Windows XP SP2 Now Available!

[Skyzyx]

The full install package (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en) (272 MB) for Windows XP Service Pack 2 is available now, and will be available via Windows Update (in a much smaller size) in a few days. :thumbsup:

Internet Explorer has no new improvements on the XHTML/CSS/PNG fronts, but does offer popup blocking. I'm still testing out the rest of the OS, but it looks good so far.

[oracleguy]

Yeah, I installed it on a few of my machines last week when the full package came out. So far the 60% failure rate that plagued the RCs doesn't seem to be affecting the final version.

[WA]

From what I hear the pop up blocker in SP2 is much more powerful than anything currently out there. Pop ups that would get by Google's toolbar for example gets blocked with SP2.

I'll wait for my update to come through from automatic update, which could be 2 months.

[jkd]

I've never had a popup with Firefox or Mozilla with blocking-enabled... can't get much stronger than 100%.

[sweenster]

might be of interest....

this to start with
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3551576.stm

and then...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3561430.stm

<edit>
stop the press, try this one now....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3570636.stm
</edit>

[oracleguy]

Yeah, you can get it via bit torrent quickly as well, but just make sure you check the MD5 checksum of the file before you install it, I think you can find what it should match up to listed on Microsoft website on the download detail page for the file.

But I think it is dumb that Microsoft isn't embracing the fact that P2P services are making it easy for them to distribute the update. And saying you need a license to distribute a free update?

[Ultragames]

Had SP2 on my comptuer for a while. Week or more. The pop-up and install prompt blocker is AMAZING. Works way better than google, or MSN blockers.

Had a memory error coming out of standby right after i installed and restarted. But thats my only problem. Start up is slower. Others have found it faster.

[scroots]

is it available for free on CD from microsoft? for all the people on dialup with more than one pc.

scroots

[As5a5sIn5]

what exactly is in SP2? Ive heard much about it but not very many details :confused:

[oracleguy]

It is Service Pack 2, it is a large collection of fixes including all previosuly available fixes for Windows XP.

[WebPlaya]

If the update is free and so is the CD with SP2, why are they going to put it in PC Magazine or something that you have to pay for it?
I couldn't just walk in the store and say, "Oh, can I take this CD from your magazine? I don't want to buy the magazine but I just want the CD"
How is that going to work?
Has anyone found if the SP2 actually reported that a Spyware was being installed on their computer? I heard many people say that popup blocker is amazing but that should be the least concern.

[Basscyst]

Well, packaging and distributing a cd costs a bit more then just having it available as a free download. By distributing it with a magazine, Microsoft and the publisher create a win win situation. People may buy the magazine just for the disk, and it probably costs MS little to nothing to be included thearin.

Basscyst

[WA]

Well, I just upgraded to SP2 over the weekend- the entire process took over an hour. Apart from the popup blocker on by default in IE, the other interesting thing I noticed is how IE also now blocks "active content" from running. If I run a page with JavaScript offline, the browser blocks it from running, claiming the script has the potential to access my harddrive. I can explicitly enable "active content" from running for each instance. That gave me a little scare, since I thought IE has decidedly to lump JavaScript/DHTML with pop ups as something it blocks by default, but it seems "active content" is only blocked in an offline setting.

Oh yes, I did experience a bug after upgrading I'm still battling- in the Windows tray now, I get a "Acquiring Network Address" icon running continuously upon loading up XP, though luckily, I can still connect to the net. Only info I can find on this: http://forum.tweakxp.com/forum/forum_posts_view.asp?TID=17348&PN=1

[codegoboom]

fyi, this seems to be the simplest way of willfully suppressing the active content bar (if you just want to test out a script in IE, locally)...

insert the following comment in the source code, and the browser will run the document in the internet zone:
<!-- saved from url=(0013)about:internet -->
more info, and other options here:
Changes to Functionality in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
Part 5: Enhanced Browsing Security (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2brows.mspx) / Internet Explorer Local Machine Zone Lockdown (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2brows.mspx#XSLTsection133121120120)

[oracleguy]

You can now order SP2 on CD from Microsoft for free: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/default.mspx

Ideal for those on dial-up.

[johnnyb]

I'm having the problem that every time I start my computer it tells me that the firewall is turned off and I should turn it on. I have it off on purpose and have unchecked the "notify me about the firewall" box, however it keeps re-checking that box whenever I restart.

Anyone else have this problem or know a workaround?

Other than that SP2's been great - Having my wireless connection look different from my wired connection in the system tray is excellent.

John