I decided to make a new thread on this, because I think it is important for Simmers to know what they can possibly run into Beta Testing SP2. Here is my experience with SP2. I had a perfectly well running FS9 with PMDG, Active Sky, and FS Nav, plus Norton Firewall Protection for my security issues ( so I guess I really didn't need SP2) . Despite this and warnings from my PC knowledgeable friends at work ( I work for a technology company) , I decided to go ahead and install SP2 anyway, this past week while I was on vacation . WHAT A MISTAKE!!!!After I installed it, I fired up FS9 for a morning flight and the first thing I noticed taxiing out was that ATC was stuttering. Like , " Delta 4 na..na...na... nine one taxi to 2...2..2..27L" What the heck was that?? Never heard that before in FS9 . Immediately after that, I find that the video "catches" about every 15-20 seconds for a split second and then continues. Hey, its just like Flight Simulator 98, with a 220MMX Mhz Chipset and 64 Megs of RAM. I guess this is Microsoft's way of reminding us of the past, by going "retro" . Well I herk and jerk myself to the runway with Elmer Fudd on ATC stuttering away and I finally am "cl...cl...cl....cleared for takeoff." This takeoff was different than all previous FS9 takeoffs since they never came in " Installments" ( Fly a bit,. hesitate, fly a bit, hesitate, etc.. etc.. ) . That's it, close FS9 down and uninstall SP2. Guess what??? After uninstalling, I still got the *@** stutter only not quite as bad......Next morning I reinstall SP2 thinking maybe something happened in the Install and this time it will go better. Start up FS9, same result...... ( old Indian Proverb, " If you do what you did, you will get what you got" ). OK, I have turned my perfectly working FS9 into something that resembles a game on a Commodore 64.... Now what? ( another old Indian Proverb, " If it isn't broken, keep fixing it until it breaks" Next morning ( day 3 , if you are counting), I uninstall SP2 for the 2nd time, and run System restore in XP. This is after I read a couple of posts that stated that System Restore would not undo SP2 damage. System Restore ran for about 20 minutes at least.... It was like waiting to see if the jury was going to say " innocent" or "guilty" in a murder trial, when you are the defendant..Finally the PC reboots, I fire up FS9 and lo and behold EVERYTHING IS BACK TO NORMAL!!!!!!!!!! No stutter, smooth taxi, no glitches in video ......... BTW, Not only did System Restore set everything back to where it was, it even changed some stuff that I had changed a few days ago, back to the original files.( System Restore is the best part of XP, in my opinion) I go into work today after a 4 day vacation , most of which I spent fighting with SP2 issues, and my IT person at work says, after hearing my story, ..." Company Policy is " DO NOT INSTALL SP2 ON YOU Company PC, IT CAUSES TOO MANY Problems!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Do I sound angry about SP2 and that fact that Microsoft knows that about 10% of the users will have problems after installing SP2? naw!! Will I try reinstalling it in the future?, Yup, right after I try walking over a bed of Hot Coals.Bob

The sound stutter problem is likely not due to SP2, but to a driver issue. Unless you do a manual setup, you will overwrite OEM drivers to what the OEMs gave MS and voila, sound stutter with Creative cards in particular. The solution appears to be to install SP2, and re-install your sound drivers afterwards.Also, some sound cards may have a problem with "full acceleration" under DirectSound9, and the manufacturer may have released a driver that fixes this. Some early revisions of Audigy cards had this problem. One solution was to reduce hardware acceleration 1 notch in the DXDiag panel.SP2 is working well for me, so I can't complain. There is a thread in the main forums on this as well, and do check the MS knowledge base. With about 98% of the computers in the world running MS, someone's bound to have your problem. :)

My dad brought the latest PC Authority Magzine yesterday, and was looking into installing SP2.. Ive told him not to do it!That sound problem that you have is something that I have lived with since installing FS9. My sound is like that EVERY TIME I fly FS9. Tried everything I think, although Im not that technical with computers.

Probably not particularly helpful, but just to give some balance to the large number of negative reports re. SP2:I installed SP2 about a week ago and have since found FS9 to be both faster and smoother! No problems whatsoever either within FS9 or any other serious app or game I have.I'm not gloating or trying to rub salt into any of your SP2 wounds, just pointing out that it works well for some people.Chris Kirk

>Probably not particularly helpful, but just to give some>balance to the large number of negative reports re. SP2:>>I installed SP2 about a week ago and have since found FS9 to>be both faster and smoother! No problems whatsoever either>within FS9 or any other serious app or game I have.>>I'm not gloating or trying to rub salt into any of your SP2>wounds, just pointing out that it works well for some people.>>Chris Kirk>>That's exactly the poinnt that I was trying to make. Microsoft should say in the notes on SP2 that it will work well for some people and for others it won't, and will cause problems after Installation.

I don't have any problems with XP2...

Just a question regarding the availability of SP2. Will Auto update try to download the pack? Auto-update has been trying to download a rather large file by the looks of it, Im not sure what it is though. (Usually you can pause the download etc, but it will only let me see the progress of the download)

Set windows update to notify you of new updates. Looks like you have it set up to download immediately. It probably is SP2 as it is listed as a critical update.Goran

Thanks GoranIll let it download, Ive got it set so it asks to install and lists what it is once downloaded. If its SP2, it aint goin in!

I only had sound problems after the SP update also. Really noticable in FS. I'm going to try and reload the sound drivers for my Audigy2 and see what happens.

No problems with SP2 and AC-97 onboard sound chip.Regards

SP2 obviously affects different systems in different ways...For me it effectively disabled a program required for online flying (SB Relay).... and before you ask, yes I did disable the XP firewall, but obviously there was some other setting(s) that needed changing too. Too hard for me, used the System Restore function to move me back and voila! ....all fixed.cheerstuppyChris TrippOrstralia

Bob,As mentioned earlier, service pack 2 will most likely mess around with your existing drivers. This time install Service Pack 2, then afterwards reinstall your video card and sound card drivers.Im sure this will solve your problem.Armen L Cholakianwww.veryquiet.com

The 100Mb of Ram it stole from me was enough for me to uninstall!

>Bob,>>As mentioned earlier, service pack 2 will most likely mess>around with your existing drivers. >>This time install Service Pack 2, then afterwards reinstall>your video card and sound card drivers.>>Im sure this will solve your problem.>>Armen L Cholakian>www.veryquiet.comThanks, but I am leaving well enough alone. SP2 has no real advantage as far as I can see and the possibilty of problems that I can totally avoid by not installing it.