Windows XP SP2

[karohemd]

More and more new things (like Adobe Lightroom) won't run under SP1 and I slowly see myself forced to upgrade.
However, I've heard many bad things about running the upgrade process with things crashing or not working anymore afterwards. My SP1 machine has been running very smoothly and I don't want to end up having to reinstall everything.
Any advice from the geeks muchly appreciated.

Comments

[nannyo.livejournal.com]

I'm not a geek, but have installed all of the updates as they've come out, and have had hardly any problems, which have swiftly been resolved, so I say, go for it!
N.

[belak-krin.livejournal.com]

The only problem I have had with SP2 is the crappy in-system firewall that wont shut off (you have to tell it to be on, but let everything through). As long as you keep up to date with the updates, it seems fine.

[miss-s-b.livejournal.com]

Snap.

Of course, Vista comes out soon, and then we'll have a whole 'nother heap of worries...

[belak-krin.livejournal.com]

which is why I say its always worth waiting a year before taking up an OS so they can get rid of the worst bugs :D

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

SP2 can frag some settings and configurations but this is usually restricted to games I've found.

I'd still suggest backing up everything to an external hard drive backup option (or DVD, if it'll fit) and then installing SP2 from clean because in my experience it runs a lot better from a base level install than from an upgrade.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

All of my system drive (incl. apps) should fit onto my 30GB external so that's an option.
I have a new load of backing up to do soon, anyway.

[crocodilewings.livejournal.com]

You could try a repair install from an XP+SP2 disk following the backup. It'd save having to reinstall all your apps, but might go a bit wrong.

[ev1ldonut.livejournal.com]

If you've got an old install you've been using for a while, then *any* big upgrade could break it. Windows gets more unstable the older the installation is.

Make sure you've got a restore point, or a full backup if you have space, then go for it. It might work fine! If it doesn't, you can always go back to your restore point, or your backup.

Personal recommendation would be: make a fresh install of windows, then update it with everything (SP1, SP2, all security patches, etc.) before re-installing all your apps again. Or, if you can find someone with a copy of windows which has everything up to and including SP2, use that to make a fresh install (quicker, less likely to go wrong), then let it update itself, then re-install your apps.

Basically, the less you have installed, the less there is to go wrong. ;)

For what it's worth, I heard all sorts of stories about updating to SP2 as well, but could not find one confirmed case of any problems that could be directly attributed to SP2 among anyone I know personally, or that they know personally. Only rumours from forums and suchlike.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

*nods*
A clean install would probably be a good thing and I guess I could use my laptop while the desktop machine is being upgraded.
Still sounds rather painful.

I distinctly remember mazzarc having some serious problems.

[sogoth.livejournal.com]

I don't think I had a single problem when upgrading to SP2

[mazzarc.livejournal.com]

Set a system restore point and you should be fine. 3 times i've tried to install the damn thing, and 3 times it's blue screened and i've used system restore to get me back up and running smoothly.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Like mazzarc I've not had much luck installing it (in my case no BSOD, just total lack of connectivity), but I've been able to revert to my old configuration with no problems.

[dmh.livejournal.com]

I've not personally had any problems with SP2.

[susanofstohelit.livejournal.com]

One of the fixes killed my wireless for a bit, but doing a system restore and installing them one at a time fixed it.

I'd probably download them all and then install one at a time - reduces the interactions and mistakes. I don't think a full reinstall would be necessary.

[surje.livejournal.com]

it was the upgrade to SP2 that pushed me over the edge... i'm now an apple convert and finding my new machine to be everything i've been hoping for.

the main trouble i had was with drivers... my wacom tablet driver caused bluescreens when combined with fast user switching and hibernation, and corel painter just refused to work.