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Loading Zone November 2004 • Vol.4 Issue 11 Page(s) 76 in print issue |
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Windows XP Service Pack 2 |
Free Microsoft www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2 4 CPU's Is the much-touted Windows XP Service Pack 2 all it's been cracked up to be? Yes and no. Yes in the sense that it makes Windows much more secure, and no in the sense that security still remains the responsibility of the user. That said, the changes in SP2 are far-reaching and genuinely important, but anyone installing it needs to handle it with care. SP2 is big at 270MB, and for that reason Microsoft is recommending that individual users use Automatic Updates to deploy SP2. (It is possible to download the whole thing via the Network Installation Package for distribution on multiple computers.) In the worst possible case, you'll need to allocate at least 2GB of working space for SP2, especially if you're backing up all the files SP2 replaces. And it's a good idea to do so, just in case something does go wrong. Microsoft's own advice for pre-SP2 installation is mostly common sense: Scan for spyware, do a general cleanup, back up important data, and contact your vendor for any system-specific SP2 upgrades, such as new hardware drivers. If you're on a system that shipped as XP Gold (the original release) and was patched to Service Pack 1 already, consider a clean installation with a slipstreamed copy of SP2. Some machines don't come with original installation media but rather a recovery disc; ask your system vendor if an updated recovery disc is available. If all else fails, clean up and back up as best you can and then patch. I patched four separate systems with wildly differing configurations, and all came through OK, but I cleaned all thoroughly beforehand. Microsoft recompiled almost every major Windows component and audited them with new tools to prevent exploits such as buffer overruns. Added features include support for the new data execution prevention extensions found in newer CPUs—a line of defense against viruses—but only users with the absolute newest chipsets will be able to make use of it. Most users shouldn't notice a difference in day-to-day activity. In fact, SP2 seems to run slightly faster than previous versions of WinXP, by most reports. One of the most visible new changes with SP2 is the Security Center. An icon in the Control Panel links to three key security functions: firewall (whether it is the Windows Firewall or a third-party product), Automatic Updates (Microsoft recommends you turn this on and set to install updates silently), and virus protection. The Security Center recognizes numerous third-party firewall and anti-virus products, and it will warn you if some things are not enabled or installed. If you want to manage all this stuff yourself and not be nagged about it (for instance, if you're using a hardware firewall appliance, not software), you can disable the nags. WinXP's Firewall was never a replacement for a "real" firewall, and while the SP2 Windows Firewall still isn't, it's certainly more flexible than before. You can send common Windows services, such as file and print sharing, through the Firewall now. (Although, you need to be very careful when doing this so as not to expose your computer to the outside world.) SP2 also makes some changes to wireless networking. It's now easier and more straightforward to configure, especially when dealing with roaming among multiple networks. IE's been subtly made over, too, with new security features to keep spyware out and annoying pop-ups away. The most obvious addition is a Pop-up Blocker, and it works quite well, integrating with IE's existing security features, such as the Internet Zones system. Less obvious, but even more useful, is the ability to browse and disable browser help objects, a common vector for spyware and malware. After installing the release candidate of SP2, one test system that had at least one bad spyware infestation a week, courtesy of IE, has remained clean for the three months since. The sheer size and scope of SP2 may make it intimidating to install for some people, but they should make the effort; it's more than worth it in terms of how much safer Windows will become.  by Serdar Yegulalp |
