Microsoft: SP2 makes Windows 15 times safer

(from ZedNet) Computers running Windows XP Service Pack 2 are 15 times less likely than those running XP or XP SP1 to be infected by some of the most dangerous forms of malware, according to a Microsoft security guru.


full story here

 

Still surprised why some insist on not installing SP2.

 

Me to, it works very well and the security boost is substantial.

 

Been running SP1 since 2001. No problemo. It's faster than SP2 and is LESS BUGGY.

 

I see people talking about sp2 being buggy. I have been useing it since it was a beta and have never seen that problem. But I will not try to convince anyone to install it. there have been many experts trying to get people to install it and trying to explain that there are around two hundred changes in sp2 to help keep a computer secure. But if people think they know more than the people that write the windows programs then that is their right not to take advantage of the extra free protection.

 

Is that 15 times less likely to get infected right out of the box, or is tweaking required to achieve this level of protection?

 

I have not had any problems with SP2 either, it's at least as stable as SP1, if not more, and it actually gave me a bit of a speed boost since the memory handling bug in SP1 was fixed. At this point pretty much all vendors should have patches/updates for apps that were affected by SP2, so I can't really think of any reason not to upgrade.

 

SP2 is not buggy and very stable here(fresh installation though). Beside the kids computer running XP-SP2 and Avast(free) only. is surviving, this shows that SP2 is doing a good job.

 

I ordered my SP2 CD from Microsoft and never got it...

 

Odd....Microsoft forgot about your order or something. Try ordering again or give Microsoft a phone call and ask them about the status of your order.

 

you can download it directly from microsoft site ( choose installation language>go)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...BE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

 

Yeah, to quote a sentence from that page in your posted link:

 

My friend just download it its THE SP2
SP2 is SP2 whether for one computer or for a millions

 

If anything, my PC is more stable since I installed SP2 than it was before with just SP1. And it has never been compromised by any form of malware. Yet.

 

I agree 100%!!

 

Yes nadirah it's the same one, I have downloaded it and installed it on my notebook last month. Someone who knows it for sure should confirm it though.

I did find it slowing my surfing down when I initially installed it but ... that could just be psychological after the loooooong download and update with Windows Update.

 

Of COURSE they would say that. Could you imagine him saying "Oh, SP2 is awful, it leaves you wide open to attacks, and you're better off not using it. BTW, Go with Mozilla, IE is crappy"

I'm not making fun of the poster, but the article.

 

If it is not SP2 what is it then. and why they use it in slipstreaming(read here)
http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/winxp-sp2-bootcd.html
that note is there by microsoft to reduce the load on download

 

OK, I fired up Internet Explorer (won't let me use Firefox or Opera) and re-ordered. Probably last time, I order with a _Linuxmail_ e-mail address. This time I ordered with my GMail account.

P.S. I waited like 2 months for my first order and I'm on dial-up. So the reason I want to order a CD is because... Yep, It will take ages!

 

hadi, read this:

Downloading

I got impatient and didn't wait for the "automatic update" feature of Windows XP to download SP2 for me. Instead I stumbled over the Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers version and downloaded it myself. This version is designed for those who will need to update multiple computers. (i.e. a library full of staff and public computers.) The only difference between this download and what you'll get via the auto update or is that this is the complete package while the auto update will download only the files you need for that particular system. This version downloads all the files and the installs only the ones you need. At 272.391MB it's a hefty download. On my cable-modem it took about 20 minutes. For those using this version, download it once, place it on the network somewhere and install it from the single location on each machine. (That's what it's designed for.)

Windows XP Service Pack 2 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers

This installation package is intended for IT professionals and developers downloading and installing on multiple computers on a network. If you're updating just one computer only, please visit Windows Update

 

Well, yeah. Becoz there are millions of world dog out there; who think they are good and know a lot about computer. ( Most of them post in SlashDot and shout about everything ) And refuse to install SP2 becoz they
1. Heard it is not stable.
2. Try to install it and it is not stable.

Personally i will never do SP2 upgrade. Because it always causes problem. especially on such big update. Slipstream it on the Windows CD and do a Clean install and has worked fine since then.

And just like when you tell them to at least get a bloody AV install on their machine. "No... it slows down, and my computer won't be unlucky enough to be infected anyway " ... Yeah Right, one day came back to me and ask me to help them fix their computer.

People Don't listen unless they have been through it. Is my answer to all question. And that is why i stop promoting Firefox. Becoz unless they have been infected they will never listen. Sometime i wonder why is there such people stupid enough to write virus to infect people. And after so many incidents i understand may be somebody like me got pissed off enough to try a wirte a super virus to get every one infected so they will finally protect themself..........

Anyway back to topic: I read a interesting comment on this article that i find quite funny.

A: Who said that SP2 is 15 times safer?

B: Um.. Microsoft themself.......

A: Yea!. 15 times saver than Windows. Windows = 0; So 15 x 0 still equal 0.

 

That statement is mathematically inconsistent. Because you can always assume that you have multiple computers. So, update the first one and leave the others.

 

Alright. Just an update.
I received my CD/s, it looks like Microsoft ships them in batches.

I got the one I ordered ages ago with the one I ordered 1 week ago at the same time. They come from a Hong Kong address with a Germany post declaration sticker.

I installed SP2, and so far, so very good. The only bad thing is that it bloated this Windows by 200MB (or 1 extra minute, when imaging) but a small price to pay for all those fixes and patches I've missed for ages.

I also saw that my updated my XP splash screen, and now they removed the words "Home edition" from the splash screen. And there isa blue status bar for the splashs screen even if I have Home edition (which should be green).

 

And thats the only thing I dont like about SP2.

I want my "Home edition" logo with the green bar

 

I got rid of my XP splash screen completely, no probs at all.