Microsoft said Tuesday that only one in three Windows XP installations has been upgraded to Service Pack 2.
We know that the percentage of people using Windows XP SP 2 is lower than we would like it to be. One in three machines that run Windows XP is running SP 2. Customers are still reluctant to upgrade. — Mario Juarez, Microsoft security product manager
If you put one of these unprotected machines on the Internet, it will be compromised within minutes. Your brand new computer will be hijacked mostly by spammers, but also by hackers, identity thieves and possibly even terrorists, and you might never know it.
Are you putting it off because it will take too long to download? Microsoft will send it to you on CD free of charge. Not even a shipping charge! They even sent me one. But if you’ve got broadband, go ahead and download it. It’ll only take an hour or so.
If you’re putting it off for other reasons, please share with us in the comment box below.
And finally, there’s a much better way to use your computer: Linux.
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Dorie
Jul 09, 2005
I know that this old dying family computer I’m using right now only recently got Service Pack 2 installed because I’m currently on dial-up. xP My laptop, not yet connected to the internet, doesn’t have it installed but will once we get broadband next week and it is connected to the internet.
But wow… I didn’t realize that so many people haven’t installed it yet. @__@;; That’s actually pretty scary.
AJ
Jul 09, 2005
Operating System: [WinXP Professional 5.1 Service Pack 2 (Build #2600)] * Installed: [XP was installed 95wks 1day 19hrs 3mins 5secs ago] * Uptime: [1d 8h 35m 55s]
Firas
Jul 09, 2005
I don’t have enough disk space to install it
Jason
Jul 10, 2005
@Firas:
“Need to free up 1/3rd of your Hard Drive? Delete your OS!”
Jan
Jul 12, 2005
SP2 came w/ my computer!
I own a business reparing computers, and NOBODY has SP2. They all don’t install their updates, load their computers up with spyware, and have no antivirus.
Then they wonder why their computers are so slow! I keep copies of MS AntiSpyware, AVG Antivirus, and SP2 on my flash-drive. I also set all three to update and install updates w/o asking, because most of my clients leave their computers on and have broadband.
paranodix
Jan 08, 2006
I have 6 comps. and only 2 have sp2, yet in all these years no probs ever. sp2 is not essential if you know how to protect yourself using precautions.
1. dont install apps etc you download from dodgy sites (and I dont mean looks)
2. dont visit porn/hack etc sites. Usually the click here to enter will deliver nice spyware/adware
3. Use Tiny Firewall (a nice free little firewall) does the job.
4. if theres no problem, DON’T FIX IT.
justin samuel
Jan 22, 2006
i haven’t installed sp2 because i believe there is a good chance that the U.S. government’s dirty little paws are all over the code… much more so than previous version of windows. sp1 was released one year after 9/11. that’s not enough time, i don’t think, for a massive government intrusion ability overhaul of windows, though it’s still a bit suspect (not that they couldn’t intrude before, of course). but with sp2, released 3 years after 9/11, it seems to me that they’ve probably made the most wide-open, security-free operating system that could be imagined, assuming one has the right NSA/etc. access information.
anyways, a windows system should be kept behind a NAT firewall and should run non-microsoft firewall software and non-microsoft antivirus software, should not have IE, and should have at least a somewhat security-aware user. and one should not trust it with anything important. extremely sensitive passwords or communication should never be stored on or transmitted through windows. people need to learn to use a secure linux/bsd setup for that to be possible. hopefully within the next ten years a secure linux setup will be extremely easy to install and use for the average computer user. for now, it’s limited to geeks and people who have friends who are geeks.
vista, of course, will be worse. and every version of windows that comes out as the U.S. becomes more and more oppressive will continue to be even more open to government spying. and i doubt mac can be trusted too much, if for no other reason than they would be subject to government pressure just as microsoft would be. only open source operating systems have any chance of being trustworthy. many governments and militaries around the world realize this and they are all dumping windows and switching to linux. citizens need to wise up and do the same.
crow
Mar 09, 2008
i cannot install it because i dont have a build 2600 i tryed everthing i could but nothing is working plz help me am so despreate to get this sp2 onto my comp
joebanana
Jan 06, 2012
XP actually almost works why ruin a good thing? It’s slower than crap, so why slow it down more? No matter what windows puts out it’s garbage anyway, the only reason people use it is because they’re forced to when they buy a new computer.