XP SP2 - should I install it now?

[Anastasis]

If this is a stupid question then I apologise...

I am using XP Home with SP1. Although SP2 has been available for around a year now, I wanted to avoid upgrading to SP2 until the dust had well and truly settled. Also, when it was released I had some critical work I was doing on a project so didn't want to destabilise my system.

So a year on should I upgrade? I know the forthcoming release of IE7 looks like its going to require SP2 to be installed.

Are there any gotchas I need to be careful of or anything I should do before I install?

As I said, apologies if a dumb question...

[GimieGimieGimie]

I'm not the best on advice for updates of software, but i've installed SP2 on every system that i've ever ran Windows XP off of and had zero issues/problems since the day of it's release.

Of course i always run the latest software/patches to make sure there ain't any incompatibility issues, so if you are running software that you know is a few years old, you might face issues.

But aside from that, to be honest, i have no idea why anyone wouldn't want to upgrade going on it's wide acceptance factor.

SP2 has been tried and tested, i say backup any important data and go for it.

But that's just my 2 cents.

[Reverend]

Most of the early instabilities that were associated with SP2 have now been ironed out.

If you do upgrade to SP2 bear in mind there have been several security updates since its release,so pick up those updates from Windows Update as well.

Details of SP2 available here (http://www.techzonez.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11145)

I recommend you download the network install and burn it to CD or slipstream it (http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=295).That way if you ever have to reformat you won't need to go through the long download process again.

[lankan_man]

Seriously, I recommend that you get SP2, I got 3 PCs here and all three of em got SP2.
Its alot safer, you get ur own, built in firewall, and auto update, and its really practical. As u said, IE7 requires SP2, your right, but when the days will go on there will be other Microsoft progs that you will be obligated to have SP2 to run em.

Anyways, installing SP2 isn't that hard, it will take u about 15-20 ;)

[Anastasis]

Thanks guys for your clear advice on this.

I've taken the plunge (well more of a paddle I guess) and am now fully SP2'd!

Everything seems to be running well and no problems encountered so far.

I was hoping that upgrading to SP2 would fix my broken User Accounts option, but I still get an error saying "Wrong number of arguments or invalid property assignment" when I run it. Same problem using "control userpasswords" from the Run... dialog. The only thing that makes it work is using "control userpasswords1", but that gives an old style dialog, not the XP skinned one but in that the scroll bar doesn't work.

Anyway, forgive my waffling - should post that one in a different thread.

Thanks all again for your excellent help!

[Reverend]

but I still get an error saying "Wrong number of arguments or invalid property assignment" when I run it.Try this:

Start > Run.

(without quotes)

Type "regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\jscript.dll" and hit enter.

Type "regsvr32 /i c:\windows\system32\shell32.dll" and hit enter.

[lankan_man]

I still get an error saying "Wrong number of arguments or invalid property assignment" when I run it. Same problem using "control userpasswords" from the Run... dialog. The only thing that makes it work is using "control userpasswords1", but that gives an old style dialog, not the XP skinned one but in that the scroll bar doesn't work.


Wrong number of arguments or invalid property assignment (Scripting) (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/script56/html/vserrwrongnumberofargsorinvalidpropertyassignment.asp)

Wrong number of arguments (Error 450) (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/vbenlr98/html/vamsgfuncaritymismatch.asp)

Those sounded like VB code probs for me..... wierd....

[Anastasis]

Hi guys - thanks again for your help. What a friendly forum this is!

I tried your suggestion Reverend but it didn't work unfortunately.

Yes, lankan_man, from my research on this before, these are VB script type errors. I don't know why this should be.

Anyway, your interest renewed my vigour to try and get this sorted and I turned up a post on this issue in another forum where someone suggested the following:

Open your notepad or word processor and copy and paste the following:
regsvr32 jscript.dll
regsvr32 nusrmgr.cpl
regsvr32 /i mshtml.dll
regsvr32 themeui.dll
regsvr32 Vbscript.dll

This will re-register the above dll's etc in the registry. Save this file as "User Acct Fix.cmd" on your desktop to easily find it. Click on "User Acct Fix.cmd" on your desktop to run the program. Now see if now the User accounts are visible.

Well - this fixed it - fantastic. I've trawled the net a few times on this one and although I have found various posts on the problem, none of the suggestions worked. I had never spotted this solution before though.

So, I hope this will also help someone else who stumbles across this answer.

Thanks for your inspiration guys! :)

[lankan_man]

yeah, Rev is a one of a kind, he's soo helpful :D

[Orbit]

To Anastasis!!

WOW !!!!
I was *THIS* close to reinstalling XP, and I have over 200 programs installed, so you KNOW I didn't want to go there.

I don't know where you found this fix, but it worked perfectly, and I've been searching and trying out 'official' MS crap and other 'fixes' for hours.

THIS fixed it.
-----------------------------------------
QUOTE:Open your notepad or word processor and copy and paste the following:
regsvr32 jscript.dll
regsvr32 nusrmgr.cpl
regsvr32 /i mshtml.dll
regsvr32 themeui.dll
regsvr32 Vbscript.dll

This will re-register the above dll's etc in the registry. Save this file as "User Acct Fix.cmd" on your desktop to easily find it. Click on "User Acct Fix.cmd" on your desktop to run the program. Now see if now the User accounts are visible.
-----------------------------------------------

I'm SOOOO happy, I'd buy you a beer if you were here !!!!!

AWESOME.

[Nosferatu3211]

ya, i would install it