what's da deal with win. updates messing with xp?

[persianpower]

Hey,

I've heard rumours that certain windows updates mess with your system (xp sp2). Is this true.

I've recently bought a new laptop and it works pERFECT. Yet, I'm missing the below updates. Should i download and install these updates?

Is there a problem with specific updates for speficic operating systems.

On my last computer, i downloaded and installed all the critical updates and some of the moderate ones too. Let's just say, THAT system wasn't the best it could be.

What to do?????????????????


Security Update for Windows XP (KB891781)
Typical download size: 333 KB, less than 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB888113)
Typical download size: 326 KB, less than 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB873333)
Typical download size: 440 KB, 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB888302)
Typical download size: 330 KB, less than 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to remotely read information about your Windows-based system. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Update for Windows XP (KB887742)
Typical download size: 325 KB, less than 1 minute
This update addresses an issue that could cause your system to stop responding if certain firewall or antivirus programs are installed. You can help resolve this issue by installing this HTTP.sys update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB890175)
Typical download size: 540 KB, 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - April 2005 (KB890830)
Download size: 339 KB, less than 1 minute
After the download, this tool runs once to check your computer for infection by specific, prevalent malicious software (including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom) and automatically helps remove any variants found. After it runs, the tool is deleted from your computer. A new version of the tool will be offered every month. If you want to manually run the tool on your computer, you can download a copy from the Microsoft Download Center or run an online version from microsoft.com. In addition to using this tool, you should use an up-to-date antivirus product to help protect your computer from other malicious software. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB893086)
Typical download size: 1.2 MB, 2 minutes
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to remotely compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB893066)
Typical download size: 480 KB, 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to remotely compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (KB890923)
Typical download size: 1.1 MB, 2 minutes
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise a computer running Microsoft Internet Explorer and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB890859)
Typical download size: 1.3 MB, 2 minutes
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to remotely compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB885835)
Typical download size: 393 KB, 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB885250)
Typical download size: 362 KB, 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to remotely compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB873339)
Typical download size: 334 KB, less than 1 minute
A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise your Windows-based system and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Critical Update for Windows XP (KB886185)
Download size: 384 KB, less than 1 minute
This update helps narrow the definition of the My network, or local subnet, restriction option in the Windows Firewall. This is helpful in situations where the Windows Firewall would consider a large network to be on the local subnet because of how the dial-up software configured the route tables. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details...
Hide this update

Security Update for Windows XP (KB885836)

[SuperSparks]

Don't pay any attention. All it is is that the odd problem (often caused by misconfigured or malware laden computers) gets reported in forums and newsgroups, but the 10,000 installations that go without a hitch don't ever get mentioned. So it can look like there are problems when there really aren't. Believe me on the odd occasion when an update does cause a problem (and there was one a while back, long since fixed) forums like VDr are full of posts reporting the matter.

[Brian Sheridan]

Super Sparks,

An article in the April 10, 2005 in the NY Times stated that " Last week, AssetMetrix Research Labs, a research firm based in Ottawa, released the results of a survey of 251 North American companies, measuring the adoption of Windows XP. Only 7 percent of companies had actively embraced the latest improvements, Service Pack 2, released 6 months ago. The improvements, it turns out, introduce software-compatibility problems. These can be overcome with tinkering but not without aggravation and additional cost for fixes that should not have been necessary in the first place."

I am using Windows XP home edition OS and am anxious to install this service pack. I have just received an automatic update advisory from MS urging me to install it. Perhaps the above article from NY Times is dated or only applies to businesses which would in fact be using XP Professional.

I would appreciate any comments or advice you may be able to give me.

Thanks in advance,

Brian Sheridan

[fink]

I'm sure Supersparks will have more to add but it might be worthwhile looking at Microsofts own list of programs that they say were affected by SP2...

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=884130

I was also intially concerned about potential problems but decided to take the plunge about 6 weeks ago and have had no problems at all on any of my three PCs or on my brothers which I administer as well.

[SuperSparks]

I've installed SP2 on 9 machines (7 Pro, 2 Home) and I have yet to encounter a single problem. And I have quite a few of the software apps mentioned on that liust, and didn't have problems with those either - most "problems" are in fact extemely minor when they do occur anyway.

It makes me angry to see yet more sensationalist reporting by a bunch of "journalists" (and I use the term loosly) who know damn all about IT or computers. It's that kind of reporting that stops people installing SP's and Windows Updates, and then the rest of us have to suffer while infected zombie machines churn out spam and malware day and night

Honestly, the vast majority of people have no problems with Service Packs or Windows Updates, so go ahead and install it.

[Welshjim]

persianpower--Are you saying that the Windows Update site is telling you all these are Critical Updates (now called High Priority Updates)? If so, I would install them per the advice given above. However, if you are looking at Optional Updates from the left hand panel or have learned about them from the MS Download site, then you should try to determine if you really need them.
P.S. You will find you can uninstall many of them (from Control Panel|Add/Remove Programs) in the unlikely chance you find they cause problems.

[persianpower]

i've already installed 17 "Microsoft" approved CRITICAL updtes. I don't bother with optional. I just Windows Update.

I've put up another thread regarding my laptop keyboard (and how it's acting up). I don't know if or how it has anything to do with these critical updates, I just don't know.

[Brian Sheridan]

To SuperSparks and fink,

I installed Service Pack 2 as you suggested and have not had any problems.

Thanks to both of you for your input and advice.

Best regards,

Brian

[pommiemom]

I was also leary about taking the plunge and installing SP2, on SuperSparks advice I decided to install SP2 and so far have had no problems.

[scarecrowdr]

I had Five problems----3 are fixed but the other 2 are not...My nForce3 IDE drivers don't work properly (won't play DVD movies) and the Computer is "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" only...The IDE prob has happened since i Did the Full Criticall updates of SP2/3.
IDE drivers are now the older drivers, plays Movies but is very,very slow in showing n opening Thumbnails in my DVDs.
Whoever keeps saying there be nothing wrong with SP2 has their facts wrong I'm afraid.....

[james giles]

No one had said theres nothing wrong with it, they've just said that in the vast majority of cases there are no problems with installing it. There are just some rare cases where it may clash with other ptogs, drivers etc

[scarecrowdr]

it's like ford makeing a new car/truck n putting it on the road with no wheels....

[SuperSparks]

I think you need to look at this another way Scarcrowdr. How come there have been very few threads in this (or other) forums about problems with SP2? How come I've personally installed it on 9 PC's and not have a single problem? If there were real problems with SP2, sites like VDr would be full of people complaining, but they aren't. So you should look at what is really broken on your PC, and not try and blame it all on the service pack.