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Microsoft releases XP service pack
By JOHN TORRO It's usually a good idea to install the first major service pack of a new operating system, such as the recently released one for Windows XP. But Microsoft's Service Pack 1 did not fix the various problems I've experienced with Windows XP. The dreaded Blue Screen of Death -- the operating system equivalent of "Everybody out of the pool!" -- still occurs after printing from Internet Explorer. It's most likely caused by the not-quite-ready-for-XP drivers used by my Samsung printer. Nevertheless, this same system went for years on the bulletproof Windows 2000 without having any trouble at all. Nonetheless, the service pack contains several hundred bug fixes, security fixes/updates, compatibility updates, support for USB 2.0 and new drivers issued since XP's launch in October. If you've been keeping up with the automated Windows Update for your XP system, you have many of the updates/enhancements/fixes included with Service Pack 1. Chances are you may not notice any differences in your system after installation. For those who haven't kept current, it's an opportunity to get everything up-to-date, especially where security is concerned. Here are some of the notable changes in Service Pack 1: It extends the grace period for reactivation to three days after making a significant hardware change that triggers the requirement. Previously, reactivation was required immediately upon rebooting after the hardware changes were made. An interesting addition is the new "Set Program Access and Defaults" mechanism that lets you display or hide access to Microsoft builtin applications, such as Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Windows Media Player, Windows Messenger and Microsoft Java Virtual Machine. It makes the third-party program equivalents the default choices instead. These changes were made by Microsoft to comply with provisions in the government's antitrust lawsuit. It adds a new Outlook Express/Internet Explorer setting that prevents accidentally running or opening an unsafe program or file. The service pack makes this setting the default. If you are sure you want to open an attachment, you can toggle it on or off as needed. You'll find it on the Tools menu, Options, Security tab.
For most Windows XP users, the express installation you'll find at www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/ Either way, make sure you read the installation requirements before you start. Disk space requirements can peak at as much as 717 megabytes.
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From Tech Times
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