 |
|
|
|
September 2, 2005
Dear CNET members,
Going through this week's member submissions to John's SP2 question, I happened to come across one from Mike R., a member from New Orleans. Mike sent this e-mail to me last Friday, and given the destruction and misery caused by Hurricane Katrina, I hope that he weathers this catastrophe safely. This devastating event serves as a great reminder that life is precious, and it puts everything into perspective, knowing that we should never take anything for granted. My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones and homes. If you would like to learn more about how you can help, I have set up a convenient link below to the Red Cross's Hurricane Katrina relief center.
Now while Mother Nature doesn't let us choose our destiny, this week's question about whether to update to Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) is a choice you can make. So John, and all the members who are still on the fence about making this big move to SP2, let me start you off with the winning answer by Miguel (seven-time winner), who has done an incredible job giving his take on SP2. We have quite a few submissions in the honorable mentions and other advice from our members--some for the upgrade and some against it, but ultimately the decision is yours. So please read through them all. For all those who have successfully or unsuccessfully upgraded to SP2, please tell us your experiences in this week's discussion so that we are able to learn from you. Thank you, and take care everyone!
|
|
Member Question of the Week
I am running Windows XP SP1 and wonder if it is really
necessary to upgrade to SP2. I keep up with the critical
upgrades from Microsoft, but they keep on bugging me to
install SP2. I use ZoneAlarm, AVG AntiVirus, and several
antispyware programs. I also am behind a Linksys router with a
firewall. Do I really need to install SP2, and what are the
benefits? If you say it is necessary to move forward to SP2,
are there any specific things I need to do to my
computer before upgrading?
Submitted by:
John T. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
John, a Service Pack is essentially a collection of fixes and enhancements released by Microsoft during (roughly) the previous calendar year. Service Packs are not merely for users who fail to keep up with critical updates, though, as they come in quite handy under certain circumstances. For instance, if you upgrade your operating system to Windows XP, have to reinstall it on a new hard drive, or find yourself performing a repair or a reinstallation, a Service Pack facilitates matters considerably. Not only do you find everything you need in one place, it also saves you from downloading dozens of patches individually, many of which would require you to install them one at a...
Submitted by:
Miguel K. of Columbus, Ohio
For
Miguel's
efforts, we're sending him his choice of any
Help.com Learning CD.
Community Buzz
 Each week we take a look at topics discussed in the forums.
Best regards and enjoy!
Have you ever had a software program that comes back to haunt you, even though you used Add/Remove Programs; or does Add/Remove Programs sometimes not show all the programs that you have on your computer? If you've encountered these dilemmas, peek into these discussions to find worthy solutions. If you don't see the answers you need, just ask for more advice.
More from Windows XP forum
Buying advice for computers and notebooks
Of late, the forums have been littered with members seeking buying advice on computers. So if you are in the market for a new computer or have any advice for our members on what to buy, join in these recently posted discussions.
Any tips on arranging cables inside the computer
If you build your own computers from the ground up, you know that all the wires and cables inside the box can be a jungle. So do you have any tips for others on how you can neatly arrange these wires? Please chime in if you do.
More from PC hardware forum
Help, please! LCD, plasma, or DLP decision
With the price of plasma, LCD, and DLP TVs dropping, people who are in the market for one of these TVs are torn between the different pros and cons about them, which makes a purchasing decision difficult. If you also find yourself in this predicament, join this discussion and see what some of our members recommend. If you have some good experiences with these type of TVs, please share with us some of your advice.
More from Home audio & video forum
Mac nugget: Is defragmenting the hard drive on a Mac necessary?
Member lehans writes, "I've read somewhere that Macs don't need you to defragment their hard drive because of the way files are saved. Do Mac hard drives have maintenance tools like PCs do? Also, is antivirus software needed or recommended?" Find out what our moderators and members have to say.
More from the Mac hardware forum
|
|
Check out next week's question:
I have a lot of personal information on my drives and back them up on CDs. Is there anyway to password-protect these files/folders on my computer and on CD-Rs so that no one else can view the contents? I am running Window XP Pro. Thank you for any detailed help.
--Submitted by:
Joey D. of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
If you have the answer,
e-mail us at messageboards@cnet.com.
If we choose your response, you'll get a
free Help.com CD.
Have a question?
• Multimedia
• Internet Security
• Digital Cameras
|
• PC Upgrading
• PC Troubleshooting
• Digital Music
|
| Member Profile of the Week |
 |
User name: jco
Location: Rice Lake, Wisconsin
Member since: November 4, 2004
|
|
|
About me: I had a Macintosh in the early '90s; then no computer until my boyfriend decided we were going to get... (read more)
Each week we feature a CNET member who contributes to our community. Fill out your profile to get a chance to be featured in our newsletter and win a CNET t-shirt!
|
Simple question, simple answer
Help your fellow members
|
|
Click here to see full answer
