from: bc on May 05, 2004, 11:04:17 am

Hi--

Has anybody here tried XP SP2 RC1 now available at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/sp2preview.mspx ?

Seem to be a lot of rave reports about improved security, etc. I'd like some informed feedback from people here.

I think I trust the dudes/dudettes here more than at any MS cheerleader forum--if you know what I mean

Some of my apps were broken, but that is a known thing as SP2 changes several way apps can access system resources. Mainly apps I have that use DCOM broke.

I use Outpost Pro for a firewall and the Security Panel from SP2 always complains that I have no firewall.

Otherwise, I found nothing badly wrong with it. I just won't use it until it is released and the developers make certain their apps are compatible with it.

Mastiff · « **Reply #5 on:** May 05, 2004, 02:48:34 pm »

What about DRM? Any fancy new tricks there that will stop me from ever upgrading past SP1?

paulr · « **Reply #6 on:** May 05, 2004, 02:52:49 pm »

Some of the email newsletters I receive have convinced me to stay away from any RC versions of this service pack. So that's what I'm doing.

If I had another computer to mess around with, I'd probably install it, but there seem to be a lot of potential problems that could crop up that I don't want to have to deal with on my primary computer.

bc · « **Reply #7 on:** May 05, 2004, 04:29:24 pm »

Wow!!!

All of a sudden the SP 2 download got steroids--finished the download in a couple of hours.

I just installed it. I ran the grc.com Shields UP!! test before and after SP 2. Very impressive.

Full STEALTH--no visible ports after install--no ping return. Before 23 ports were visible, 1 wide open. And there was a ping reply. That was with the original SP 1 firewall in operation.

So far so good. No glitches or anomalies. Here's my system now:

Media Center Registered 10.0.129 -- C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center\

Microsoft Windows XP 5.1 Service Pack 2, v.2096 (Build 2600)
Intel Pentium 4 1716 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 785 MB, Free - 542 MB

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2900.2096 / ComCtl32.dll: 5.82 (xpsp_sp2_rc1.040311-2315) / Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2900.2096 (xpsp_sp2_rc1.040311-2315) / Shell32.dll: 6.00.2900.2096 (xpsp_sp2_rc1.040311-2315) / wnaspi32.dll: 4.57 (1008) , ASPI for Win32 (95/NT) DLL, Copyright © 1989-1997 Adaptec, Inc. / Aspi32.sys: 4.57 (1008)

Ripping / Drive D: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Drive E: Mode:Normal Type:Auto Speed:Max
Digital playback: Yes / Use YADB: Yes / Get cover art: No / Calc replay gain: Yes / Copy volume: 32767
Eject after ripping: No / Play sound after ripping: No

Burning / Drive E: LITE-ON LTR-24102B Addr: 1:1:0 Speed:24 MaxSpeed:24 BurnProof:Yes
Test mode: No / Eject after writing: Yes / Direct decoding: Yes / Write CD-Text: No
Use playback settings: No / Normalization: None

LonWar · « **Reply #8 on:** May 05, 2004, 05:02:12 pm »

Quote from: bc on May 05, 2004, 04:29:24 pm

Wow!!!

All of a sudden the SP 2 download got steroids--finished the download in a couple of hours.

Couple of Hours...

Man I got it in 11 min 20sec.
408 kb/sec

Man I love my connection!

Rob L · « **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2004, 05:05:55 pm »

Definitely more than just security - a lot's changed.

I suppose you might call pop-up blocking in IE "security".

But things like much better wireless and bluetooth support for instance. Plus performance looks better.

But it definitely DOES break some stuff...

bc · « **Reply #10 on:** May 05, 2004, 06:21:39 pm »

gamerdude--

Congrats on your connection.

I'm on a TW cable that usually clocks 1500 to 2500 kbps. I think that's 1.5-3MBps. My math may be.....

The bottleneck was at the MS server--mid-day today.

Suddenly the turbo kicked in and the DL time went from an initial 76 hours to 2 hours.

I don't think it had much to do with my connection. But a good connection is... a good connection!

As a famous man once said.

LonWar · « **Reply #11 on:** May 05, 2004, 07:00:28 pm »

Quote from: bc on May 05, 2004, 06:21:39 pm

gamerdude--

Congrats on your connection.

I'm on a TW cable that usually clocks 1500 to 2500 kbps. I think that's 1.5-3MBps. My math may be.....

The bottleneck was at the MS server--mid-day today.

Suddenly the turbo kicked in and the DL time went from an initial 76 hours to 2 hours.

I don't think it had much to do with my connection. But a good connection is... a good connection!

As a famous man once said.

Sorry man, didn't mean to brag... My ISP now brags about 4mb download, I get about 3.2, (using a router)...

If anyone is aprehensive about this... I downloaded it and Windows runs MUCH faster... I really like the firewall as well....

pipsqueak · « **Reply #12 on:** May 06, 2004, 02:15:23 am »

i downloaded it too. found the MS server to be very congested...lets just see how this thing works over the next few days

pipsqueak · « **Reply #13 on:** May 06, 2004, 10:33:56 am »

okay...quick question...

what settings do i need to change to stop this message from popping up each time i vist i new url?

see below for a pic of the message.

http://www.columbia.edu/~pj2109/ie.htm

pip

GHammer · « **Reply #14 on:** May 07, 2004, 12:59:11 am »

See the readme/release notes for SP2.
There is a wealth of info about what changes and how to control new features.

cascius · « **Reply #15 on:** May 07, 2004, 01:09:32 am »

So do you guys find it stable or have you ran into any bugs yet?

LonWar · « **Reply #16 on:** May 07, 2004, 08:33:25 am »

Quote from: cascius on May 07, 2004, 01:09:32 am

So do you guys find it stable or have you ran into any bugs yet?

It works great with my stuff....

GHammer · « **Reply #17 on:** May 07, 2004, 10:38:54 am »

Quote from: imjustagamer on May 07, 2004, 08:33:25 am

Quote from: cascius on May 07, 2004, 01:09:32 am
So do you guys find it stable or have you ran into any bugs yet?

It works great with my stuff....

Can you give us a hint of what 'stuff' that is?
Have you tried to install or uninstall something that uses an msi file for example? That was broken on the last SP2 preview on many systems.

LonWar · « **Reply #18 on:** May 07, 2004, 12:13:31 pm »

I'm not that computer iliterate...

What's an MSI file?

escaflo · « **Reply #19 on:** May 07, 2004, 12:47:29 pm »

MSI file is a installation packages that Microsoft (and some other softwares nowadays) used.

Basically its like InstallShield Wizard and it requires certain dependencies on the OS to run. To see whether any softwares uses it to install, just look for the extension, .msi

I think that's what it is. Might be wrong though.

bc · « **Reply #20 on:** May 07, 2004, 01:57:25 pm »

So far, so good.

My system has been humming right along--seems even faster than before.

I checked my security at grc.com--Full Stealth. IE 6 now asks me if I want to download images in e-mails before hammering me with all kinds of graphics.

I'm impressed.

benrad · « **Reply #21 on:** May 08, 2004, 12:13:01 am »

I'm getting security errors with lots of utilities that do system level activities (VPN Client, Diskeeper, DriveImage, etc.). I'm a little concerned and peeved.

GHammer · « **Reply #22 on:** May 08, 2004, 10:39:24 am »

Any app I have that uses DCOM or COM+ fails after installing this. Same as last version.

I predict LOTS of updates for many apps when this is general release.

As for the firewall, I guess it is better than nothing. It does not seem to allow very good control of access for apps though. All I see is unblock this app. That would allow access to any port as far as I can tell.

I'll be back after removing this. Hey, it's a RC, what do I expect?

GHammer · « **Reply #23 on:** May 09, 2004, 01:49:05 am »

Ok, anything that uses COM+ or DCOM on my machine was broken. That includes the DCOM config MMC panel. As soon as I tried to open it, it crashed.
Diskeeper would not run.
Windows installer would neither install apps nor uninstall. This is using msi files, apps that did not use msi files worked to install/uninstall.

If you find a problem and want to remove SP2, you need to do an uninstall from the Add/Remove programs tool.
After the reboot, do a system restore from the image created when SP2 installed.

If you do not do it in this sequence you will not get good results. For example, if you simply do a restore, you will get version mismatches and likely end up reinstalling XP.

The 3rd party apps are their responsibility. The msi problems and MMC problems are MS apps and they should work in my opinion.

I'll wait for the next try.

Mastiff · « **Reply #24 on:** May 10, 2004, 10:21:37 am »

GHammer, you mean to say that somebody still trusts computers enough to install anything without first doing a full image in Drive Image or Ghost?

hit_ny · « **Reply #25 on:** May 10, 2004, 11:02:11 am »

Quote

GHammer, you mean to say that somebody still trusts computers enough to install anything without first doing a full image in Drive Image or Ghost?

Good Point.

i'm still on Win2K, could not see any reason to upgrade to XP

All the addded security must make it quite tricky to get 3rd party security apps or system maintenance apps to work w/o an upgrade for every one of them.

GHammer · « **Reply #26 on:** May 10, 2004, 02:22:25 pm »

Quote from: Mastiff on May 10, 2004, 10:21:37 am

GHammer, you mean to say that somebody still trusts computers enough to install anything without first doing a full image in Drive Image or Ghost?

Only those of us without Drive Image or Ghost.

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: OT: Windows XP SP2 RC1 (Read 4268 times)

benrad