6 responses to “LNK patch went pretty well, but XP SP2 users note”

1. 

   guest August 5th, 2010 at 12:46

   Are there really any good reasons to NOT update from XP SP2 to XP SP3?

   Now Microsoft has shown that it is serious about REALLY ENDING support for Windows versions that are end of life(e.g. XP SP2 and 2000 about a month ago).

   This patch is a good example. Usually, Microsoft freely provides the most important updates – critical & security updates – via its Automatic Updates, regardless of your settings. But not for EOL products.

   XP SP2 itself was such a MAJOR update, with important security improvements and changes that many consider it an upgrade that Microsoft could have sold as a new Windows version, except for the disappointingly long wait for Vista … But Microsoft had to do something to fix security holes & problems … so they had a team working in parallel with the Vista (Longhorn) team to come up with SP2.

   Remember when, after some time passed, Microsoft INSISTED that SP2 was the minimum version of XP before some installations / updates / etc. would work? Other software companies also listing XP SP2 as a requirement.

   Likewise, Microsoft is insisting that XP SP3 be the “lowest” XP version now. Actually, they would be glad if it went away – with all its security holes. However you feel about the interface changes, Windows 7 (and Vista which is more similar to Windows 7 than haters would like to admit, especially after the service packs) is a MUCH more secure OS than predecessors.

   So … buck up and update to SP3.

   Unless you have good reasons NOT to (e.g. breaking turnkey apps, old specialized peripherals, …)

2. 

   rc primak August 6th, 2010 at 07:00

   Woody, has anyone contacted you about whether the G-Data workaround works with Windows 2000? I know that the Sophos solution does not. Also, as I may have posted before, if your Windows XP has a Local Security Policy, or if your third-party firewall or AV software has created its own Security Policies (hello, Zone Alarm and Comodo!) the Sophos program may cause a Blue Screen of Death. This happened to me on my Windows XP Pro SP3 32 bit WinBook Laptop with Comodo Defense Plus Security Policies.

   For home users, the answer is to upgrade to at least Windows XP SP3, if possible. For businesses which cannot do so now, there is indeed a dilemma.

3. 

   woody August 6th, 2010 at 10:43

   @RC -

   I haven’t tried the G-Data workaround. For Security Policies – Oy! I guess using the original MS FixIt is the only viable solution, and it really stinks…

4. 

   woody August 6th, 2010 at 10:45

   @Guest -

   I agree with you – SP3 is a must-have except in some very specific cases. (And pirate software is a specific case.)

5. 

   EP August 7th, 2010 at 07:05

   Remember folks, XP SP3 is only available for 32bit (x86) editions of Windows XP. For those using the 64bit (x64) editions of Windows XP, their latest SP is SP2.

   Check very carefully if you are using either the 32bit or 64bit edition of XP from the System Control panel app or from the Microsoft System Information tool.

   I didn’t realize the KB2286198 LNK security update would wreck systems that have ESET NOD32 installed. Anyways, ESET issued recent virus definition updates to resolve the problem and should now work with the LNK security update.

6. 

   Yuhong Bao August 8th, 2010 at 01:16

   “For those using the 64bit (x64) editions of Windows XP, their latest SP is SP2.”
   Yep, it is based on Windows Server 2003 codebase. You will notice that the version number is 5.2, not 5.1.