End of Life for Windows XP SP2 - 13 July 2010 1

[jrbarnett]

For those of you who weren't aware, mainstream support for Windows XP (all versions) with Service Pack 2 finishes on 13th July 2010 - ie July Patch Tuesday for this year:

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifesupsps#Windows

This means that there will be no critical security patches after that date for computers still running XP SP2 thereafter.

I would strongly recommend upgrading any outstanding computers well in advance where necessary.

I am hoping posting this reminder well in advance allows any necessary planning, testing and upgrades to take place.

John

 

[lordgalla]

ok,so I play a lot of games,single play games,and surf the internet.all my games work fine etc. With XP Pro SP2,all up to date,with security updates,except Sp3,because everything I have heard about,games not running right etc.with Sp3,I did not do the Sp3 update.Now your saying I have to do the Sp3 update?? before 7-2010 and that will still update? Is it straightened out now,where I won't have any problems with games,and drivers,and all that? man there's always something.I have had no problem's at all with Sp2,and am I asking for trouble with Sp3?
What happens if I stick with Sp2? still usable? Man first people with BSOD form Microsoft patches,Now this? I thought XP was good till 2014,on the updates.I don't know what to say.

 

[BadBigBen]

simply put:

after the date any PC with SP2 will only receive SP3 as update...

Gaming: if the system works, then stick with it, but I see no problems with SP3 at all, and I do game a bit...


Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[aich69]

[cheap plug] That's my birthday that is [/cheap plug]

I used to have a handle on life... but it broke. Cpt. Red Bull

 

[goombawaho]

This is like ancient news in the sense that almost everybody without a SPECIFIC reason to stay on SP3 should already be on SP3.

In fact everyone on XP should be preparing to migrate to Windows 7 thus skipping Vista and think how lucky you were not to be an early Vista adopter.

 

[lordgalla]

BadBigBen,are you saying if XP Pro Sp2 works,stick with it? or are you saying go for Sp3,and games should not have any problems? I have games from 2004 right up to today,and they all work great with Sp2,will they work with Sp3? Thats my concern.If I don't update to Sp3,am I asking for trouble surfing the internet,like buying online with credit card's etc.
Even though I have very good virus protection and a firewall,all with trend micro internet security 2010.This internet security has treated me well for years,with Sp2,I have had no problems at all,and has been clean.But have been able to update once a month.If I can't do security updates anymore with Sp2,am I in danger on line? Trying to make a decision on what to do,stay at Sp2,or give Sp3 a chance,with all my games installed on the computer now?

 

[BadBigBen]

I can't tell you if the games from 2004 will work correctly with SP3.

but if you are concerned, and want to put this to a test, then make an image of your present install, that way you can always revert with out much hassle, and install SP3.

or you could do a dual boot situation, where you keep one on SP2 for the gaming, and install one with SP3 for your surfing needs.

to answer a few questions, yes you would be more vulnerable without SP3, as there will be no more updates other than the SP3. Will you get infected, who knows, it would depend on your surfing habits.

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[goombawaho]

Of course, that was a typo above on my part. Should read:
"This is like ancient news in the sense that almost everybody without a SPECIFIC reason to stay on SP2 should already be on SP3."

 

[jrbarnett]

goombawaho - yes, I agree everybody who has not already got SP3 should either be looking to upgrade to a newer OS or replace the computer ahead of the deadline.
However, there are a number of recent posts within this forum referencing PC's with SP2, so my reason for posting was to inform the members of this fact, and to give them time to upgrade in a proper, controlled manner having tested all critical applications rather than a haphazard last minute upgrade which may break something.

SP3 basically is SP2 + a collection of hotfixes since its issue, with a few very minor additions (upgraded terminal services client and ability to connect to Windows 2008 domains to name but two). For a fully patched PC, there is relatively little difference between SP2 and SP3.

John

 

[goombawaho]

Well - I certainly understand what SP2 and SP3 are and I wasn't shooting the messenger. It was more like I was laughing at anyone that hasn't made the time to get with the plan and SP3.

Even though SP3 is "just" the updates since SP2, it's good CYA in case any updates were missed/mis-installed. Plus, many geeky, know-it-all IT guys don't allow automatic updates and thus may be way behind on them. SP3 is a good way to get them all gulped down at once.

I don't want to start a fuss over automatic updates. I too only allowed notification of updates vs. automatic install. But I gave up on that as I couldn't find any updates that would have caused me a problem in over a year.

 

[lordgalla]

ok,thankyou all for the information,I will make a image of my main drive now,and install Sp3,and we will see.Also isn't this removable from add and remove programs,or a image is of course much better.

 

[goombawaho]

It is most certainly removable by more than one method, of which add/remove programs is one.

Another good method is booting into the XP CD recovery console and issuing a command (which escapes me at the moment) which would uninstall any update even on a non-bootable machine. This was recently highlighted in the thread regarding the BSOD caused by the microsoft patch in conjunction with the TDSS infection.

 

[LilBob]

I've had a few clients running XP MC who encountered many problems after installing SP3 & rolled it back for them to SP2 & installed all other patches. Everything worked fine then. It seems to me where I read SP3 had some conflict issues with XP MC. Will this be a problem for them in the near future?

Bob

 

[lordgalla]

Hello LilBob; I don't know about XP MC and SP3 sounds to me like a whole different problem with MC.I have 4 XP PRO SP2 machines running perfect with a home network,and many games.They are all up to date security wise,except for SP3.If I update all 4 of these to SP3,is it going to mess up games,network,or any other setting's I already have set,on my network? I guess I'm just paranoid about doing it,with all the problems I'm hearing about Microsoft's updates.

 

[Sympology]

This may be old news, but worth reminding people.

If you have an AMD processor it's good advice to run this patch first.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...A7-54D6-4C31-BDA3-EFD2F7E87A8C&displaylang=en

Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

 

[goombawaho]

I haven't seen issues with Media Center Edition and XP3. There are a few machines - maybe 1 out of 100 that choke on SP3 and it errors out. The machine is still bootable, the update is just not installed.

That number does NOT include the AMD issue, which should be checked BEFORE installation.

 

[LilBob]

Thanks for tha bit of advice. I hadn't read anything about it but will contact all who were having a problem (3 one of which made the fatal mistake of bringing it to the Geek Squd @ Best Buy only to have it returned after over 3 weeks in worse shape than before).

Thanks again, Bob

 

[lordgalla]

Sympology,Any AMD Processor,Single and Dual Core? Run this patch first?

 

[goombawaho]

AMD machines that are loading the intelppm.sys driver (most of them were HP and Compaq machines) will not boot after SP3.

It was a mistake that HP sent them out like this or perhaps just an oversight. At worst is was sloppiness.

You could use Autoruns to see if you have that driver loading and uncheck it vs. running the patch.

 

[BadBigBen]

t was a mistake that HP sent them out like this or perhaps just an oversight.

neither, it was plain laziness, one image for all, since that image worked on either AMD or INTEL, and they got caught...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"