Re: XP SP2 - Can Microsoft really be this bad

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: IcculusDC (icculusdc_at_verizonREMOVENOSPAM.net)
Date: 08/14/04 

Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2004 18:31:27 GMT

Just interested in what roadblocks you have run into with sp2. I have been
reading quite a bit on the changes it will being. The firewall part is easy
enough to figure out and configure and the impact it would have on our
environment is obvious. What about the more subtle things like changes in
DCOM permissions and other security enhancements? I am just curious to see
what unexpected problems people are having in implementations of the sp. We
will be going to but only after substantial and thorough testing.

I agree with you post concerning this subject. I think this is a great step
forward for the OS, people just need to be aware of the changes it brings
and how it might affect their environment. I think many times people just
want to install something and get it done without actually having a thorough
understanding of the product.

"LL" <ll@mail.com> wrote in message
news:uGzLTuVgEHA.2848@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> From previous post...
>
> In the past week I have helped two of my clients (for now) test and move
> some systems to XP SP2 - one wanted a COE process around XP SP2. They
> originally hated it because they mentioned it slowed their systems down or
> prevented some things to not work or other...
>
> After spending just two days at most between the two clients, I proved to
> them that it was not SP2 - it existed BEFORE SP2 and that SP2 brought it
to
> surface. Eventually, I did two separate installs onto new systems and
used
> their softwares and made several tweaks.
>
> Now, it works better than they thought and are quite satisfied.
>
> MORAL of the story...there are too many uneducated people (before you guys
> whine about something not working - try to imagine - maybe its you or lack
> of knowledge) who thinks they're technical until you teach them something
> about XP - it's not just about installing an OS - you have to KNOW how to
> configure it specially with applications in Enterprises. Even with XP or
XP
> SP1 - I see MANY clients with misconfigurd systems for an enterprise.
Like
> I said, its more than installing or upgrading - there are alot of
> configurations that needs to be done which MS doesn't do too well in
> documenting. If there are enough requests, I can or will provide this to
> the community as I do for my clients - a LITE version of the info.
>
> Don't give up people. Trust me, XP SP2 works and works well.
>
>
>
>
> "Kim Oppalfens" <kim@computacenter.nospam> wrote in message
> news:MPG.1b8709c51c5fd62098972f@msnews.microsoft.com...
> >
> > Inline
> > In article <86fa7e5a.0408130609.27e00b96@posting.google.com>,
> > robin_sayer@hotmail.com says...
> >> It's quite understandable when a company comes out with a patch that
> >> it may cause problems with other peoples software but how Microsoft
> >> can push out the final release of XP SP2 and have it break their own
> >> SMS software is beyond me.
> >>
> > If there is no reason behind breaking things I don't even think breaking
> > someone elses application is understandable.
> > The fact that they bring out a 'patch' as you call it that even breaks
> > their own stuff could be seen as a proof that they are really starting
> > to take security seriously.
> >
> >> Even after the install you would think, oh ok it's the firewall. Turn
> >> off the firewall and everything is still broken.
> >>
> >> Then Microsoft direct you to some patches (which aren't even available
> >> for download and seem to refer to the Beta version of XP SP2 and
> >> address a problem that your not experiencing (being unable to run
> >> advertised programs - which we can).
> >
> > I completely agree, communication could have been faster & better.
> >>
> >> OK make a DCOM security change and add a program you've never heard of
> >> to the firewall and open port 135 (hang on, isn't that breaking the
> >> security that the SP2 was designed to fix! Hacker tools like epdump
> >> use this port to looks at all the DCOM objects on your machine) and
> >> the console works again.
> >>
> > Sure, it is less secure as a full SP2 installation without any
> > modifications, but not all Applications can handle the extra security.
> > If they have to make sure that every application works out of the box,
> > then we have the situation that we have been having in the last decade,
> > that it is to easy to hack. So instead they decided to make it as secure
> > as possible. Besides even with the extra 'holes in the firewall' on your
> > machine it is more than likely a hell of a lot better protected than it
> > used to be.
> >
> >> SO being a bit nervous at what else is broken you looks for MS
> >> documentation, and there's a list of things that break with SP2, but
> >> hang on half the things on the list didn't break - oh that's because
> >> Microsoft were talking about the Beta of SP2 when they wrote the docs,
> >> so now we have no idea what does and doesn't work, what holes we've
> >> just ripped in the firewall and what and how to fix anything.
> >
> > True again, documentation should have been more clear, and up to date.
> >>
> >> Classic Microsoft
> >>
> > Nope, classic microsoft would have been creating a Service Pack that
> > bundles most security patches, some stability issues & some nice bells &
> > whistles. Sp2 is actually a fairly revolutianary service pack that
> > targets security in a very aggressive way. I don't think we will see a
> > service pack like this anytime soon. I do wonder what Longhorn wil be
> > like out of the box.
> >
> > --
> > Check out the SMS Technical FAQ:
> > http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sms/sms2003/techfaq/default
> > .mspx
>
>

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