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RSS feedsWhen Microsoft released Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) in August, it was intended to solve a host of security problems as well as irritations, such as pop-up advertisements. On the whole, it's been a welcome addition to XP but, as with all major software upgrades, there have been some unexpected glitches.
The most serious problems have affected businesses, but some home users have also reported problems running certain applications after installing SP2. Some have even said it caused their computer to crash.
Changing the firewall settings or downloading updates from other software manufacturers can solve most of these problems quite simply. We show what you can do to rid your PC of SP2 gremlins.
What are the conflicts?
Microsoft optimistically notes on its website that some applications only "appear" to stop working. Typical programs include file sharing, instant messaging, internet telephony and online games. Many of these conflicts are caused by the beefed-up firewall installed by SP2, and in the next section we'll look at how these can be put right.
Some problems involve conflicts between the SP2 security features and third-party security products such as firewalls and virus protection. Again, the conflicts are often only apparent, or can be easily resolved. Others are the inevitable result of upgrading the operating system, and there are always some products that fall over.
Any software company concerned about the future of its business should be quick to rectify this with a patch or update, but inevitably some will fall by the wayside. If you have an old program that won't start under SP2, it's worth trying the Compatibility Wizard.
Right-click on the shortcut to the program, choose Properties then click on the Compatibility tab. You should now be able to set the program to run as if it were installed in a previous version of Windows.
You may also, in a very few cases, experience hardware conflicts. For example, LaCie has warned that its FireWire 800 hard disks are not compatible with the drivers included in SP2. There's a patch available at www.lacie.com/support
Firewall folly
SP2 strengthens the XP firewall considerably, blocking unsolicited connections which can often be a sign of spyware or other unwanted visitors. Equally importantly, it is turned on by default.
Microsoft has also made it much easier to configure. If you go to the new Security Center in the Control Panel, you will see three panels reporting on the status of the Firewall, Automatic Updates and Virus Protection. Note that SP2, like previous Windows upgrades, does not come with its own virus checker but it does make an attempt to detect third-party products.
As we will see, this is not always successful. If you click on the link to manage security settings for Windows Firewall at the bottom of the Security Center, you'll get a dialogue box with three tabs. On the first, the firewall should be turned on, unless you have an alternative firewall (see below).
You will generally want to allow exceptions unless you are on an insecure public network, such as in an internet cafe or university. On the Exceptions tab you will see a list of items with checkboxes. If your PC is connected to other machines (say a notebook PC connected to a desktop computer) then you will want to enable File and Printer sharing.
You can also add programs and ports to this list. We don't recommend the latter, unless you have expert knowledge, and there is usually an easier way of doing the former.
With many programs, you won't have to go here to allow them access. Some, such as the Skype Internet telephone service, will add themselves to the exceptions list. Others will be halted by the XP firewall on the first occasion they try to access the internet.
When this happens, you will see a box appear on your screen saying that the firewall has blocked access to 'some features' of the program, with the options to keep blocking, unblock or keep asking.
If you know and trust the program, then clicking on unblock will add it to a list of exceptions and you should be able to keep using the program as before. If the alert appears out of the blue or you don't recognise the program name, choose 'Ask me later'. This will block for the moment and you'll be asked again next time the program runs. This gives you the chance to find out about the program and make an informed decision.
Anti-virus answers
Note that Windows may not recognise your anti-virus software when you look in the Security Center. If not, you'll get a pop-up message from Windows saying 'Your computer might be at risk' and a 'Not Found' alert in the Security Center.
This does not necessarily mean that your anti-virus software is at fault. Symantec, for example, claims that this is because of its "tamper-proof" technology. The latest version of Norton AntiVirus 2005 contains the Norton Windows Management Instrumentation Update, which allows Windows to monitor it, and a patch for version 2004 is promised soon. You can find out more on Symantec's website.
Other anti-virus products may also fail to show up in the Security Center but this doesn't mean that they're not working. You can click on the Recommendations button and choose to monitor your own anti-virus software, which should automatically remind you to update it.
Update upsets
Microsoft seems to have tripped itself up with the new SP2 pop-up blocker, which is preventing access to its own Windows Update, the site that automatically downloads security updates to home PCs. It's embarrassing for the company, but fortunately the cure is simple.
Start Internet Explorer and go to Tools, Popup blocker and then Settings and add the address of the Windows Update site (http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com) to the list of allowed sites.
Other updates may also be affected, such as Corel WordPerfect. You'll find patches for versions 10 and 11 on Corel's support pages at here. Nero Burning Rom 6 also has problems and you can eliminate these by downloading the 6.3.1.25 update here. Style XP can cause problems with the installation of SP2 but fans will be pleased to know that a compatible version is available here.
Microsoft has set up a mini-website to try to help those struggling with SP2. You can even chat by text to an SP2 engineer. Visit the Support Centre here.
One other problem that you may discover is that Outlook Express will no longer show images in some email messages unless you click on the explanatory message above. This is not a fault, but is intended to protect your privacy.
Often images are sent as links to a file on the sender's server, so your PC has to contact the server to retrieve them. This contact can confirm your receipt of the message to the sender, thus opening your door to spam and other unwanted mail. By default Outlook Express blocks this external content.
It will also, as in some earlier versions, block access to potentially unsafe attachments, such as executable (program) files. Both these settings can be turned off in the Security tab in Outlook Express Tools, Options, but we don't advise you to do this.
Pack up your troubles
Despite anecdotal evidence in online newsgroups and forums, and the long lists of affected programs, we've found little evidence of widespread problems with SP2 for home users. Many of the reported problems only affect 64-bit computers, which are relatively rare.
We think the enhanced security of SP2 far outweighs the risk of conflicts. If you do have serious problems, and can't resolve them from the advice here, or find a solution on the manufacturer's website or discussion forums, you can always uninstall SP2 or revert to a saved disk image.
However, we don't recommend this as a long-term measure. Let's hope Microsoft now has XP in order and doesn't need to put its customers through an upgrade of this magnitude again.
Get some backup
We cannot overstate the importance of creating backups whenever you are about to make a major change to your hardware or software. Yes, it's boring, but the value of a backup only becomes apparent once it's too late to make one.
vThe most effective way to do this is to make a 'disk image' on recordable CDs or DVDs, which will let you restore the entire hard disk to its previous state. One product we recommend is Norton Ghost 9.0 at £40.
If you just want to back up data, you can use the CD-writing facilities of Windows XP or the software that came with your CD or DVD writer. You don't want to back up garbage or malware, so run disk cleanup, virus and spyware scans first.
If you haven't downloaded SP2 ...
If you've been put off downloading SP2, haven't got around to it yet, or are waiting for a CD from Microsoft, there are some steps you can take to keep any fuss to a minimum.
First, check your PC for viruses and spyware. Virus checkers don't always catch spyware and browser hijackers, but you can clean these up with the free versions of Ad-aware or Spybot. Run disk cleanup (Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup) to get rid of unnecessary clutter and make sure you have enough free space on your hard drive.
Providing you have a version of XP with Service Pack 1 (SP1), about 100Mb will do. If you need to install SP1 too, allow for 130Mb to be on the safe side. It's also wise to uninstall any third-party customisation programs such as Windowblinds or Style XP, as there have been reports of SP2 refusing to install on a modified XP computer.
SP2 will create a restore point and add itself to the list of programs that can be uninstalled in the Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs. You can also create your own restore point (Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore) but you may find that the installation removes all restore points previous to its own.
One final matter: SP2 is a big download. If you don't have a broadband connection, consider ordering it on CD. You'll find details here.
Which firewall is best?
If you're using a third-party firewall, such as ZoneAlarm, and you are happy with it, then there is little reason to change it. Although Service Pack 2 brings several improvements to the Windows XP firewall, third-party firewalls, and hardware firewalls, can offer added protection.
ZoneAlarm, for example, monitors both outgoing and incoming traffic, makes your PC invisible to hackers and has automatic configuration for known safe programs. According to the company, version 5.1 is fully compatible with Service Pack 2.
When activated, it turns off the Windows Firewall,(running two firewalls can degrade performance) and is correctly reported in the Windows Security Centre. You can find out more on the Zone Labs website here.
If you don't have a third-party firewall, then the Service Pack 2 one is turned on by default. Although this can be a little trickier to configure than ZoneAlarm, and has fewer advanced features, it should be more than adequate at protecting your PC from attacks via the internet.
You'll probably need to fine-tune it to get certain programs and Windows features to perform correctly, but as we explain elsewhere in this feature, this is not difficult.
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