The Windows XP patch: How to get it, what it does, what you need to do beforehand
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The Windows XP patch: How to get it, what it does, what you need to do
beforehand
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Wondering if you should install Microsoft's Windows XP patch now?
Worried about what might go wrong? We have answers to these questions
and others. This Q&A was edited from information supplied by Microsoft
and other sources.
Q: What is this patch? And why all the fuss?
A: Microsoft is trying to make Internet and network security a high
priority. It's a change that's long overdue but nonetheless very
welcome.
Service Pack 2 (or SP2, as most people in the computer industry call
it) is a major change in the way Windows XP works. There are many small
changes, but two of the main differences center on the Windows XP
firewall -- it is turned on after you install SP2, whereas it was
turned off by default before -- and on Internet Explorer, which will
now block many kinds of popup windows. It also adds a Security Center,
which shows you at a glance which security functions are running.
The firewall is improved, too. It now operates as soon as possible
during bootup.
Another improvement: The Windows Messenger Service is now turned off
unless you specifically turn it on. The Windows Messenger Service --
which is not related to any instant messaging service, despite the
confusingly similar name -- is a favorite tool of spammers. It allows
them to send spam directly to your screen without using e-mail.
Q: Do I have to prepare my Windows computer in anyway before I
install the patch?
A: You need to tackle five chores first:
1. Free up a lot of hard drive space if your computer is running
low.
2. Back up the files you consider irreplaceable.
3. Get viruses and spyware off your PC.
4. Check the Web site run by the company that made your PC for
recommendations.
5. Check Microsoft's list of problem programs.
DRIVE CLEANUP: Microsoft says you need 1.8 gigabytes of free space
on your disk drive (on your C: drive, if you have more than one drive).
You can find out how much space you have free by opening My Computer,
right clicking on the C: drive and clicking "Properties." Look for a
label that says "Free Space." Windows will show the space in both
megabytes and gigabytes.
In the same window, you'll see a "Disk Cleanup" button. Click that
button to have Windows locate files you can get rid of. Windows will
then show you a list. Choose the kinds of files you'd like Windows to
delete from that list. You can generally get rid of any files in the
list. You might also see an option to compress old files. Choose that
if it's available; you could gain a few gigabytes extra space.
BACKUP: Unless you have nothing valuable among the documents on your
Windows PC, run your regular backup software before installing SP2. If
you don't have any regular backup methods -- most Windows users don't,
so try not to feel guilty about this -- you should still save files
that are too valuable to lose.
If you don't have a CD or DVD burner to use for quick storage, you
can always ask your friends to let you do the computer equivalent of
storing your belongings on their front porch. In other words, locate
the most important files you need to save and send them to cooperative
friends as e-mail attachments. But take note: This only works for
files, not folders, and usually won't work for large files. Do a test
first, sending a few files of different sizes. (My guess: You probably
won't be able to send attachments larger than a couple of megabytes
each in most cases.)
Your friends can hold on to your files in case something goes wrong
and you need them back.
VIRUSES AND SPYWARE: Although most XP users know about viruses,
Microsoft's own research indicates that most Windows XP computers don't
have up-to-date antivirus software. if you already have antivirus
software, update it before doing a full scan. If you don't have any
virus protection, get the highly regarded AVG antivirus suite from
www.grisoft.com. Look for "AVG Free Edition" on the AVG site.
Spyware is a plague that has infected most Windows PCs that have
Internet connections. Get rid of your current spyware infections by
installing and running a good spyware catcher, and be sure to continue
daily or weekly spyware scans after you upgrade Windows XP.
I recommend either Spybot Search & Destroy from
www.safer-networking.org or Ad-Aware from www.lavasoftusa.com. Spybot
is free, although you are asked to send money to help support the
program. Ad-Aware has both free and non-free versions. The free one is
Ad-Aware SE Personal.
Note that the XP patch does not install antivirus software or a
spyware blocker. It's up to you to keep your antivirus software and
spyware-detection programs up-to-date after you install the patch.
WEB CHECK: Your PC's manufacturer should have information on what
problems, if any, your computer might have with SP2. If don't know the
company's Web site, search for it on Google.
PROBLEM PROGRAMS: Microsoft has a list of programs known to have
problems running under a patched Windows XP computer. The list includes
tips that can help get some of them running properly. Go to
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242". AssetMetrix, a
research company, estimates that 10 percent of all XP computers in
Canada will have problems with some of their programs after the patch.
The figure is likely to be about the same in this country.
Q: Do I have to pay for the Windows XP patch?
A: No. Windows XP users get upgrades and patches, or fixes, without
charge.
Q: Microsoft says the Windows Update program will get the patch for
me, but I have a slow modem connection. Can I get the software on a CD?
A: Microsoft's XP patch Web site tells you. Go to
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/default.mspx. To go directly to the CD
order site, go to
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/default.mspx.
Q: Do I have to pay shipping charges for the CD?
A: No.
Q: A guy I work with got the CD. Is it legal for him to make me a
copy?
A: Yes. Microsoft is encouraging anyone who got an SP2 CD to share
it with friends, neighbors and coworkers.
Q: Am I supposed to keep the CD after I install the patch?
A: You're not required to keep it. But if you need to reinstall
Windows XP at any time, you'll probably need the CD so you'll be able
to reinstall the patch easily, too.
Q: What if something goes wrong after I install the patch? Can I
uninstall it?
A: Yes. You'll find an uninstall icon in the Add/Remove Programs
section of the Control Panel.
Q: I have a Windows computer but it's not Windows XP. Where do I get
a patch for my computer?
A: Microsoft doesn't have an XP-style patch for other versions of
Windows. But older versions of Windows do have security fixes and
updates that can help, although they won't achieve the same effects as
the XP patch. Get them by running Windows Update.
Q: Is the SP2 patch just for U.S. customers?
A: Versions of Windows XP in other languages are also being patched.
Microsoft has SP2 patches for German, Japanese, Korean and Chinese
customers.
Q: Be honest. Does the XP patch really work?
A: After it is patched, your Windows XP computer will continue to be
vulnerable to attack. But it should be safer than it was before.
However, some experts believe Microsoft hasn't done a good job with the
patch.
Criticism came in particular from The Register, a widely read
British computer-technology publication, after it installed the patch.
"Overall, SP2 did little to improve our system's practical
security," the The Register wrote. The SP2 patch left "too many
services and networking components enabled" and left Internet Explorer
and Outlook Express "vulnerable to malicious scripts."
"The new Security Center utility with its frequent Security Alert
popups will certainly give users the impression that SP2 is a
security-oriented package," The Register said. "However, The Security
Center does little beyond warning users that the firewall is disabled,
that automatic updating is disabled, or that antivirus software has not
been installed. It may look impressive, but the SP2 package fails to
provide several of the most important, basic modifications required to
run Windows safely on an Internet-connected machine."
Q: What alternatives do Windows users have if they install the patch
and still have spyware, virus and security problems?
A: If you have a cable or DSL connection, you can install a hardware
firewall to supplement Microsoft's Windows XP firewall. The easiest way
to get a hardware firewall is to buy a router with a firewall built in.
Linksys is the most widely known maker of consumer routers.
More drastically, you can switch to a safer operating system to
replace Windows. The two competitors for Windows are Apple's Macintosh
and the many versions of Linux. Find out more about Apple's computers
from www.apple.com. For information on Linux, go to
www.linuxhq.com/links.
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