Re: SP2 - Do I need it?

From: Frank (Frank_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 09/28/04 

Date: Tue, 28 Sep 2004 02:37:03 -0700

Thanks for the advice, Mike. I have a disk with SP2 on it, and was going to
install... but when I looked at his message board with all the problems
people have been having, and all the steps you have to take before you even
start the installation, it's a bit scary! Especially for a pc which I
believe is not open to any of the attacks the service pack is supposed to
protect against. I accept that something I copy to the pc *might* have
malicious code which would be detected by "Data Execution Prevention (DEP)",
but is the trade off worth the hassle of the install? I'm yet to be convinced.

"Mike Brannigan [MSFT]" wrote:

> "Frank" <Frank@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:830ADA05-55B9-4624-AF2A-D3D2953D6B9B@microsoft.com...
> > Thanks, everyone!
> >
> > For your peace of mind (and my own!), I have no intention of connecting my
> > home pc to any other computer, via the internet or otherwise. The only
> > potential for infection will then be diskettes, flash drives, CD's etc,
> > which
> > I can scan with my anti-virus software.
> >
> > So the consensus would therefore be... No need to install SP2!
> >
>
> No, you should still consider SP2 for all the bug fixes and the improvements
> in security for all you applications that are running including technologies
> such as DEP etc; as well as the genrall stability and code performance
> improvements made in SP2.
>
>
> --
>
> Regards,
>
> Mike
> --
> Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights
>
> Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
> newsgroups
>
> "Frank" <Frank@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:830ADA05-55B9-4624-AF2A-D3D2953D6B9B@microsoft.com...
> > Thanks, everyone!
> >
> > For your peace of mind (and my own!), I have no intention of connecting my
> > home pc to any other computer, via the internet or otherwise. The only
> > potential for infection will then be diskettes, flash drives, CD's etc,
> > which
> > I can scan with my anti-virus software.
> >
> > So the consensus would therefore be... No need to install SP2!
> >
> > "Mike Brannigan [MSFT]" wrote:
> >
> >> "HillBillyBuddhist" <hillbillybuddhist@shoescolumbus.rr.com> wrote in
> >> message news:uTqrzpHpEHA.1300@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> >> > "Frank Thompson" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> > news:1bf801c4a476$1f70d140$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> >> > | My home pc is NOT connected to the internet (I do all my e-
> >> > | mail/browsing on another pc).
> >> > |
> >> > | All the features included in SP2 seem to be to do with
> >> > | security issues, so do I need SP2 if I only use my pc
> >> > | stand-alone? Or are there any other improvements that
> >> > | aren't being advertised?
> >> > |
> >> > | Thanks,
> >> > |
> >> > | Frank.
> >> >
> >> > Here is a list of fixes that are included in XPSP2.
> >> >
> >> > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811113
> >> >
> >> > As you can see it is an impressive list that addresses many more issues
> >> > than
> >> > just online security.
> >> >
> >> > That said, *in my opinion* if I had a computer that was not and was
> >> > *never*
> >> > going to be connected to the Internet, and was performing well I
> >> > wouldn't
> >> > bother to update it. In other words if it was always going to be a
> >> > standalone computer performing a set group of tasks and was doing those
> >> > things to my satisfaction I'd leave it alone unless a problem arose
> >> > that
> >> > could conceivably be addressed by an update.
> >>
> >> You also forgot to mention that not only must that PC never have been
> >> connected to connect to the Internet - it must also never be on the same
> >> network ass any PC that has or does connect to the Internet.
> >> In other words a PC with out any form of networking or connectivity to
> >> any
> >> potential source of attack or infection.
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >> Regards,
> >>
> >> Mike
> >> --
> >> Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]
> >>
> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> >> rights
> >>
> >> Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
> >> newsgroups
> >>
> >> "HillBillyBuddhist" <hillbillybuddhist@shoescolumbus.rr.com> wrote in
> >> message news:uTqrzpHpEHA.1300@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> >> > "Frank Thompson" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> > news:1bf801c4a476$1f70d140$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> >> > | My home pc is NOT connected to the internet (I do all my e-
> >> > | mail/browsing on another pc).
> >> > |
> >> > | All the features included in SP2 seem to be to do with
> >> > | security issues, so do I need SP2 if I only use my pc
> >> > | stand-alone? Or are there any other improvements that
> >> > | aren't being advertised?
> >> > |
> >> > | Thanks,
> >> > |
> >> > | Frank.
> >> >
> >> > Here is a list of fixes that are included in XPSP2.
> >> >
> >> > http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811113
> >> >
> >> > As you can see it is an impressive list that addresses many more issues
> >> > than
> >> > just online security.
> >> >
> >> > That said, *in my opinion* if I had a computer that was not and was
> >> > *never*
> >> > going to be connected to the Internet, and was performing well I
> >> > wouldn't
> >> > bother to update it. In other words if it was always going to be a
> >> > standalone computer performing a set group of tasks and was doing those
> >> > things to my satisfaction I'd leave it alone unless a problem arose
> >> > that
> >> > could conceivably be addressed by an update.
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > D
> >> >
> >> > I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
> >> > I was just trying to help.
> >> > Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions
> >> > or
> >> > advice herein.
> >> > No warranty is expressed or implied.
> >> > Your mileage may vary.
> >> > See store for details. :)
> >> >
> >> > Remove shoes to E-mail.
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>