Windows XP Service Pack 2 - Frequently asked questions & answers about SP2

We receive many letters and e-mails from readers with recurring questions about Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2). We have listed them all below and provided the appropriate answers:

1. what does the Service Pack 2 for Windows XP actually do for me?

Microsoft's aim is to protect your computer and your data from unauthorized access, which is primarily achieved by the Security Center and its three components Firewall, Automatic Updates and Virus Protection.

The firewall in particular has been significantly improved by the MS developers: it is now active by default! With the previous version, digital diseases could spread unnoticed on your PC because the firewall was not active. SP2 almost forces you to perform a Windows update, which we think is a very sensible measure - hardly any user these days cares about such important updates and still complains afterwards that their computer no longer works. The virus protection is not a Microsoft antivirus tool in its own right, but merely a detection of existing or installed solutions on your computer. This monitoring function integrates third-party antivirus software into the Security Center and displays its status.

2. i already have a firewall from manufacturer xxx. Is the new Windows firewall a replacement for this?

Let's put it this way: It is not a replacement but a step in the right direction. The Windows firewall only blocks incoming Internet traffic and not, like third-party solutions such as Norton, outgoing traffic. If you have your own anti-virus solution, you can switch off the relatively limited Windows firewall - but it is perfectly adequate for home use.

3. what other functions does Service Pack 2 offer me? Is there a complete overview?

Innovations in brief

- Windows XP Media Center Edition is updated to version "2004

- Windows XP TabletPC Edition is updated to version "2005

- Simplified and secure installation of wireless connections (WLAN)

- Hardware protection against the famous buffer overflow through data execution prevention (DEP) using AMD/Intel 64-bit processors

- Windows Movie Maker 2.1 for easy editing and creation of your own videos

- Windows Media Player 9.0 for convenient playback of audio/video content

- DirectX 9.0c is the latest version of Microsoft's game interface

- Improvement of automatic update technology (compression, dynamic transfer)

- Bluetooth support: Simplified wizards allow devices to be added, data to be sent/received and a Personal Area Network (PAN) to be set up.

- Outlook Express blocks unsafe attachments. Beginners, who generally open almost everything, are thus protected from themselves

- In future, advertising pop-ups will be blocked automatically or on request. Furthermore, SP2 protects against so-called "drive-by downloads", which are downloaded to your computer in the background without you noticing.

4. what are the differences between the Service Pack 2 version of the Windows Update and the complete package (271 MB)?

None at all! Windows Update checks which updates or software (e.g. Media Player 9.0) are already installed on your computer and dynamically downloads the missing components. This reduces the amount of data and modem and ISDN users can breathe a sigh of relief. The complete package contains all patches and technologies that have been released for XP, regardless of whether you have already installed parts of them or not. This is particularly suitable for administrators or users who frequently reinstall their Windows.

5. is Service Pack 1 included in Service Pack 2?

Yes, you do not need to install SP1 before SP2. This is known in the IT industry as a cumulative update: This is where all previous versions are in the latest version.

6. do I still have to visit the Windows update after SP2 or am I safe so far?

Although the majority of updates will reach your computer with SP2, there will always be security gaps and errors - the malicious hackers and virus developers never sleep. We recommend that you run the Windows update even after Service Pack 2 - the advantage is that you won't have too much to download after SP2.

Note: A list of all hotfixes can be found on the page http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/811113/DE/.

7 Where can I get help with Service Pack 2?

Option A: In the Windows-Tweaks Forum through the dedicated Service Pack 2 section!

Option B: About this link to access free telephone and chat support with a Microsoft employee. We have tested this support ourselves and can only recommend it for simple problems, as the competence leaves a lot to be desired. In two tests with specific, yet known problems for which several solutions exist, the support team was unable to help us.

8. can I delete the folders "ServicePackFiles, "$NtServicePackUninstall$ and "SoftwareDistribution\Download?

The installation of Service Pack 2 brings with it new backup folders in the Windows directory that allow the service pack to be reinstalled or uninstalled. The "ServicePackFiles" folder contains the unpacked files from XP SP2, so that overwriting system files with older files (e.g. from the Windows XP CD) does not result in error messages due to incompatible file versions. In such a case, Windows XP always uses the data from "ServicePackFiles. If there is an acute lack of space, this folder (473 MB) can be deleted, whereby we recommend a backup on CD. In this case, you must adjust the target path of these SP2 files in the registry database: Press "Windows key+R, type "regedit ("OK) and expand the key path "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup. In the right-hand pane, double-click on "ServicePackSourcePath" and enter the new path, e.g. "E:\SP2-Backup". The subfolder "I386" must also be located in this directory.

"$NtServicePackUninstall$ contains older system files that are used to uninstall Service Pack 2. If you are convinced that SP2 has a permanent existence on your computer, you can remove this folder (approx. 300 MB). "SoftwareDistribution\Download contains Service Pack 2 data that you have received via Windows Update. If you no longer wish to reinstall SP2, you can delete these files with peace of mind.

9. the security center annoys me - how can I switch it off?

It is easy to disable, but we recommend that only professionals who know what they are doing use this method - the Security Center reliably indicates security flaws in your system. You can disable it by double-clicking on "Security Center" in "Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Services" and selecting "Disabled" under "Startup type".

10. how do I uninstall Service Pack 2?

Click Start/(Settings)/Control Panel/Software, select the Windows XP Service Pack 2 entry and choose Remove. You can find further options on this Microsoft Knowledge Base page!

NOTE FOR NEW PUBLICATION: This article was produced by Sandro Villinger and comes from the Windows Tweaks archive, which has been built up since the late 1990s.