SCI/TECH: WinXP SP2 Doesn't Work on 10% of Computers

I thought about not installing it. I had glitches after SP!---like it corrupted my user profile and nothing Dell and I did could fix it. It constantly crashed whatever browser I used.

I'm afraid that MS will issue new security patches that will REQUIRE SP2!!!!!

FWIW, I ordered the free CD to download SP2. I feel just a little safer not downloading off the Internet.
Alos, along the lines of JC, I have gone to Dell's and Symantec's website to see what THEY have to say about compatibility issues.

I have been running the Win XP SP2 RTM for a while now. No Major Problems - Just small Glitches & Bugs - Annoying more than anything else - But certainly NOT Catastrophic!!!

SAME HERE... nothing wrong with my XP SP2... my (all 3) XP comps with SP2 have been doing just fine... I'm glad to be part of that other 90%.

SP2 has been nothing but good to me.

-prophetmike

First, Windows XP doesn't work on 10% of the computers at "company's where the query was done".

Mostly at smaller company's where costom software developed for the company is of quick fix dirty coding type.

This query doesn't include home users wich rarely have costom software and only reflects a small part of company's around the globe that use it.

These problems imho are not microsofts fault, but the fault of smaller company's programmers doing a bad job at coding programs according to standards.

[edit on 3-9-2004 by thematrix]

I use Norton Anit-Virus 2004 Professional on my home PC. It works great with service Pack 2. Actually after the installation, you will get some security information and Norton is listed as the Virus Protection. If your computer is in the 90% range, SP2 is 100 times better.

One oft he good things for home users is: The pop-up blocker is wonderful. It stops them and then it give you a small bar at the top to let you open it for that site only or to temporarily open it or jsut leave it to keep them turned off.

The only thing I has was a compatibility issue with my Video card, but my manufacturer had the driver already created to coicide with the release of the service pack, so I upgraded the driver and the rest was perfect. Just write down the software that you use. Then check HELP-ABOUT.. get the versions, then jsut go to the website of the manufacturer. Send their tech support an e-mail if there is no information listed.

Good luck with the upgrade. If you have any question, just send me a U2U and I will be more than glad to offer any advice.

Thanks for the info, I will wait until the problems get fix.

I installed the SP2 right away. I have XP Home. My only concern was that the MS firewall might not be compatible with my Norton firewall. So far, the MS firewall and anti-virus softwares seem to be working in perfect harmony.

I run the Norton Anti-virus frequently and I have had no viruses and the firewall and the auto-anti-virus do a good job of protecting my hard drive automatically remvoing malware automatically.

I just haven't had any problems at all.

what i heard on the app compatibility issues was that some apps wrote their own ip stack which ms now does not allow with the security features in sp2..

I went to the Microsoft SP2 page www.microsoft.com... to read up on what to do and what to expect.
I have a Dell Dimension 4500, so I went to the dell link and read that I should upgrade my BIOS.
(BTW, thanks for your help with that JCM!!! )

Dell techs emailed me back. Here is part of their response:


Dell owners, be aware.



[edit on 5-9-2004 by DontTreadOnMe]

I did it anyway and so far so good it is using my existing firewall and my existing virus software and not problems.

i cant even download SP2 so i would know anything....but just wanted to know if any1 here knows how to fix this cuz i wanna try it out

can you unistall it once you installed it?

All I've read points to being able to uninstall it. But, I don't know that it would automatically fix was got messed up

And, you could also go to a restore point.

At a job interview the interviewer kept stressing "I dont know what SP2 is going to do to us"

I told him, that I dont plan on installing it because I have heard of lots of problems.

Did he take my advice? Dont know... I didnt get the job

Best thing everyone can do is like what DontTreadOnMe did. Research it and then research it again. I am really kind of surprised about the Dell thing.

I believe that from what I read about the uninstall feature it will definately work on XP pro. It might work on XP Home. XP Home doesn't have the Check Point feature from what I understand of what I read on the SP2 install FAQs.

As always MS recommends you do a backup before installing any OS upgrade. XP Pro has a built in backup tool XP home doesn't.

Read it, read it again. Back it up, verify the backup then if you feel comfortable... give it a whirl.

FYI... I still haven't done it.

Phreak~~
I'm glad to hear that even "Nerd Computer Ace
Brewmeister" aren't gung-ho on SP2. Even when I do it, if I do it, I'm gonna do it from the CD.
BTW, I still haven't heard back from Dell about what to expect patch wise.

well it's been in my system for a few days now and I hav'nt had a problem of any kind, just a couple of clicks for the fire wall and it's all honky Dorry
mind you it's a new comp, but I'm happy, videos, music, games programs all work,

Reading in the SP2 FAQs & Features it says that it installs Media Player 9. If you have installed WMP10, that will cause problems. I would imagine after the update you could reinstall WMP10. Although you will need to reinstall the codecs also.

[edit on 9/8/2004 by phreak_of_nature]

DUH, is it just me, or does anyone else find it odd how many MS porgrams conflict with SP2?

Please see the following link to view the list of problems:hot topics about using programs...with SP2

I installed it a few weeks ago and everything was fine. For awhile Then programs started locking up, my internet connection kept screwing up. Then this last week I had to restore about 5 times. So today I spent the afternoon removing all sp2 applications. And so far it is running like a top. Just as before.