O.K. guy and gals.  I got my CD from Micresoft I ordered to update Windows XP with SP 2.  It took about 45 minutes to update, I had downloaded all the updates all along. I had no problems at all.  Lost one short cut off the desktop for the media player.  Put it back on and it works fine.  SP2 had put the media player on the toolbar at the bottom it will work from there. This is what the update does:  I do not know if all of you are using XP if not ignore
 
 
What you get with SP2
 
Q. Now that SP2 is out (I've performed the upgrade--a no-brainer),
how about telling us about the enhancements.
 
A. Security is such a big concern today that we sometimes lose track
of other things. If you have been updating your computer regularly,
you already have the most important security enhancements in place.
 
But there are other good reasons for installing SP2. Many secondary
security features have been added. While they are not critical, they
will help keep less knowledgeable people out of trouble. Here are some:
 
ENABLED FIREWALL
Windows XP has always had a firewall. It was turned off by default,
because some programs have trouble with it. Now it is turned on by
default, according to Microsoft. Knowledgeable people use more capable
firewalls, such as ZoneAlarm. But the world is full of people
(including some of my friends) who have not made the slightest
effort to protect themselves online. They need a firewall, and now
they will have one.
 
ATTACHMENT MANAGER
E-mail attachments are a real problem. Nearly all worms and viruses
spread when people open infected attachments. More knowledgeable
people avoid these things. But malicious programs continue to be a
terrible problem because many people open attachments willy-nilly.
This new feature will warn users if an attachment looks potentially
dangerous. Most of the people reading this newsletter don't need that
much hand-holding. But it will help keep less knowledgeable people
out of trouble.
 
ADD-ONS MANAGER
Every day, I get complaints from people who are burdened with a
pornographic toolbar, hijacked home page or a useless search engine.
Typically, they (or their children) downloaded it when they got a free
offer. A new item in the Tools menu, Manage Add-ons, will give users
the ability to control and delete this garbage.
 
SECURITY ZONES
Internet Explorer includes Internet, Intranet and Local Zones.
SP2 enhances the separation between the zones. The idea is to keep
malicious programs out of the Local Zone, which is your machine.
Security professionals are beginning to complain that holes allow
malicious code to seep in. But those "flaws" depend on you doing stupid
and/or gullible things. Generally, you would have to respond positively
to messages from strangers. Exercise common sense, and you'll be OK.
 
.
 
WARNING: A small percentage of people are reporting severe computer
problems after installing SP2. I suspect there are conflicts that did
not turn up in Microsoft's testing. Microsoft has a number for update
problems: 1-866-727-2338. However, one person said he held for three
hours, and no one ever took his call.
 
POP-UP BLOCKER
I can't imagine anything more aggravating than pop-up advertising.
But, in addition to the irritation, pop-ups can be used to lure people
into security traps. Now, at long last, Internet Explorer has a pop-up
blocker. It is turned on by default. If you want to make adjustments,
or turn it off, click Tools>>Pop-Up Blocker>>Pop-Up Blocker Settings.

 

DOWNLOAD INFORMATION

Dialog boxes, which explain what you're downloading, have been
rewritten to clarify your options. So you're less likely to download
something dangerous. You also have the option to block all content
from a software publisher, regardless of whether the download is
signed. I plan to use that each time I'm asked if I want to download
a free search bar, toolbar, fun game or other garbage.

 

AUTOMATIC UPDATES

Windows XP has always permitted automatic updates. SP2 explicitly
encourages people to enable automatic updates, and makes it easy
to do so. Previously, you had to hunt through some windows. I use
automatic updates, and I encourage you to do so, too.

 

REMOTE PROCEDURE CALL

This service allows computers to connect with other machines over
a network. Microsoft has made it less vulnerable to exploitation
by intruders. Machines seeking access now must be identified and
accepted. This isn't a big deal to home users, but could help protect
business systems from such threats as MSBlaster.

 

SECURITY CENTER
This utility can be used to change settings for the firewall, automatic
updates and anti-virus software. Basically, you can turn them on or
off. The center doesn't currently recognize some third-party programs,
so it can't give you good information. Hopefully, that will be
rectified in the future. To access Security Center, click
Start>>Control Panel. Double-click Security Center.

 

WARNING: A small percentage of people are reporting severe computer
problems after installing SP2. I suspect there are conflicts that did
not turn up in Microsoft's testing. Microsoft offers a number of
options to help you. If you cannot get online, call 1-888-772-4357.
The company warns that hold times can be lengthy.

If you can get online, Microsoft offers a chat option. Or you can send
e-mail. Several people have reported excellent experiences using these
methods. Microsoft is apparently taking these problems seriously.
There is more information at: http://snipurl.com/8phj