By Jo Best, 16 August 2004 14:45
NEWS Microsoft has published the details of more than 40 programs that have conflicts with the newly released Windows XP SP2.
The list includes several widely used Microsoft products including SQL, Visual Studio .Net and SMS 2003 Server.
The list can be found under the heading 'Some programs that seem to stop working when you install Windows XP Service Pack 2' on Microsoft's website. Unfortunately for a security-focused offering, XP SP2 also created problems with Symantec's Antivirus Corporate Edition 8.0, MacAfee's NetShield 4.5 and CA's eTrust 7.0.
Some games that run on XP also come to grief following the installation of the service pack, including Scrabble 3.0 and two versions of Unreal Tournament. Microsoft doesn't give hints on how to resolve the conflict with the games but points users in the direction of the original vendor, with the instructions "see the documentation".
For its own offerings, however, the software behemoth is more helpful.
As Redmond highlights itself, the programs just "appear" to stop working and can be coaxed back into life if you follow the instructions given for each individual program on the Microsoft website. The conflicts mainly stem from the SP2 tendency to shut certain ports or block 'unsolicited connections' - often a sign of malware, spyware or other unwanted visitors.
There is one notable exception, however. Microsoft's CRM product won't work with a SP2-equipped machine, full stop. Gates and co have already issued a fix for the incompatibility.
It's just such incompatibilities that have prompted IBM to advise its staff to not install the service pack for fear it might conflict with business-critical applications.
silicon.com's CIO Jury also said they wouldn't be installing SP2 as a priority.
A complete list of the programs that conflict with XP SP2 and how to resolve the problems can be found on Microsoft's website, here.
Comments
There are 25 comments. Join the discussion
1. Steve Anderson
The title of this article is both inaccurate and inflamatory.
As the article itself states, these programs have 'issues' with service pack 2. I'm running it now, and i'm not really seeing these issues. form an enterprise perspective it's less of a problem as the firewall (the root cause of a lot of these problems) can be controlled at domain level and have whatever ports required opened.
Personally, I'm happy with service pack 2. It's running smoother than before, and yet another layer of defence is always appreciated.
Looks like microsoft will be critisised no matter what they do. Cheap shot I suppose.
2. Mik F
The ultimate 'Emporers New Clothes' patch?
I've installed on four machines, only one of which is working without any apparent conflicts.
Two dev machines are running both SQL Server and MS VS.Net both affected by the stuff MS is admitting to.
My machine at home has fared the worst though; no Dr DivX or Alcohol 120%, conflicts with Norton AntiVirus 2003 and the new Security Centre, administrator accounts damaged to the extent that folder properties and mmc apps like IIS are inaccesible, System Restore fails and I'm so unconvinced that uninstalling SP2 will resolve anything that I'm hiving off all my data onto DVDs beore performing a low level disc format and installing from scratch. Need less to say I'll be disabling auto-update and waiting for things to stabilise befor commiting again. What a crock....
3. Rick Fuggle
Why are we not surprised?
4. R Halpert
Whatever happened to testing? Shouldn't we expect a company like Microsoft to test such a patch? XP was supposed to be the "most secure" O/S ever from MS in the first place. It has turned out to be just like the rest of Microsoft's offerings: Out the door into production, and let the customer be the beta tester for security flaws, holes, and other vulnerabilities. Why? PROFIT comes first. Saying that critisism of this latest service pack having "issues" is a cheap shot just doesn't wash with those of us who have been using Microsoft's products for a long time. They deserve every bit of critisism as long as their marketing strategy remains as it is.
5. S Hallows
'Issues' well what are they?
Of course there are issues after a major update, but what is the specifics of the issues identified. If it is just the firewall blocking ports, then I am not concerned as it can be configured but are there other more serious issues? I would have hoped the MS website would be more helpful or even just split them port blocked/other. Testng obviously has its part, but with most organisations having limited resources testing will never be as thorough as you would like. MS should provide better information if they want a rapid deployment of this much needed service pack.
6. anonymous
Having read the Microsoft bulletin (which I guess most haven't bothered to do) the instructions amount to configuring the firewall for 'trusted' programs, just like you do for eg Kerio, Zonealarm etc. Anyone not already using such a firewall is asking for trouble. Thank goodness everyone is now being forced to make these decisions - though no doubt someone will soon twig that you can re-enable all ports and irresponsibly advise everyone to do that...
7. Darral Pullen
I expect better from silicon.com; cheap sensationalist headlines are what we read the tabloids for. I have had XP SP2 on tablets and desktops since RC2. Like many I read the instructions on the package before deploying. To date I have had no issues that weren't already understood and resolved before deployment.
8. royston
i can understand some peoples problems with xp2. i backed up all the programs i needed onto cdrom and thought to myself right,empty my hdd.reinstal windows put in my antivirus software and firewall(symantecs systemworks 2003 +firewall) instal the broadband modem and software. then instal every single microsoft critical update i could find+everything else to do with windows. then i installed xpsp2 complete from the site dead against what microsoft advise......then i instaled all my software and games etc. NOT ONE SINGLE PROBLEM HAS RISEN. everything works beatifuly. as a matter of fact my pc seems to be far more eficient and more responsive. what i am trying to say is, it is better than sp1 ever was.far less hiccups and i have had the odd website be a little slow downloading but i think its a small price to pay cos my pc seems to be better than its origonal win xp1 when it was new........i am well pleased. get the crap out of your pc before downloading sp2. its amzeing how well this os works now.
9. Tom Anderson
Steve Anderson: What is the point of deploying Firewalls (at whatever level) to then just have to "punch" holes through them to allow various pieces of software to work? This kind of activity completely undermines any firewall and leads to system administrators, like yourself, leaving companies vulnerable to the ever growing spectrum of variants of old attacks: wise-up man!
10. Neil the Wheel
I have loaded sp2 on 5 separate machines without problems and the new wireless interface is a vast improvement in terms of link reliability. Perhaps MS could have gained a few brownie points if it had bundled some killer app or game free as a reward for having to do it in the first place.
11. amgafur
i've had mine updated to xp2
and still having no prop.
12. anonymous
Why cant we all just move to linux. Or Macs or unix or any other operating system non-microsoft!
13. Josh B
I installed SP2, and even when I followed the directions I found on various sites...I couldn't get any P2P client to work, yahoo messenger stopped working and new downloads wouldn't run...I turned off win firewall and still nothing worked. I did a restore to before I installed SP2, and it all runs fine now.
14. John Bramble
Is it not interesting that most MS system programmers and Net Work people feel if, they can handle the problem without spending 20 hours of their lives, then everyone should not have a problem.
Instead of working to improve the system, his or her focus is to belittle anyone that can not provide the level of skill of a Master of Computer Science. If you are not a programmer why are you using this system? Go study for 6 years and this will not be a problem! They seem to be saying!
Well, quite frankly, each time these highly skilled people spout defensive comments. They are ramming the point home that, if you are not a highly skilled programmer WHY are you using MS products?
Sooner or later, you too are going to be come a victim of a massively complex knot of an infinitely inferior computer system, that with each future release promises perfection and delivers yet another even more complex endless spire into the black hole of wasted time.
15. anonymous
Having recently installed SP2 I wasn't unduly surprised when two programs failed to work, given that Microsoft had identified a problem with them on their SP2 Support page. Indeed Microsoft had these programs listed as being adversly affected long before SP2 was released. Both programs originated from Scansoft, they being PaperPort Deluxe 9, and OmniPage Pro 14. Microsoft via their Support page usefully supply a link to ScanSoft for further advice. Problem is, when you arrive at said site no advice seems available! Whilst SP2 may be new to end users, surely test code was released to software suppliers in advance. Was it that Software houses/suppliers dragged their feet, or did Microsoft jump the gun in releasing SP2? Clearly the later isn't the case, so one must assume the former to be true. The best advice seems to be to check Microsoft's SP2 Support site and before purchasing any new software find out if there are any issues with it in terms of compatability. If in doubt one should avoid for the forseeable future, making purchases where fixes and advice aren't freely available. I think one can safely assume the drop-off in sales will spur said software houses into urgent action.
16. Ruprecht
I've installed SP2 and other than Skype going a bit 'off' for a couple of days until my Norton AV and Firewall software had updated itself no prob's as yet.
Best of all my laptop will now shut down successfully, which it hasn't done for some months...
17. Jonathan English
Tom Anderson: That's the point of firewalls, reducing risk but not always eliminating it.
It's an unfortunate fact of corporate IT life that ports have to be opened (rather than 'punched through' as you put it), I'm sure Steve has firewalls at other levels of the corprate network and maybe some form of intrusion detection to monitor those areas that have been 'exposed'.
....wise up man!
18. Bill Mercer
Wrong Steve, it's neither inaccurate nor inflammatory.
It's a reasonable warning to users that installing this SP could have unexpected implications.
Installing SP2 does in fact cause some programs to FAIL. Yes, it's possible to fix many of these problems. But the existence of a solution does not mean that the problem never existed.
If my software fails to perform its intended function, it didn't "appear to stop working", it REALLY stopped working.
If your car runs out of gas, does it "appear" to stop running? Of course not. In the real world, such obvious nonsense is not tolerated. But in a technical field where most users have no clue what's going on behind the scenes, this kind of spin actually works.
19. anonymous
Since installing SP2 I can't use my printer. Canon S520, I'm really having problems. HOW do I remove the new SP2?
20. Philip Pinkerton
Pointless waste of cyberspace. Uninformative and unsubstantiated.
21. anonymous
It appears to me it would be better for everyone, if instead of inundating the market with constant so-called improvements every few months, perhaps manufacturers such as Microsoft for example, should spend more time testing and making sure their products coordinate with each other, before putting them on the market. It's ludicrous!
What other industry does this? Imagine what would happen, for instance if a aircraft, or a space craft was sent aloft without testing it to the hilt?
22. Charles Willcock
As two space shuttles have been lost etc.etc. - it seems a poor example for comparison.
23. David Hoyle
I've been running smooth and sweet with SP2, until now...
IIS is refusing to work, I need to do some development work on a website but can't view any of the pages. This worked perfectly before SP2. Microsoft list IIS as one of the affected programs, but don't really tell you how to fix it. Tried all their suggestions about ports etc, but still no joy. Cheers Bill!
24. William M. Boylan
I have not installed SP2 for fear of conflict with Visual Basic .NET which I must depend on. I think my original fear of conflict arose from discussions generated by this article.
What is the present consensus? Is it now safe to install SP2?
Any advice will be appreciated.
Bill Boylan
25. William M. Boylan
I have not installed SP2 for fear of conflict with Visual Basic .NET which I must depend on. I think my original fear of conflict arose from discussions generated by this article.
What is the present consensus? Is it now safe to install SP2?
Any advice will be appreciated.
Bill Boylan