Be careful when installing Windows XP Service Pack 2
 

Microsoft’s highly expected and long overdue XP Service Pack 2 is available. Be very careful and don’t rush to install it until you take certain precautions to make sure some of your software doesn’t stop working!

The list is long and it may take a while before software vendors release Service Pack 2 compatible versions. The list includes some household names such as: Yahoo, AutoCAD, Nero 6 Ultra, Zone Alarm, WordPerfect Office, All 2003 versions of Norton Anti Virus, and even some of Microsoft's own such as Excel, parts of Office 2003, etc. etc.

XP Service Pack 2 includes a feature called Data Execution Prevention or (DEP.) This feature may make some of your current programs unusable when DEP is enabled. DEP comes enabled by default.

Software on your system that HAS NOT been designed to be compatible with SP2, quite probably MAY NOT work!

A possible temporary solution to DEP incompatibility would be to disable it. Be aware that when you disable DEP, you compromise your computer‘s security which in turn increases your chances to be the victim of certain attacks.

However, you will be no more vulnerable than you were under Windows XP Service Pack 1.

If you decide to turn off DEP, you should check regularly, for updates to your software and drivers so you can install SP2 compatible versions as soon as they are released by your vendors, this way you can re-enable the DEP feature as soon as possible since its securities and other features are invaluable when run in conjunction with a good and current anti-virus program.

Here is how to DISSABLE DEP if you wish to do so.

(VERY IMPORTANT: Save a copy of your current “Boot.ini” file before making any changes).

Click on: Run
Type: Notepad%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Boot.ini
Under [Operating Systems] change the parameter: /NoExecute=xxxx with: /Execute
Save: Boot.ini
and...Reboot.

A list of possible incompatible software has been posted at the Miscrosoft website. You can read it by clicking here.

Good luck

Jon