(ot) Win XP SP2 is buggy!

[Greg de'Ville]

I downloaded this on my home computer some two weeks ago, but the bugs were noticeable; namely, I couldn't use my office email to reply/forward documents, and it was causing some problems with CD/DVD performance. It also didn't recognize my anti-virus software.

 

My ISP provides a monthly newsletter with some useful information about Windows, and I came across this data tonight.

 

My university's computer folks won't even go near SP2 until the bugs are worked out--they've requested everyone to shy away from it. But if you've downloaded it and you've had problems, there's a way to go back to the original XP Pro settings on your computer. I did a system restore tonight and my programs are working as they were prior to SP2.

 

Or, if you want to download it, create a restore point beforehand.

 

 

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Short Tutorial - Create "Restore Point" On Computer Before Downloading SP2

 

 

If you use Windows XP and plan to install Microsoft Corp.'s free Windows XP Service Pack (SP2), it would be wise to create a "restore point" on your computer BEFORE you download SP2. Similar to backing up your system, creating a restore point lets you roll back your computer to where it was prior to the download of SP2. (Just in case something goes wrong during the SP download or software applications don't work properly afterwards, it's better to be safe than sorry.) It's easy. Here's how to do it:

 

 

Click your cursor arrow on the "Start" menu.

Go to "All Programs" on the pop-up list.

Go to "Accessories" on the sub-menu.

Go to the "System Tools" sub-menu.

Select "System Restore" from the sub-menu by clicking on it.

The "Welcome to System Restore" window will open. Click your cursor arrow on "Create a Restore Point." Then click on the "Next >" button.

When the "Create a Restore Point" dialog box opens, give your restore point a name by typing it in the "Restore point description" field. Click on the "Create" button.

The "Restore Point Created" window will open giving you the name of the restore point along with the date and time it was created.

Click on the "Close" button.

 

 

If you actually needed to restore your system to its pre-SP2 download state, follow these steps:

 

Click your cursor arrow on the "Start" menu.

Go to "All Programs" on the pop-up list.

Go to "Accessories" on the sub-menu.

Go to the "System Tools" sub-menu.

Select "System Restore" from the sub-menu by clicking on it.

The "Welcome to System Restore" window will open. Click your cursor arrow on "Restore my computer to an earlier time." Then click on the "Next >" button.

When the "Select a Restore Point" window opens, select the pre-SP2 download date within the calendar frame you chose as your restore point. Then, on the list, click on the name you called your restore point. Click "Next >."

Read the warnings on the "Confirm Restore Point Selection" window, and if you are satisfied that you selected the correct restore point, click the "Next >" button.

The system will log you off, shutdown, and then do "system restore." When it is completed, Windows will restart.

[Tux of Borg]

We found that customers that hosed their computer with SP2 could do a system restore. However, they had to do an inetwiz through the run command to get their internet connection back. Doing it through IE won't restore it.

[jarthur31]

Wow, you'd think that this patch would automatically create a restore point BEFORE updating it's crappy self. It does with other "updates". LOL.

[sweet baboo]

my "copy" of windows won't let me install SP2

 

note: i do own the legal full version of windows, but my custom configured copy is much easier to install and runs better without tweaking

[Fan in San Diego]

Stick with Windows 2000. It works like a champ.