SP2: any problems?

"JAD" wrote in message
...
The only references I can see to this, is HYPE from the partition
software makers. Give the link, as I would figure if its that dramatic
it should of hit the news reel by now.



http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winxp

Note that when this happens your choices are

-update BIOS (if available, but many of the affected systems have no update
available)
-turn off cache and take SEVERAL HOURS to uninstall SP2

There is a third option, but even Microsoft warns that it will cause system
instability

Basically, your best choice is to wait several months before attempting SP2,
unless you've done it already and were lucky enough to have nothing horrible
happen.

In my case, it was easiest just to nuke the ntfs partition and start over.
I couldn't update the BIOS, as no update was available. Uninstalling SP2
would have taken as much time as starting over. (there was no data on the
partition, so losing it wasn't a problem) And with the SP2-****ed
partition, windows would not boot (not even safe mode) and you couldn't
perform a repair install from the windows CD-Rom.

I feel sorry for the poor shmucks who put SP2 on a partition with important
data on it. (oooooops!!!) Their only choice will be to attempt the
several hour uninstall, IF that works. -Dave

"ToolPackinMama" wrote in message
...
Any problems to report with Service Pack 2? I'm curious to know how
it's going for you.

No probs here. Installed through Windows update onto my XP Pro PC a week or
so ago. Rebooted, McAfee (updated just prior) asked whether I wanted to
turn off SP2 security - said yes and everything has been fine since. Shaun

The article which Ed linked to doesn't seem to describe a case where
a partition is destroyed or data is lost. Plus, it appears that updating
the BIOS to a version that loads the latest microcode will help you to
avoid/resolve that problem. Are you referring to another scenario?


The problem is, many of the affected motherboards have no BIOS update
available. If you install SP2 with a Prescott processor and one of the
affected motherboards (mostly newer ones, ironically), you will end up with
a partition that will not run Windows (not even in safe mode). You will
also have a partition that you can not install Windows on. While this
doesn't mean your partition is destroyed, it might as well be destroyed.
(The average computer user is ****ED at that point.) Without knowing the
(disable CPU cache) trick, I could have used linux to retrieve data if
necessary. But the bottom line is that the partition needed to be formatted
eventually to get Windows working again. Either that, or spend several
hours uninstalling SP2 with no cache enabled. Yikes. Essentially, if you
install SP2, you could end up having to rebuild an entire partition. I was
in the process of doing that anyway, so it was no big deal. But I pity the
fools who install SP2 on a partition with gobs of important data, whether
that data is backed up or not. -Dave

"ToolPackinMama" wrote in message
...
Any problems to report with Service Pack 2? I'm curious to know how
it's going for you.

I've been watching and waiting. (I've also got dial up so I'm definitely
doing the CD). I've also been following the posts on the XP group. A lot of
problems posted the first few weeks- is calming down now. Most problems seem
to be self inflicted. Some of the observations (off the top of my head): It
is important to clean up your hard disk and OS prior to install. Viruses and
spyware already on the disk cause the most BSOD's. Then there are the usual
precautions: turn off all running programs, especially firewall and anti
virus. We've all got away with this one in the past but this time they
really mean it. Many problems with firewalls and networks. Turn off the
firewalls, disconnect from the network. Do a disk check before install.
Defrag after. Not surprisingly, Symantec and McGaffee products don't want to
play nice. Check for updates and patches for all your programs, particularly
anything to do with security and network management. Configure the SP2
controls after install. Pick one firewall, turn off the other. Pretty simple
stuff. There does seem to be some real problems with some machines and
software configs. Pentium 4E's need a bios patch, for instance. From what
I've read I think that installing SP2 by following the instructions, on a
clean machine with a pretty basic configuration and a "typical" install of
XP will do just fine. Like always, it's the ignorant and the out of the
ordinary people that get whacked most often.

"ToolPackinMama" wrote in message
...
Any problems to report with Service Pack 2? I'm curious to know how
it's going for you.

If you already know how to protect your computer, it is a PITA. The firewall
is always turning itself on and dumb warning messages are always popping up.
My wifi laptop card now connects at half the signal strength.

The pop-up blocker works no better than google toolbar. Floating ads are not
blocked.

P2P like BitTorrent must be adjusted to allow more than 10 connections.

Unfortunately, I slipstreamed it onto a CD and now must reformat to get rid
of it.

Stay away.

Dave C. wrote:
The article which Ed linked to doesn't seem to describe a case where
a partition is destroyed or data is lost. Plus, it appears that updating
the BIOS to a version that loads the latest microcode will help you to
avoid/resolve that problem. Are you referring to another scenario?



The problem is, many of the affected motherboards have no BIOS update
available. If you install SP2 with a Prescott processor and one of the
affected motherboards (mostly newer ones, ironically), you will end up with
a partition that will not run Windows (not even in safe mode).

Well, you have an installation that hangs during boot up, but that's not
the only thing that's ever caused a system to hang.

You will
also have a partition that you can not install Windows on.

You have a partition with windows already on it.

While this
doesn't mean your partition is destroyed,

Precisely. It isn't.

it might as well be destroyed.

Not true.

(The average computer user is ****ED at that point.) Without knowing the
(disable CPU cache) trick,

Screwed the same way they're screwed with any serious problem; the most
common being drivers.

I could have used linux to retrieve data if
necessary. But the bottom line is that the partition needed to be formatted
eventually to get Windows working again.

As you say in your next breath, no it did not 'need' to be formatted
because there IS a means to uninstall.

Either that, or spend several
hours uninstalling SP2 with no cache enabled. Yikes. Essentially, if you
install SP2, you could end up having to rebuild an entire partition.

I have problems with you pointing out two choices and then continuing to
claim there's only one.

I was
in the process of doing that anyway, so it was no big deal. But I pity the
fools who install SP2 on a partition with gobs of important data, whether
that data is backed up or not. -Dave

And this is why I have problems with your contradictory claims. While YOU
may decide 'formatting' is 'the solution' for YOU, someone with important
data might be willing to spend those 'hours' you're too anxious to wait for
but if they listen to YOU they don't KNOW they have that choice because YOU
keep telling everyone they're '****ed', the partition is 'destroyed', and
that their ONLY option is to rebuild the damn thing.

"Ed" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 05 Sep 2004 15:42:37 GMT, "KCB"
wrote:


"Dave C." wrote in message
...

"ToolPackinMama" wrote in message
...
Any problems to report with Service Pack 2? I'm curious to know how
it's going for you.

You mean besides destroying partitions of computers with Prescott
processors
on brand new motherboards of various chipsets? Other than that, no
problems
to report. -Dave


I haven't seen that problem. Did it happen to you personally? Do you
have
links to a news story?



http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winxp

Ed


This link states nothing about destroying a partition. It doesn't even
mention partitions at all. No data is lost and there is a workaround to
either continue using SP2 (with possible instability), or uninstall the
thing (with the time lost) and start over with SP1 or original XP. How can
anybody claim, as Dave C. has, that SP2 is "destroying partitions of
computers with Prescott processors" when no such thing has happened? Sound
the alarms!! The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

I lost my print spooler and sound but I think my original xp install was
kind of shaky. Did a reinstall and all is working fine now
"ToolPackinMama" wrote in message
...
Any problems to report with Service Pack 2? I'm curious to know how
it's going for you.

"David Maynard" wrote in message

Serious question, David . . . are you arguing with me just because you can?
You didn't directly contradict anything I said, but you have a problem with
everything I said. If this is just a personal vendetta, get over it.
Please. -Dave

http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winxp

Ed


This link states nothing about destroying a partition. It doesn't even
mention partitions at all. No data is lost and there is a workaround to
either continue using SP2 (with possible instability), or uninstall the
thing (with the time lost) and start over with SP1 or original XP. How
can
anybody claim, as Dave C. has, that SP2 is "destroying partitions of
computers with Prescott processors" when no such thing has happened?
Sound
the alarms!! The sky is falling! The sky is falling!



Y'know, it's easy to be a Microsoft apologist if you haven't spent several
hours fixing their ****-up for them. People need to know that there is a
REAL DANGER involved with installing SP2. SP2 can and HAS caused many
Computers to not be able to boot Windows, PERIOD. Not normally, not from
safe mode, and not from CD-Rom. There are workarounds to the problem, but
there are no GOOD solutions, just various degrees of really BAD solutions.
It would be irresponsible of someone who knows of the danger NOT to warn
others about it. -Dave