WinXP SP2

[WhiteX]

Up until now i havent installed the SP2, i got norton firewall so i got no viruses,thus needing no additional protection, now is there some system performance gain on installing that thing?

 

[General Plot]

No real system boost to be found in the service pack. It just adds a new security center (firewall/antivirus monitor/automatic updates rolled into 1). But there is also an update for .NET frameworks that is only available after SP2 is installed. Also, may other updates can not be downloaded without SP2 as well.
Anyways, here's what that new "Security Center" thing looks like.

 

[WhiteX]

yes, i am aware of that security center, however as i stated before, with norton firewall it is useless, but you got a point because i can be deprived of further updates since i do not installed sp2, do you think it is worth it.

 

[Eagle]

yes, i am aware of that security center, however as i stated before, with norton firewall it is useless, but you got a point because i can be deprived of further updates since i do not installed sp2, do you think it is worth it.

There is no disadvantage to it, security center can be turned off easily enough.

 

[zAlbee]

there have been at least 10-15 updates since SP2 was released. you will have missed all of them. it's worth it to get the fixes, the included firewall and antivirus can just be turned off.

the only confirmed disadvantage to SP2 is the new limit on simultaneous socket connections, which in theory would reduce your internet performance if you open a LOT of sockets (P2P?), but I've only experienced that happening once (shown in the System Event Log).

 

[Eagle]

there have been at least 10-15 updates since SP2 was released. you will have missed all of them. it's worth it to get the fixes, the included firewall and antivirus can just be turned off.

the only confirmed disadvantage to SP2 is the new limit on simultaneous socket connections, which in theory would reduce your internet performance if you open a LOT of sockets (P2P?), but I've only experienced that happening once (shown in the System Event Log).

Even then, thats a LOT of sockets even for P2P. For your standard legal P2P (ie World of Warcraft updater) it works just fine.

 

[Trotterwatch]

And even that can be overided via a simple program.

 

[rcgamer]

You also get the latest directx with sp2.

 

[Clements]

I seemed to get a slight speed-up in boot time as well, although it took a while to get it working properly (but was worth it).

 

[WhiteX]

that´s it, first thing in the morning.
To the SP2! (now that was lame)

 

[jamesyfx]

My PC downstairs has SP2, and the one up here doesn't even have any (Piracy victim.. :/), and I really don't see that much difference apart from the security center and other fixes.

 

[DarthDazDC]

ur all missin the point, just cos ur seein sum differences like security center and revamped wireless connection, loads and loads off additions were made under the hood, i read that symantec (maker of norton anti virus, firewall etc) said that around 75% of threats were cleaned out because of service pack 2, so do urself a favour and upgrade.
And you can just turn off the windows firewall and use ur norton one wivout any trouble.

 

[Knuckles]

I don't have SP2 and I won't install it. I still have a lot of regular updates and I don't have any problems. My cousin installed it and she hated it. my friends installed and it and they reinstalled windows. They use it a school and I hate it.

if only you could ONLY install the security patches and so and not install anything else.

 

[WhiteX]

I just got it installed, my comp is A-OK for the performance point of view, no slowdowns and no boring stuff. SP2 is OK in my book.

 

[zAlbee]

What's there to hate? There are practically no cosmetic differences - it looks exactly the same, only the new security centre sports a new style. It works the same as well. Unless you use the internet connection sharing & firewall (as I do), in which case you'll have to get use to the new layout of options, but that's all. And yes, you can get used to them.

I reinstalled Windows too last night - with an SP2 CD.

 

[flow``]

i never understood the sp2 rebellion thing either. i've installed it countless times on pc's with no problems

but back to the point.. there is +/- .05% speed difference

there was an article @ short-media.com i was going to link, but heres one from microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/games/expert/durham_sp2perf.mspx) showing the little difference in performance it causes. the true is same for the OS itself.

if u dont know what you're doing .. its not microsoft's fault

"hating" a service pack is a little much to say given no examples of why.. people hate microsoft for the sake of being on the bandwagon sp2 definitely isnt as bad as ppl talk it up to be.

if anything. think of it this way.. xp was released back in 2001? thats 4 years ago and a lot has changed software/hardware wise.. in sp1 ms updated the bluetooth stack, in sp2 they did a nice update to wireless support and thats just a little bit of the list of things updated. not to mention the _countless_ bug fixes (refer to MS KB article for a list if u dont believe me )

 

[Trotterwatch]

Very well said Flow.