Windows XP Service Pack 2 question

Better to upgrade to SP2 off the website or off the disc they offered?

 

Can't say. I had some guys at work download it for me when it first came out because I had dialup and wasnt spending 8 hours to download 22 megs.
I would think off the website, simply because when its installed, you can go right to fixing the fixes they have in Windows Update.

 

Here's my question: Is SP2 good only if you have Microsoft Office? Cause I don't have Microsoft Office and when I went to download SP2, it had a bunch of stuff related to Office.

 

No, its fine.
its one of those Microsoft things, giving you what you dont need. But if you do install office, the fixes are in, so to speak.

 

Stupid question here: How do I find out if I have Service Pack 2 already installed? My update history goes back years. Is there a simple way to check?

 

Press the Windows key and the Pause/Break key to bring up the System Properties panel. First item should be "System," which will tell you which version of XP you're running. Mine says:

Microsoft Windows XP
Professional
Version 2002
Service Pack 2

 

None. It's more or less Windows XP 1.5.

I installed SP2 right after it was released and never had a problem --- not one. And that's with a computer that had received several upgrades since purchase (256 Mbytes RAM, slightly overclocked nVidia video card, USB+Firewire card).

It goes without saying that having all the update material physically on a CD is faster than downloading it. I upgraded with that CD and never had a significant problem.

 

When you reboot your computer and the Windows XP screen comes up, look at the KITT-style blocky line about 2/3 of the way down. If it's blue, you have SP2.