The BIG XP SP2 Poll - Did you install it and what did it do?

[none]

Did you install Windows XP Service Pack 2? What did it do to your computer(s), if anything?? By all means, feel free to post and go into the creepy details..

I purposely haven't installed it on either on my ThinkPads, because it trashed several other machines I loaded it on.. I got a better solution for IE security holes, use Firefox

[Plinkerton]

I'm a little worried about installing it. On my first T42, it seemed to be fine. A few days later though, my computer completely crashed, and I don't know why. SP2?

So, on this new one, I am not going to do it for a while, because everything is functioning perfectly.

I use Firefox exclusively also, so maybe that helps.

[AssPenny]

Ive installed it on every Thinkpad and every desktop I have and I havent ran into any issues. What little "quirks" existed was due to the security settings being defaulted to a tighter setting. Anyone who is semi pc literate can adjust this no problem. As for affecting system stability, i havent seen or heard of any real issues, only a few "speculation" ones. After being in this field (IT) for years and years now, this is the same debate that happens between every update/upgrade/version. People are just afraid of change and if they cant see blinking light benefits of the upgrade, then it just is wrong. Very typical, so no surprise here. Change is good.

I would advise everyone to install the update. Delaying a year before installing it isnt going to change anything, its still going to be sp2.

[k3vb0t]

One of the first things I did after receiving my T42 on the 1st... didn't notice any difference, other than the annoying little Windows Update telling me I needed to update being gone!

[Elhabash]

After installing it, I experience a 2-3 minute lag after login. The computer just idles, with no apparent activity (Also nothing to see with Bootvis).
I have no idea at all if this has something to do with SP2, it just happened right after installing it.

Other than that, less problems than I expected!

[jdhurst]

I installed SP2, then all the IBM drivers, BIOS and applications as they came along. It already had a 60Gb 7200rpm hard drive. I changed out the wireless for the IBM and its newest driver. Then yesterday I put a 1.8GHz Dothan CPU in it. Just flies. Nothing wrong at all. ... JDHurst

[ruykava]

yup, i've installed SP2, there's absolutely no problem. the only thing is to make sure that Access Connections, if you're using that to connect to your wireless network, has its firewall turned on before installation. Otherwise SP2 will keep [censored] about there being no firewall, and yet you can't change the settings within SP2's own wireless network management settings. my computer does seem slightly slower on bootup, but that's perhaps because i need a defrag after all those files being installed

[Marc_G]

As for SP2... it breaks a custom application I use for work. I won't get into the specifics here because the software involved is a niche product, but some application timing issues were changed in SP2 and this causes some software modules to hang.

[DavidNZ]

I'm staying away. There's nothing more that SP2 can give me that I don't already have (including the new wireless support features) with my hardware firewall and software firewall (and anti-virus of course).

275MB of bloatware if you ask me, but what ticks me off is that future updates from MS may *require* SP2 to be installed. Ludicrous.

SP2 is for people like my mother, who don't have a clue what a worm is. For most of us in these forums, however, who already have, more than likely, robust firewall and anti-v protection, it doesn't offer us any more than we already have.

[jpdarcis]

Since I am the kind of guy, loves to have his cake and eat it, I created a second primary partition, copied the before SP2 partition, and installed SP2. So, I now have both on my machine. A very limited number of software I used stopped working (most notably, Lifesaver which is exactly what it says) but a new version already was available. I believe SP2 is more sensitive to bugs in software than SP1, meaning IE can at times reinitialize. I wish DEP (data execution prevention) was a little more documented. So basically, SP2 did not create significant problems for me. But the point should be, did it bring something to me ? I believe not: I never use Explorer to surf the Internet, knowing better than that, I already used a two-way firewall. So I am very unsure if SP2 brought any benefit to me, which should be THE POINT.

[mattfromomaha]

After installing it, I experience a 2-3 minute lag after login. The computer just idles, with no apparent activity (Also nothing to see with Bootvis).
I have no idea at all if this has something to do with SP2, it just happened right after installing it.

Other than that, less problems than I expected!

I'm in the same boat - and I know several other people with Thinkpad G, T and X series with the problem as well. It's a pain...but I have no idea how to fix....

[verktyg]

I installed SP2 on a lightly configured 240x. I had all of the appearance features customized with the Classic Desktop look.

SP2 changed everything back to the default "Jelly Bean" look!

Also I noticed that my HDD had been converted from FAT32 to NTFS!

[John560e]

I upgraded to XP SP-2 on my T23 and MSIE 6.1 would not work. So I reverted to the image made before upgrading. However, I bought a T23 which came with XP SP-2 preinstalled and it works fine.

Anyone know the fix for MSIE 6.1. It comes up for a few seconds then closes.

Regards ...

[namezero]

I upgraded to XP SP-2 on my T23 and MSIE 6.1 would not work. So I reverted to the image made before upgrading. However, I bought a T23 which came with XP SP-2 preinstalled and it works fine.

Anyone know the fix for MSIE 6.1. It comes up for a few seconds then closes.

Regards ...

Just find a slipstream Windows XP SP2 install disk and use your existing XP CD key.

(if you've two days to waste, then:)
Or you can create your own slipstream XP SP2 CD by reading this:
http://unattended.msfn.org/index.htm
To do so you need to download SP2 (don't install it), and you need your original XP install disc. Then start reading.

You can even combining newest IBM drivers into it as well. Read the driver section of that guide. (for auto installing of IBM software like Battery Optimizer is not simple... you need to use tools to record changes on registry/file and recreate such change as "answer file")

If you want the installation interactive, e.g. ask for CD Key, just skip the parts of creating answer file.

In the end you will have your own one shot one ki..... cough. I mean one click one FULL installation CD of Windows XP SP2 with newest drivers from IBM.

[John560e]

[/quote]Just find a slipstream Windows XP SP2 install disk and use your existing XP CD key.

(if you've two days to waste, then:)
Or you can create your own slipstream XP SP2 CD by reading this:
http://unattended.msfn.org/index.htm[/quote]

Thank you!

[strekship]

I installed XP Pro slipstreamed and nLite'ed on my T21. It performs as well as can be expected on those specs. I didn't rerally notice much of a difference because i disabled all of the stupid security notifications that would normally pop up.

[boardmonger]

The only thing I can find is boot time seems to take longer than before I installed.