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Installing Windows XP Service Pack 2
For those who've had their heads under stones during the past few months, Microsoft's Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) is the single largest service pack applied to a piece of Microsoft software to date.
What is Service Pack 2?
A service pack is traditionally a mass-release of all product updates to date, including bug fixes and other improvements. Windows XP Service Pack 2 also features key improvements to the operating system itself, such as Windows Firewall, and the XP Security Center , to name but a few things.
Windows XP Service Pack 2 is Microsoft's next step forward in the five pillars of trustworthy computing.
Improvements included in Service Pack 2
These are too numerous to list, but the main changes to the operating system itself are:
- Windows Security Centre, which monitors Automatic Updates, Firewall and Anti-Virus software installed on your computer, and advises you in rapid order when one of these is not found or is disabled.
- Windows Firewall, which is a much-improved version of the ICF present in original Windows XP. In addition, it's enabled by default.
- Automatic Updates are now enabled by default. You can opt not to have it, but don't be surprised if Windows disobeys you. Then again, this is a useful feature which saves having to manually download updates. Also, Windows will install updates prior to shutting down (but again, you can avoid this, if you're desperate to do so.)
Windows XP Service Pack 2 also installs Windows Movie Maker 2, DirectX 9.0c, Windows Media Player 9 Series and a couple more accessories, not to mention huge quantities of bug fixes, security patches and product updates.
Getting hold of Service Pack 2
Microsoft are giving it away. Yes, Microsoft are giving something away with no hidden charges, not even postage and you can get it anywhere.
You can either:
- Download it free off the Microsoft web site
- Order a completely free SP2 disc from Microsoft
- Use a friend's disc
Some magazine cover discs will also feature the new update, and Automatic Updates/Windows Update is dishing it out - you're bound to have been pestered by now.
Where you shouldn't go
I personally don't think it's a wise idea to get the software from anywhere else other than Microsoft, for all the usual reasons of virus-protection and tampering, etc. Recent court battles mean it's an offence to download it via peer-to-peer applications as well.
Installation
SP2 can take between 10 and 30 minutes to install on your machine, but it is worth it. Windows actually treats it like most updates; if you've ever installed one manually.
Insert the disc and click the button, or run the file. Windows extracts some files, and then starts the process. The installer itself takes inventory of your system (nothing sent to Microsoft) and backs up the files it's about the replace (techies: this seems to be the entire i386 folder) before copying new files, installing various applications as listed above, and restarting.
First run
After the initial restart, you're forced to choose between enabling Automatic Updates, or not. This doesn't always happen - only if they're disabled, or enabled but set to manual installation.
Once this is done, the Security Center pops up to say hello, and lets you know straight away if you're lacking in terms of anti-virus.
Security Center
It's now worth mentioning that the SC doesn't always get it right, although at time of writing (December 2004) Norton Antivirus and most other brands have patches to allow Windows SP2 to see their statuses.
You can also tell SC not to warn you about any of the three options if you are using an alternative solution, so no major worries.
Overall, Windows XP Service Pack 2 is a much-needed and much-overdue update. Once installed, you won't have such a long list of fixes to install.
Author: Rob Church