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Service Pack 2 (SP2) is now available from Microsoft®. It has advanced security features to help protect your PC against viruses, hackers and worms. Seneca Data will begin shipping SP2 in mid-September.
What is Microsoft® Windows® XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)?
Windows® XP Service Pack 2 is mostly about security. It will give you tools to easily view, understand, and control the security aspects of your computer. It includes changes in the operating system to nearly every area related to computer and network security.
Why Do You Need Microsoft® Windows® XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)?
The primary reason you may need Microsoft® Windows® XP Service Pack 2 is security.
When accessing the Internet, your computer is vulnerable to viruses. A failure to patch just one known security vulnerability can leave your computer wide open to Trojans. Trojans seek out unpatched computers and allow hackers to use your computer without your knowledge. Trojans may use your computer to start denial of service attacks in which they try to disable Web sites by overloading them with traffic from thousands of Internet users. You may never know that your computer is being used by a Trojan.
Microsoft® Windows® XP Service Pack 2 provides an enhanced security infrastructure that defends your computer against viruses, worms, and hackers, along with increased manageability and control and an improved experience. Installing a Microsoft® Windows® XP Service Pack 2 provides a wider coverage on the fixes and enhancements for your operating system instead of the small quick fixes that patches are designed to address.
What Are the New Features?
Enhanced security Safer e-mail handling Enhanced browser security Easier wireless networking
Enhanced Security
Service Pack 2 contains significant security enhancements, including the following:
- Improved Windows Firewall: active for every network connection by default, but easily configurable.
- Improved protection against computer attacks that use the remote procedure call (RPC), like the Blaster worm.
- Microsoft® Security Center: a feature of Service Pack 2 that allows users to manage all aspects of their computer's security in a single window, including firewall and antivirus configuration.
Safer E-Mail Handling
Service Pack 2 contains enhancements to Microsoft® Outlook Express, which automatically block e-mail attachments that are known to be dangerous. Outlook Express also blocks images contained in HTML messages, until you determine whether or not you trust the source.
Enhanced Browser Security
With Service Pack 2, Internet Explorer gets an automatic pop-up advertisement blocker. The first time you visit a web site that uses pop-up advertising, you are prompted to specify a level of pop-up blocking for the site.
Easier Wireless Networking
Service Pack 2 also includes some changes to the wireless networking interface. These changes are designed to make it easier to understand which wireless networks are available, what kind of security is configured for them, and how strong each connection is.
What Should You Do Before Downloading Windows® XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)
There are some easy steps that you will want to follow prior to downloading/installing Windows® XP Service Pack 2.
- It is recommended that you update to the newest BIOS available for your PC.
- Update your anti-virus software.
Use the automatic update feature or visit the update web site for your anti-virus software manufacturer to ensure you have the most up to date software engine available.
- Update your firewall software.
Use the automatic update feature or visit the update web site for your firewall software manufacturer to ensure you have the most up to date software engine available.
For specific answers to your questions please see the topics below.
For more information from Microsoft® regarding what you should do before you install Windows XP Service Pack 2, visit the following Microsoft link:
General Windows XP SP 2 Product Information
835935 Release notes for Windows XP Service Pack 2
837783 Hard Disk Space Requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 2
811113 List of fixes included in Windows XP Service Pack 2
838079 Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Tools
838080 Windows XP SP2 Deployment Tools
883262 The new language locales that Windows XP SP 2 supports
883792 Frequently asked questions about Windows Security Center
883353 Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 is installed with Windows XP SP2
Top Support Issues
842242 Some programs seem to stop working after you install Windows SP2 843016 How to configure pop-up blocker in Internet Explorer
843017 Description of the IE Information Bar
843018 Images are blocked when you open an e-mail message in Outlook Express on a Windows XP SP 2-based computer
843090 Description of the Windows Firewall feature in Windows XP SP 2
870700 How to troubleshoot problems accessing secure Web pages with Internet Explorer 6 SP 2
870702 How to troubleshoot wireless network connections in Windows XP SP 2 875349 How to change your auto update settings using Windows Security Center
875350 How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 2 from your computer
875351 You receive a "Data Execution Prevention" error message in Windows XP Service Pack 2
875352 Detailed description of the data execution prevention feature in Windows XP SP2
875356 How to configure the Windows Firewall feature in Windows XP SP 2 875357 Troubleshooting Windows Firewall settings in Windows XP SP 2
How To Articles
883255 How To configure Internet Explorer automatic download prompts on your Windows XP SP 2-based computer
883256 How To manage Internet Explorer add-ons in Windows XP SP 2
878451 How To turn on the Remote Desktop Sharing feature of Windows NetMeeting in Windows XP SP 2
883259 How To install and configure Bluetooth devices in Windows XP SP 2 842844 How To install Windows XP Service Pack 2 by using Systems Management Server
875355 How To use the Automatic Recovery feature to recover your computer if the Windows XP Service Pack 2 Setup program is not completed successfully 870903 How To remotely administer a printer through a network share when you use Windows XP Service Pack 2 in a workgroup environment
Application Compatibility Articles
870890 You cannot modify Windows Firewall settings for an AOL dial-up network connection by using Network Connections in Control Panel in Windows XP Service Pack 2
873173 The Application Center 2000 client snap-in does not display correct health monitor information in Windows XP Service Pack 2
873185 You may not be able to open a project when you try to connect to a remote Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer by using the AutoCAD FTP service
873164 You cannot use Veritas Backup Exec to back up a remote Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer
870904 ARCserveIT 6.61 does not successfully back up files that are in the % Windir%\SoftwareDistribution folder of your Windows XP SP2-based computer 870901 "Installation failed: Access is denied" error message when you try to perform a remote installation of Computer Associates eTrust Antivirus 7.0 client software on a computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2
843020 You cannot play licensed media content in Windows Media Player after you remove Windows XP Service Pack 2
870908 Command AntiVirus version 4.62.4 causes an error message on a blue screen in Windows XP Service Pack 2
873165 You cannot use Computer Associates BrightStor ARCServe Backup 9.0 Manager to back up a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer from a remote computer
842701 You may not be able to add Manage Add-ons columns by using only the keyboard in Windows XP Service Pack 2
878472 You receive the "Control ID not found" error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 2
870881 You receive an error message when you try to start Money on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer
878478 The Gravis GamePad Pro device is not recognized when you install it on a Windows XP-based computer
870905 McAfee Internet Security version 4.0 quits unexpectedly during installation in Windows XP Service Pack 2
870906 McAfee Virusscan Professional version 6.0 quits unexpectedly after you install it on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer
883606 Messages in Microsoft Outlook are not sent immediately in Windows XP Service Pack 2
870907 NetZero closes unexpectedly when you start it in Windows XP SP2 870902 You cannot back up the %windir%\SoftwareDistribution folder by using the NovaStor NovaNet-WEB backup program on Windows XP Service Pack 2
870886 "This presentation was optimized for more recent versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer." message when you open a PowerPoint 2002 presentation in ] Internet Explorer in Windows XP Service Pack 2 873176 You cannot install Paint Shop Pro 8 on a Windows XP Service Pack 2- based computer
873179 The JumpStart Preschool - 1st Grade Learning Playground Demo screen does not appear correctly on a Windows XP SP 2-based computer
870883 "Cannot load Word for Windows 6.0 files" error message when you try to open the "What's new" file in Quicken on a Windows XP-based computer 870897 SonicWALL Complete Anti-Virus program does not work after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
873152 You occasionally receive a "STOP: 0x000000D1" error message when your Windows XP Service Pack 2 computer resumes from standby
843022 You cannot run executable files or program add-ins that are downloaded by using Internet Explorer or by using Outlook Express on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer
870900 SOURCENEXT VirusSecurity2004 real-time monitor does not work correctly on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer
873162 You cannot use Legato NetWorker to back up a remote computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2
843019 You cannot start Windows Messenger after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
883603 Windows Movie Maker 2.1 is installed on your computer when you install Windows XP SP2
Bluetooth Issues
870701 You cannot add a Bluetooth printer on a computer that is running Windows XP SP 2
840635 Cannot install a Bluetooth device after you install Windows XP SP 2 841803 List of Bluetooth radio drivers that are included in Windows XP SP2 873154 A Bluetooth keyboard or mouse does not work when you start Windows XP Service Pack 2
883258 How to troubleshoot Bluetooth detection and connectivity problems in Windows XP SP 2
870895 You receive a "STOP: 0x000000D5" fatal system error message after you update to Windows XP SP 2 on your Toshiba portable computer
841799 Bluetooth device installation may not work without any notification
Driver Issues
873161 After you install Windows XP Service Pack 2, your computer restarts continuously
883775 Device drivers known to cause instability in Windows XP Service Pack 2 873166 Your computer may unexpectedly stop responding when you try to install modem drivers on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer
873171 Roll Back Driver feature in Device Manager does not work after you update a device driver to the Windows XP SP2 version of the device driver
870892 Rollback of the driver in a multi-device scenario results in mismatched Driver and miniport 870891 Third-party device drivers are not restored after you restore the System State data from backup in Windows XP
870896 You receive a "STOP: 0x000000D5" error message when you close an IP Phone connection on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based Toshiba computer 873169 When you install Windows XP Service Pack 2, the USB 2.0 drivers do not appear to update
Setup Issues
883609 "This Service Pack requires the machine to be on AC Power before setup starts" error message when you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
870898 You receive a "Windows XP Setup is incompatible with this version of Windows" error message when you install Windows XP Service Pack 2 on a Hewlett-Packard computer
883356 You receive a "Windows was unable to install the modem" error message when you try to install a modem on your Windows XP Service Pack 2- based computer
878454 How to help protect your computer if you decide to remove Windows XP Service Pack 2
878459 The Windows Explorer status bar is not visible after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2 883791 Explorer.exe repeatedly quits unexpectedly in Windows XP
Miscellaneous Issues
843021 Programs or services that use the Alerter service or the Messenger service do not work as expected after you install Windows XP SP 2
873160 You may receive a 7391 error message in SQLOLEDB when you run a distributed transaction against a linked server after you install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2
875362 The Computer Browser service does not start and event ID 7024 is logged when you restart your Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer
870894 You receive a "Delayed Write Failed" error message in Windows XP Service Pack 2
883257 Description of plain text mode in Outlook Express in Windows XP Service Pack 2
878471 Some DVD movies are blocked although the DVD movie rating is allowed on a Windows XP Media Center Edition Service Pack 2-based computer 883608 You receive an error message when you add a reference to a COM object in Visual Studio .NET after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
840633 Event ID 612 appears in the security log every time that you restart Windows XP SP 2
883613 Outlook Express automatically downloads external content when you reply to a message or forward a message on a Windows XP Service Pack 2- based computer
873158 The Help and Support Center does not run when the Data Execution Protection feature is turned on in Windows XP Service Pack 2
883605 New features of the Scheduled Tasks Control Panel items that are included in Windows XP Service Pack 2
870703 Known issues with the client administrative tools in Windows XP SP2 878461 Pictures do not appear as expected, or you receive an error message when you open an HTML file on a Windows XP SP 2-based computer
878468 You receive an "An error occurred while sending a message to <ComputerName>" error message when you run the net send command to send a message to a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer
873153 Your screen reader software may not function if you install Windows XP Service Pack 2 by using OOBE
870704 Peer-to-peer networking programs do not work as expected in Windows XP Service Pack 1 841802 Phone Dialer calls are immediately disconnected in Windows XP
843015 Pop-up windows appear with Pop-up Blocker turned on in Windows XP Service Pack 2
870705 Remote Storage Service recall notifications will no longer operate in XPSP2
841804 RIP Listener does not update the route table with new route information
883261 You are prompted to accept or reject certain Windows Messenger files in Windows XP Service Pack 2
883355 You cannot use an MP3 or WMA file as the background sound for an e- mail message in Outlook Express
878467 Your Windows XP-based computer does not resume from standby when you move your USB mouse or press a key on your USB keyboard
870893 USB device does not function after connecting device to Windows XP SP 2-based computer
883607 Web server functionality may not work correctly after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
883611 You have to specify certain Group Policy settings before you can remotely administer Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) or remotely edit local Group Policy objects in Windows XP Service Pack 2
840634 You receive an "Access denied" or "The network path was not found" error message when you try to remotely manage a computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2
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