What the @#$! is the matter with you, Microsoft?!

[DukeLeto]

I don't know if you've heard, but I'll give a brief rundown of the programs that will NO LONGER WORK (or at least will experience major issues) after installing Windows XP SP2.  Not for the faint of heart:

Age of Empires 2, and presumably some or all of the games based on that engine.

StarCraft

WarCraft III

Generals, and therefore, presumably Renegade.

Red Alert 2, and therefore, presumably TS.

Just about every antivirus but McAffee. (Gee, what a coincidence...)

WordPerfect Office.

BlackICE, Norton, and many other firewalls.

Unreal Tournament (all of them!), plus most of the games based on that engine, I would assume.

Several internet applications (browsers, IM programs, browser add-ons, etc.)

(Source: Various posts in the Microsoft help database.)

Basically, I would strongly advise AGAINST installing Service Pack 2.  No pissass security update is worth losing the use of most of your software.

[HasimirFenring]

Thanks for posting that, in the nick of time too.  I was about to download it...

[gryphon]

Just about every antivirus but McAffee.

Norton is still running fine here....

WordPerfect Office.

Can you clarify on which version ?

BlackICE, Norton, and many other firewalls.

again, Norton and Sygate are still working for us.

Unreal Tournament (all of them!)

2003 is still working for us without any problems.

(Source: Various posts in the Microsoft help database.)

Can you give a link to those sources ?

[DukeLeto]

Well, your mileage may vary, but here are the sources:

http://www.warboards.org/showthread.php?t=4486

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/17/xp_sp2_glitches/

And some of the Microsoft lists (putting them all on one page would be too damn convenient, wouldn't it?):

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=884130

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=842242

Also, that first Microsoft list has been heavily revised since it was relased a couple days ago.  It used to top 200 programs.  Bear in mind that just because they took a bunch off the list doesn't necessarily mean that they work, just that they were scaring people.

[gryphon]

I must admit that it's kind of strange that so many programms may sees to function becuase of a sevice pack. I think it has got something to do with the higher security standard people are sort of demanding from Microsoft. As a result Microsoft is hardening the OS. Most firewalls and applications don't work because of the by default enabled firewall. Simply creating a rule for the application or disabeling the firewall should be sufficient to overcome that issue.

Next to that, the OS itself has always been pretty open when you compare it with Linux. As a result of that it can be verry vulnerable. Hardening it for thirth party software may cause that software to stop functioning, but it does something to the OS that customers are asking for. making it more secure.

Again, I agree with you that SP2 can cause problems. But from MS point of view. . .do you want flexible controle over your OS with the option that you need to secure it yourself .. which most people can't do. Or do you want a more secure OS, with a little more hassle to configure the applications for it ?