Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

Serious question - why is SP2 so big?

It's about (80 to 100 MB for users fully up to date with XP patches and is
200 plus MB for those who haven't been applying patches.

Let's say it is a average minimum of 90 MB. That is very big. Why is it so
large?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

First of all, your statement "It doesn't do much" is totally wrong. SP2
consists of many updates and hotfixes combined into a single package. It
replaces a great number of system files with updated files that correct
security issues, compatibility problems, etc. It incorporates major
elements of SP1, and the hotfixes and critical updates issued since then.
It replaces the Windows firewall with a completely new (but still very lame)
version. It add the new Windows Security Center. It incorporates a pop-up
blocker to Internet explorer. It adds security to Outlook and Outlook
express. If you have an AMD64 processor, it adds Enhanced Virus Protection
that prevents certain types of malicious code gaining control of the OS
after a buffer overrun. SP2 updates approximately 5 million lines of code.
It does so much more than you can "see".

Bobby

"Mixxy" <nomail@nomail.com> wrote in message
news:T0f%c.58479$sW6.3745@cyclops.nntpserver.com...
> Serious question - why is SP2 so big?
>
> It's about (80 to 100 MB for users fully up to date with XP patches and is
> 200 plus MB for those who haven't been applying patches.
>
> Let's say it is a average minimum of 90 MB. That is very big. Why is it
> so
> large?
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

To add:

The full size of SP2 is 266MB, not 80-100MB. What the OP is looking at there
is the average size of the express download from Windows Update. It only
contains SP2's specific security updates, and any missing critical updates.
The full package contains all critical updates since WinXP's original
release. Someone who has never or rarely updated will recieve a much larger
express package.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"NoNoBadDog!" <mypants_bjsledgeATpixi.com> wrote in message
news:%23omWxAMlEHA.2864@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> First of all, your statement "It doesn't do much" is totally wrong. SP2
> consists of many updates and hotfixes combined into a single package. It
> replaces a great number of system files with updated files that correct
> security issues, compatibility problems, etc. It incorporates major
> elements of SP1, and the hotfixes and critical updates issued since then.
> It replaces the Windows firewall with a completely new (but still very
> lame) version. It add the new Windows Security Center. It incorporates a
> pop-up blocker to Internet explorer. It adds security to Outlook and
> Outlook express. If you have an AMD64 processor, it adds Enhanced Virus
> Protection that prevents certain types of malicious code gaining control
> of the OS after a buffer overrun. SP2 updates approximately 5 million
> lines of code. It does so much more than you can "see".
>
> Bobby
>
> "Mixxy" <nomail@nomail.com> wrote in message
> news:T0f%c.58479$sW6.3745@cyclops.nntpserver.com...
>> Serious question - why is SP2 so big?
>>
>> It's about (80 to 100 MB for users fully up to date with XP patches and
>> is
>> 200 plus MB for those who haven't been applying patches.
>>
>> Let's say it is a average minimum of 90 MB. That is very big. Why is it
>> so
>> large?
>>
>>
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

So that you only have to click on one file to install, rather than 40 or 50
or so (not counted) critical updates post SP1

Jon


"Mixxy" <nomail@nomail.com> wrote in message
news:T0f%c.58479$sW6.3745@cyclops.nntpserver.com...
> Serious question - why is SP2 so big?
>
> It's about (80 to 100 MB for users fully up to date with XP patches and is
> 200 plus MB for those who haven't been applying patches.
>
> Let's say it is a average minimum of 90 MB. That is very big. Why is it
> so
> large?
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

"Mixxy" <nomail@nomail.com> wrote in message
news:T0f%c.58479$sW6.3745@cyclops.nntpserver.com...
> Serious question - why is SP2 so big?
>
> It's about (80 to 100 MB for users fully up to date with XP patches and is
> 200 plus MB for those who haven't been applying patches.
>
> Let's say it is a average minimum of 90 MB. That is very big. Why is it
so
> large?
>
>


What the hell did you expect it do?

ss.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

NoNoBadDog! wrote:

> First of all, your statement "It doesn't do much" is totally wrong. SP2
> consists of many updates and hotfixes combined into a single package. It
> replaces a great number of system files with updated files that correct
> security issues, compatibility problems, etc. It incorporates major
> elements of SP1, and the hotfixes and critical updates issued since then.
> It replaces the Windows firewall with a completely new (but still very lame)
> version. It add the new Windows Security Center. It incorporates a pop-up
> blocker to Internet explorer. It adds security to Outlook and Outlook
> express. If you have an AMD64 processor, it adds Enhanced Virus Protection
> that prevents certain types of malicious code gaining control of the OS
> after a buffer overrun. SP2 updates approximately 5 million lines of code.
> It does so much more than you can "see".

Still a perfectly valid question as far as I can see. The only visible
things are the pop-up blocker, the security centre and the firewall.

When you think you can download pop-up blockers and firewalls in 3 meg
downloads, where's the other 84 meg going? We're there really that many
problems with XP when it shipped? Makes you wonder what you're paying
for exactly.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

"NoSpam" <nospam@pipex.net> wrote in message
news:413dd57c$0$20253$cc9e4d1f@news-text.dial.pipex.com...
>
> Still a perfectly valid question as far as I can see. The only visible
> things are the pop-up blocker, the security centre and the firewall.
>
> When you think you can download pop-up blockers and firewalls in 3 meg
> downloads, where's the other 84 meg going?


> We're there really that many problems with XP when it shipped?

Yes, and there will still be problems no doubt.

> Makes you wonder what you're paying for exactly.

Yes

--
Apollo

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

NoSpam <nospam@pipex.net> writes:
>Still a perfectly valid question as far as I can see. The only visible
>things are the pop-up blocker, the security centre and the firewall.

>When you think you can download pop-up blockers and firewalls in 3 meg
>downloads, where's the other 84 meg going? We're there really that many
>problems with XP when it shipped? Makes you wonder what you're paying
>for exactly.

It might be something similar to Norton Antivirus. Every couple
of days they often download a substantial fraction of a megabyte
for an update.

I don't think any company could hire enough competent people to
churn out a good part of a megabyte of new software every few days.
But there is an alternative. Suppose they had written a hundred
different programs to make this work. SUppose they only needed to
change a single line in each one. The old promise that dll's were
going to mean that windows programs were going to be smaller than
pre-windows programs never happened. When they recompile all 100
of those programs they then have to send you the complete 100
programs all over again.

So, there might be 100 massive screwups in XP that are supposed to
be fixed with SP2, actually there were estimates that there were
many thousands of massive screwups when XP was first shipped, but
be generous here, one per program, Microsoft changes a line or
two in every one, more in some of them, recompiles all of them
and now has to send you 100 different megabyte or multimegabyte
programs for the update, even though often only a half dozen bytes
really got changed in any one of them.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

Make me a nice cuppa in the morning. Is that too much to ask?

> What the hell did you expect it do?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

Did you even bother to read what I posted? Are you that dense?

Bobby


"NoSpam" <nospam@pipex.net> wrote in message
news:413dd57c$0$20253$cc9e4d1f@news-text.dial.pipex.com...
> NoNoBadDog! wrote:
>
>> First of all, your statement "It doesn't do much" is totally wrong. SP2
>> consists of many updates and hotfixes combined into a single package. It
>> replaces a great number of system files with updated files that correct
>> security issues, compatibility problems, etc. It incorporates major
>> elements of SP1, and the hotfixes and critical updates issued since then.
>> It replaces the Windows firewall with a completely new (but still very
>> lame) version. It add the new Windows Security Center. It incorporates
>> a pop-up blocker to Internet explorer. It adds security to Outlook and
>> Outlook express. If you have an AMD64 processor, it adds Enhanced Virus
>> Protection that prevents certain types of malicious code gaining control
>> of the OS after a buffer overrun. SP2 updates approximately 5 million
>> lines of code. It does so much more than you can "see".
>
> Still a perfectly valid question as far as I can see. The only visible
> things are the pop-up blocker, the security centre and the firewall.
>
> When you think you can download pop-up blockers and firewalls in 3 meg
> downloads, where's the other 84 meg going? We're there really that many
> problems with XP when it shipped? Makes you wonder what you're paying for
> exactly.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

Who really cares what you consider useless?

The question was related to the size of the SP2 download. That has nothing
to do with what you think.

Bobby

"Testy" <fraudbuster@canoemail.com> wrote in message
news:evq8LvPlEHA.556@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> And the "Severity Center" is pretty much a useless feature, it was the
> first thing I disabled. Firewall and Pop-Up blocker also useless to me.
>
> Testy
>
> "NoSpam" <nospam@pipex.net> wrote in message
> news:413dd57c$0$20253$cc9e4d1f@news-text.dial.pipex.com...
>> NoNoBadDog! wrote:
>>
>>> First of all, your statement "It doesn't do much" is totally wrong. SP2
>>> consists of many updates and hotfixes combined into a single package.
>>> It replaces a great number of system files with updated files that
>>> correct security issues, compatibility problems, etc. It incorporates
>>> major elements of SP1, and the hotfixes and critical updates issued
>>> since then. It replaces the Windows firewall with a completely new (but
>>> still very lame) version. It add the new Windows Security Center. It
>>> incorporates a pop-up blocker to Internet explorer. It adds security to
>>> Outlook and Outlook express. If you have an AMD64 processor, it adds
>>> Enhanced Virus Protection that prevents certain types of malicious code
>>> gaining control of the OS after a buffer overrun. SP2 updates
>>> approximately 5 million lines of code. It does so much more than you can
>>> "see".
>>
>> Still a perfectly valid question as far as I can see. The only visible
>> things are the pop-up blocker, the security centre and the firewall.
>>
>> When you think you can download pop-up blockers and firewalls in 3 meg
>> downloads, where's the other 84 meg going? We're there really that many
>> problems with XP when it shipped? Makes you wonder what you're paying
>> for exactly.
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.754 / Virus Database: 504 - Release Date: 9/6/2004
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

like the size of ones head has nothing to do with ones intelligence...

"NoNoBadDog!" <mypants_bjsledgeATpixi.com> wrote in message
news:ejUqNERlEHA.3356@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Who really cares what you consider useless?
>
> The question was related to the size of the SP2 download. That has
nothing
> to do with what you think.
>
> Bobby
>
> "Testy" <fraudbuster@canoemail.com> wrote in message
> news:evq8LvPlEHA.556@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> > And the "Severity Center" is pretty much a useless feature, it was
the
> > first thing I disabled. Firewall and Pop-Up blocker also useless
to me.
> >
> > Testy
> >
> > "NoSpam" <nospam@pipex.net> wrote in message
> > news:413dd57c$0$20253$cc9e4d1f@news-text.dial.pipex.com...
> >> NoNoBadDog! wrote:
> >>
> >>> First of all, your statement "It doesn't do much" is totally
wrong. SP2
> >>> consists of many updates and hotfixes combined into a single
package.
> >>> It replaces a great number of system files with updated files
that
> >>> correct security issues, compatibility problems, etc. It
incorporates
> >>> major elements of SP1, and the hotfixes and critical updates
issued
> >>> since then. It replaces the Windows firewall with a completely
new (but
> >>> still very lame) version. It add the new Windows Security
Center. It
> >>> incorporates a pop-up blocker to Internet explorer. It adds
security to
> >>> Outlook and Outlook express. If you have an AMD64 processor, it
adds
> >>> Enhanced Virus Protection that prevents certain types of
malicious code
> >>> gaining control of the OS after a buffer overrun. SP2 updates
> >>> approximately 5 million lines of code. It does so much more than
you can
> >>> "see".
> >>
> >> Still a perfectly valid question as far as I can see. The only
visible
> >> things are the pop-up blocker, the security centre and the
firewall.
> >>
> >> When you think you can download pop-up blockers and firewalls in
3 meg
> >> downloads, where's the other 84 meg going? We're there really
that many
> >> problems with XP when it shipped? Makes you wonder what you're
paying
> >> for exactly.
> >
> >
> > ---
> > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> > Version: 6.0.754 / Virus Database: 504 - Release Date: 9/6/2004
> >
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

Don Taylor wrote:
> So, there might be 100 massive screwups in XP that are supposed to
> be fixed with SP2, actually there were estimates that there were
> many thousands of massive screwups when XP was first shipped, but
> be generous here, one per program, Microsoft changes a line or
> two in every one, more in some of them, recompiles all of them
> and now has to send you 100 different megabyte or multimegabyte
> programs for the update, even though often only a half dozen bytes
> really got changed in any one of them.

Delta compression should fix that in the future, which is part of what
SP2 does.

I have a feeling we'll still see bloody large updates from MS though.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

"NoNoBadDog!" <mypants_bjsledgeATpixi.com> wrote in message news:<#omWxAMlEHA.2864@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl>...
> First of all, your statement "It doesn't do much" is totally wrong. SP2
> consists of many updates and hotfixes combined into a single package. It
> replaces a great number of system files with updated files that correct
> security issues, compatibility problems, etc. It incorporates major
> elements of SP1, and the hotfixes and critical updates issued since then.
> It replaces the Windows firewall with a completely new (but still very lame)
> version. It add the new Windows Security Center. It incorporates a pop-up
> blocker to Internet explorer. It adds security to Outlook and Outlook
> express. If you have an AMD64 processor, it adds Enhanced Virus Protection
> that prevents certain types of malicious code gaining control of the OS
> after a buffer overrun. SP2 updates approximately 5 million lines of code.
> It does so much more than you can "see".
>

But:
- It stills use a lot of RAM
- It's still as slow as it used to be
- Still has virus, adware and spyware!
- As u wrote above, the new firewall is still lame
- Where is tabbed interface for IE?

So what's the difference?

<snip>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

> - Where is tabbed interface for IE?
>

It's called Mozilla. -Dave

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

Because Microsoft products are half complete!. Microsoft is a publictly quoted company accountable to its shareholders. It has to sell products to generate revenues which should exceed previous period's. The only way to achive this is to rush products even if they are defective knowing that there are people out there prepared to buy anything that has Microsoft logo on it!!.

We have had patches virtually everyday since 09/11/2001 (mm/dd/yyyy) when XP started hitting the high street shops. But this wasn't enough for MS so we had SP1 (128 mb), and now SP2 (272 mb). This is still not enough and now you also need SP1 for .Net Framework 1.1. This should put you on alert that MS products can never be trusted. Read my signature below.


Mixxy wrote:

> Serious question - why is SP2 so big?
>
> It's about (80 to 100 MB for users fully up to date with XP patches and is
> 200 plus MB for those who haven't been applying patches.
>
> Let's say it is a average minimum of 90 MB. That is very big. Why is it so
> large?

--
I use non Microsoft products wherever possible which requires no activation.

I use Netscape 7.2 as my default browser which has everything I need for my work.

I believe in good Financial Management!! I do not believe in enriching rich jerks!

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

Dave Senior wrote:

> Because Microsoft products are half complete!. Microsoft is a publictly
> quoted company accountable to its shareholders. It has to sell products
> to generate revenues which should exceed previous period's. The only
> way to achive this is to rush products even if they are defective
> knowing that there are people out there prepared to buy anything that
> has Microsoft logo on it!!.
>
> We have had patches virtually everyday since 09/11/2001 (mm/dd/yyyy)
> when XP started hitting the high street shops.

Hardly.

> But this wasn't enough
> for MS so we had SP1 (128 mb),

SOP for any software house to do a rollup.

> and now SP2 (272 mb).

Same thing, except it also adds new functionality that's almost enough to
have been called WindowsXP SE and sold as a new release.

> This is still not
> enough and now you also need SP1 for .Net Framework 1.1. This should put
> you on alert that MS products can never be trusted. Read my signature
> below.

If you think Linux is 'update free' then you're in for a big surprise.


> Mixxy wrote:
>
>
>> Serious question - why is SP2 so big?
>>
>> It's about (80 to 100 MB for users fully up to date with XP patches
>> and is 200 plus MB for those who haven't been applying patches.
>>
>> Let's say it is a average minimum of 90 MB. That is very big. Why is
>> it so large?
>
>
> -- I use non Microsoft products wherever possible which requires no
> activation.
>
> I use Netscape 7.2 as my default browser which has everything I need for
> my work.
>
> I believe in good Financial Management!! I do not believe in enriching
> rich jerks!
>
>
>

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.os.windows-xp (More info?)

Dave C. wrote:

>
>
> > - Where is tabbed interface for IE?
> >
>
> It's called Mozilla. -Dave

or Crazy Browser, GreenBrowser, MyIE2, DeepNet which are all free
front-ends to IE with tabbed interfaces and include pop-up blockers too.

toad