System Utilities Tweaking Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) Network Installation Package for Windows

by Microsoft Corp.

Avg. Rating 4.1 (130 votes)

File Details

File Size 259.8 MB
License Freeware
Operating System Windows XP
Date Added
Total Downloads 123,266
Publisher Microsoft Corp.
Homepage Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)
Other Versions

Publisher's Description

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) provides new proactive security technologies for Windows XP to better defend against viruses, worms, and hackers. In addition to a more robust security infrastructure, SP2 improves the security configuration options of Windows XP and provides better security information to help users faced with security decisions.

This installation package is intended for IT professionals and developers downloading and installing on multiple computers on a network.

Latest Reviews

GoodThings2Life

GoodThings2Life reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 11, 2004

Service Pack 2 is a "must have" for Windows XP users who are serious about having a stable, secure, and most importantly WORKING computer system. The "complete fix list" documents over 783 improvements and fixes, and they are well worth the humongous download.

This *IS* the full network install, and despite another individual's review, it most certainly CAN be slipstreamed for those who know how and wish to do so. (It is not required, however).

For those with limited bandwidth or only installing it on one system, please follow Microsoft's advice and do not download the network install... wait until Automatic and Windows Updates lists the smaller release for you.

For those who really don't care whether their computer is stable, secure, and most importantly WORKING... SP2 probably isn't for you until after you've installed updates to many of your applications. As pointed out it WILL break a lot of older and/or poorly written applications-- ESPECIALLY ones that install malicious spyware/adware content since that type of behavior is frowned upon such as the P2P programs.

Bottom line though... if you want a decent computer setup and care more about stability and security- SP2 is a must have. If you have a lot of outdated software and/or care more for functionality-- you may want to hold off. I for one choose stability, performance and security hands down! :)

Sutro

Sutro reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 11, 2004

I think all of you people that bag on Microsoft should just shut your faces as I can pretty much bet you are using their operating system (and some of you are using hacked versions) and it keeps your computer running day in and day out, obviously with a glitch here and a glitch there but no computer program is perfect especially when you have all of these hardware companies developing hardware that sometimes is inferior! So maybe its time you look at that 5 dollar sound card or 30 dollar video card or 50 dollar motherboard as your problem and stop blaming the operating system. Because in 10 years of IT work I have found that hardware imcompatiblity is more of a problem then the operating system. So as far as I am concerned you all need to shut up and deal with it because Microsoft is not going anywhere and you all are just a bunch of whiners!

nickpowers101

nickpowers101 reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 11, 2004

Installed and working great. The new wireless connectivity features are particularly nice.

One thing that's weird (probably because I installed the network package and have no idea on how to customize it): The splash screen when Windows is loading no longer says "Windows XP Professional"... instead, it's been replaced by just "Windows XP"... I wish I knew how to make it normal, but oh well, the service pack's installed and runs quite well...

MMPD

MMPD reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

Works absolutely perfictly, no problems.
Only thing I wish is that they would make it default to have the security center disabled.

graysky

graysky reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

What a waste of bandwidth the download. More bloat features most people don't want. That firewall is a joke and all the "security center" does is ensure that people who don't know any better keep the auto update feature switched on... Big brother is watching you. If you use any p2p client like edonkey or bittorrent, this service pack limits the amount of TCPIP connections in a time period to 10. That will break the back of these p2p networks. Get the patch to unlimited from here if you do install this and use p2p: http://www.lvllord.de/4226fix/4226fix.htm

Stephen_hazen

Stephen_hazen reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

Works well with my computers. The main thing I like about the Windows Firewall other than passing Symantec's firewall check in all areas (no other firewall installed) is the ability to use applications in selected subnets. This file cannot be slipstreamed so it is not the full service pack so the full network version will be even bigger.

dustdevil

dustdevil reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

This program is a piece of crap be sure to set a restore point before installing. Could not get back on line after installing. SP 2 should be broken into parts so you could pick and choose the parts you wanted instead of having Microsoft shove unwanted features down our throats. There are some of us who take care of and protect our computers. Leave us alone Microsoft.

hte123

hte123 reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

doesnt work on my notebook. Now RCP service crashes at start and thats the end my friend...

asaenz

asaenz reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

So far so good with the update/upgrade. No major problems with any important applications. The pop-up blocker and firewall is non-intrusive to my normal daily work. Seems just barely noticeably slower ... could be additional overhead. I would appreciate it if at least one of the next reviewers would post a MD5 checksum on the downloaded file so I can compare to mine without my having to download the file again to save valuable bandwidth.

Cellar Dweller

Cellar Dweller reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

No real cosmetic changes...
Have been using since all the beta builds and thank god it's finally here, wasn't any thing great to me...

I never use firewalls and the like so none of that really helps and the pop up stopper - I simply use the google toolbar so that's no big help...

As far as the build being 2158 that is the SP2 build but the files if you check them will or are 2180 so the true version is 2180 for those wondering about the numbers...

I also use the ftp or IIS and depending on how you exit the MMC it will give you an exception error and have to close and this has been doing this since the first beta and still does it now...

Avg. Rating 4.1 (130 votes)
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GoodThings2Life

GoodThings2Life reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 11, 2004

Service Pack 2 is a "must have" for Windows XP users who are serious about having a stable, secure, and most importantly WORKING computer system. The "complete fix list" documents over 783 improvements and fixes, and they are well worth the humongous download.

This *IS* the full network install, and despite another individual's review, it most certainly CAN be slipstreamed for those who know how and wish to do so. (It is not required, however).

For those with limited bandwidth or only installing it on one system, please follow Microsoft's advice and do not download the network install... wait until Automatic and Windows Updates lists the smaller release for you.

For those who really don't care whether their computer is stable, secure, and most importantly WORKING... SP2 probably isn't for you until after you've installed updates to many of your applications. As pointed out it WILL break a lot of older and/or poorly written applications-- ESPECIALLY ones that install malicious spyware/adware content since that type of behavior is frowned upon such as the P2P programs.

Bottom line though... if you want a decent computer setup and care more about stability and security- SP2 is a must have. If you have a lot of outdated software and/or care more for functionality-- you may want to hold off. I for one choose stability, performance and security hands down! :)

Sutro

Sutro reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 11, 2004

I think all of you people that bag on Microsoft should just shut your faces as I can pretty much bet you are using their operating system (and some of you are using hacked versions) and it keeps your computer running day in and day out, obviously with a glitch here and a glitch there but no computer program is perfect especially when you have all of these hardware companies developing hardware that sometimes is inferior! So maybe its time you look at that 5 dollar sound card or 30 dollar video card or 50 dollar motherboard as your problem and stop blaming the operating system. Because in 10 years of IT work I have found that hardware imcompatiblity is more of a problem then the operating system. So as far as I am concerned you all need to shut up and deal with it because Microsoft is not going anywhere and you all are just a bunch of whiners!

nickpowers101

nickpowers101 reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 11, 2004

Installed and working great. The new wireless connectivity features are particularly nice.

One thing that's weird (probably because I installed the network package and have no idea on how to customize it): The splash screen when Windows is loading no longer says "Windows XP Professional"... instead, it's been replaced by just "Windows XP"... I wish I knew how to make it normal, but oh well, the service pack's installed and runs quite well...

MMPD

MMPD reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

Works absolutely perfictly, no problems.
Only thing I wish is that they would make it default to have the security center disabled.

graysky

graysky reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

What a waste of bandwidth the download. More bloat features most people don't want. That firewall is a joke and all the "security center" does is ensure that people who don't know any better keep the auto update feature switched on... Big brother is watching you. If you use any p2p client like edonkey or bittorrent, this service pack limits the amount of TCPIP connections in a time period to 10. That will break the back of these p2p networks. Get the patch to unlimited from here if you do install this and use p2p: http://www.lvllord.de/4226fix/4226fix.htm

Stephen_hazen

Stephen_hazen reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

Works well with my computers. The main thing I like about the Windows Firewall other than passing Symantec's firewall check in all areas (no other firewall installed) is the ability to use applications in selected subnets. This file cannot be slipstreamed so it is not the full service pack so the full network version will be even bigger.

dustdevil

dustdevil reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

This program is a piece of crap be sure to set a restore point before installing. Could not get back on line after installing. SP 2 should be broken into parts so you could pick and choose the parts you wanted instead of having Microsoft shove unwanted features down our throats. There are some of us who take care of and protect our computers. Leave us alone Microsoft.

hte123

hte123 reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

doesnt work on my notebook. Now RCP service crashes at start and thats the end my friend...

asaenz

asaenz reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

So far so good with the update/upgrade. No major problems with any important applications. The pop-up blocker and firewall is non-intrusive to my normal daily work. Seems just barely noticeably slower ... could be additional overhead. I would appreciate it if at least one of the next reviewers would post a MD5 checksum on the downloaded file so I can compare to mine without my having to download the file again to save valuable bandwidth.

Cellar Dweller

Cellar Dweller reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

No real cosmetic changes...
Have been using since all the beta builds and thank god it's finally here, wasn't any thing great to me...

I never use firewalls and the like so none of that really helps and the pop up stopper - I simply use the google toolbar so that's no big help...

As far as the build being 2158 that is the SP2 build but the files if you check them will or are 2180 so the true version is 2180 for those wondering about the numbers...

I also use the ftp or IIS and depending on how you exit the MMC it will give you an exception error and have to close and this has been doing this since the first beta and still does it now...

Reap_r

Reap_r reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

this service pack broke my connection to a non-ms NAS device. It worked fine before, but now has some security subsystem error I have never before seen. The NAS runs Samba I think, and now has trouble connecting.

Youngy

Youngy reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

2158 was the time the build was compliled. Dont know why they have moved away from standard version info string.

mattnotley

mattnotley reviewed vNetwork Installation Package on Aug 10, 2004

NO problems at all. My network seems to run faster when accessing files on my Windows XP Professional Server using Network Drives. What's with the build though, I downloading it from the Microsoft site today (Tuesday 10th) and it says 2158, I thought it was supposed to be 2180???

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