Date: August 9, 2004

Subject: Windows XP Service Pack 2

On Friday, August 6, Microsoft announced the release of Windows XP Service Pack 2 (referred to hereafter as SP2) which Microsoft will soon make available through its Windows Update website.

http://www.windowsupdate.com

If the automatic update feature of your Windows XP installation has been activated on your computer (I generally turn this feature on when maintaining client computer systems so if I've been working on your XP systems recently this will most likely be the case) it should begin to download and install SP2 gradually over the coming days or weeks. If the automatic update feature of your Windows XP installation has not been activated, visit the link above to begin receiving SP2.

The question that this bulletin seeks to address is: "Should you upgrade all your systems to SP2 as soon as possible?"

The simple answer is "Yes." There are, however, some issues to keep in mind. 

SP2 is a significant update which, being in the neighbourhood of 250Mb, is significantly larger than many other programs that may be installed on your systems and which necessitates a fairly complex and lengthy installation procedure. While Microsoft will be metering downloads from  the Windows update site to allow its servers to meet global demand and has added enhanced resume functionality into the update process it is still possible that internet and transmission problems may cause some minor problems.

Additionally, many of the core functions of Windows XP have been re-designed with greater security in mind. Microsoft has warned its users that some software may no longer be compatible with Windows XP due to these necessary changes.

The following quotation from Computerworld, in an internet review of SP2 states: "SP2 for Windows XP is more than the usual roll-up of bug fixes and updates. Microsoft has made something of a trade-off, focusing on security at the expense of compatibility. As a result, SP2 can render existing applications inoperable. Microsoft has urged developers and IT professionals to test the update." As a consequence you would be well advised to take the following precautions:

2/ If you have a large number of Windows XP based systems I suggest that you set up a test system with similar configuration to your typical office system, or designate an existing office system as a test system upon which you may install SP2 to confirm its suitability to your environment. Once SP2 has been successfully installed on this system and you have confirmed that your necessary applications continue to operate you may begin to install SP2 on your remaining office systems, evaluating its impact as you proceed.

3/ If you can wait six to eight weeks, order the free SP2 CD from Microsoft and install the update from the CD. This has the double advantage of giving you a hard copy of SP2 should you find it necessary to re-install Windows XP in the future as well as reducing the demands placed upon your internet connection by reducing the number of systems that download the update.

A detailed analysis of SP2 is available on PC Magazine's website at the following link:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1630961,00.asp