releases Service Pack 2 through Windows Update later this week.
The 272MB enterprise version of SP2 was released earlier this month and
a smaller consumer version - weighing in at around 80MB - was
<http://news.swzone.it/link.php?action="" due to be released
via Windows Update yesterday (16 August), the BBC
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3571110.stm> reports. This
automatic delivery has now been put back until tomorrow (18 August). SP2
was due to debut last year, so a couple of extra days wait will hardly
make much difference.
The release, which made its debut as a beta
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03/24/ms_bigs_up_windows_xp/> back in
March, bundles major security revisions and a new Windows update
procedure. Principal additions with Windows XP SP2 include: Windows
Security Centre; automatically turning on Windows Firewall; and browsing
enhancements to Internet Explorer (providing far more control of ActiveX
controls, for example). Less mentioned so far, but arguably more
important, is revamped memory protection to prevent buffer overruns, the
perennial source of so many security problems.
Consumers should note that some programs will 'stop working' after they
install Windows XP Service Pack 2. With SP2, Windows Firewall is enabled
by default and will block unsolicited connections to your computer. So
users will have to make exceptions in the case on AV software, network
games and a variety of other popular packages (including some published
by Microsoft). Microsoft has published a list
<http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242> here.
This factor is there by design so it's of greater concern that a number
of different applications "behave differently" after users install Win
XP SP2. Games, third party firewall products and several popular
business programs clash with Win XP SP2. The extensive list includes
games like Unreal Tournament, McAfee VirusScan 7, Adobe PageMaker 7,
backup programs, Zone Alarm personal firewall and even some flavours of
Microsoft's own Office applications. More than 200 applications with
compatibility problems with Win XP SP2 are
<http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=884130> listed.
These glitches are far wider in scope than the occasional problems that
surface when users install personal firewalls. And it's not just
shrink-wrapped applications that are affected.
eBay has posted a
<http://www2.ebay.com/aw/marketing.shtml#2004-08-13215905> notice saying
that some of the features of its eBay Toolbar program will cease to
function after users install SP2. Meanwhile XP SP2 users are completely
locked out of eBay's Enhanced Picture Services. eBay is working with
Microsoft on addressing the problems it has unearthed.
Little wonder then that companies like IBM are holding off from
deploying SP2 despite the considerable security improvements it offers.
Consumers might well be inclined to follow suit. Those who push ahead
with XP SP2 are advised to buckle in for what promises to be a bumpy
ride. � "
-Gel
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