Sorry, couldn't find a forum better suited for this question..Moderator, if there is better forum please move the post :-)I was ABOUT to click "ok" to this latest MS download today but something told me I better see what the masses have to say.Have you used it and has it caused any problems for you at all ?I know it's a bit early to hear problems but thought I'd get it rolling anyway.I do have a genuine version of WinXP and not worried in that respect (unless of course it screws up and say NO etc) but you never know the longer reaching effects simple things can have now and then.Anyone ?

If you believe what the "masses" (which usually means the loudest screamers, which are the anti-Microsoft zealots) say you'd still be using DOS 3.3.Installed a new system yesterday, no problems whatsoever.And if you don't download it you'll of course never install a Windows update again.

Well, if you get locked out of future Windows updates then there is no option to consider..

>>If you believe what the "masses" (which usually means the loudest screamers, which are the anti-Microsoft zealots) say you'd still be using DOS 3.3.Installed a new system yesterday, no problems whatsoever.And if you don't download it you'll of course never install a Windows update again.<< C'mon, Jeroen, Tom's question is justified and merits a bit more than a 1-2 liner. WGA Authentication, Notification... What's next? 'Disablification?' :-) MS - of course - denies it will ever deploy such a WGA kill feature. http://www.computerworld.com/action/articl...e=NLT_AM&nlid=1WGA was declared a high priority security update and MS didn't inform users it 'phoned home' on a daily base. http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/409?ref=rssBesides, whos security is at stake? 'Clever' programmers have already designed malware which relies on MS' WGA system. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/07/03/wga_worm/Finally and just FYI, somebody is taking MS to court based on California's anti-spyware act. Although this might not mean much, at least one lawyer supports the thesis that MS was wrongdoing. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/275...msftsuit29.htmlKind regards Jaap Pls note: I do not support software misappropriation. On the contrary. Only legitimate use guarantees future developement of our favourite programs.

Thanks Jaap, some good info..Now that install is nothing compared to my update to SP2.I hope this doesn't take too long to get smoothed out and back to some sort of normal use. Much of the file work seems to be so much slower now. and of course, I have a couple of applications that will not run at all.Not even my hardware device manager in Windows works since..Knew it would happen to some extent though, held off a long time.Thanks again,

The only problem I had was I had a bad download of the installer, so the installation failed. Whenever Windows update went to reinstall, it wouldn't redownload since it thought it already had it, which again caused the update to fail on installation. So of course nothing else would work. (Auto update still installed security patches though) Eventually (A couple of week passed by) the location where these updates get downloaded to got cleaned out and the next time the download and installation was successful. So Windows update now works properly.

No worries, Tom. :-) If 35% of the XP installations are misappropriated (this figure is acc to MS), WGA signifies that 65% of the users are facing an 'unnecessary feature' and perhaps even additional security loopholes? IMHO, this is worth a - hopefully level headed - discussion. As far as I would dare to judge, MS' rapid 'kill dementi' shows they're aware about user concerns. However, I doubt WGA or SP2 have much to do with your current or new troubles. For online machines, it's probably a good idea to install SP2. For offline environments - AFAIK - SP1 plus a couple of (typically technical) updates are good enough to keep you running nicely. If memory isn't failing, SP2's USB-update is an useful one to get. As you probably know, certain apps require patches post SP2 (for example Nero Burning Rom). And doesn't SP2 add a couple of services and features? It might be worthwhile to (re)look for those you don't need? Some settings might have bee altered? HST, it's highly peculiar you can't even open your device manager. I'm clueless. Maybe Bill Seiffert or other knowledgeable individuals can jump-in and help? Case you wish more ideas, it would be helpful if you posted as many system details as possible (drivers, hardware, etc). Cheers, good luck and kind regards Jaap

>HST, it's highly peculiar you can't even open your device manager. I'm clueless. Maybe Bill Seiffert or other knowledgeable individuals can jump-in and help? Case you wish more ideas, it would be helpful if you posted as many system details as possible (drivers, hardware, etc). Cheers, good luck and kind regards<Oh, Device Mgr will "open" but displays a blank page without any hardware showing..I see MS knows about it though;http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=914450

Thanks for the info, Tom. Looks like MS knows about this for more than 3 years... http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/t1051715405Pls note I didn't read the entire (and very long) thread. Are your restore points gone as well? Pls be cautious if you decide to go ahead and apply certain registry fixes. Some of the mentions probably are highly 'experimental.' Regarding the sluggish feel, it might be an idea to re-install the mainboard drivers and/or DX9? Good luck and kind regards Jaap

>>HST, it's highly peculiar you can't even open your device>manager. I'm clueless. Maybe Bill Seiffert or other>knowledgeable individuals can jump-in and help? Case you wish>more ideas, it would be helpful if you posted as many system>details as possible (drivers, hardware, etc). Cheers, good>luck and kind regards<>>>>Oh, Device Mgr will "open" but displays a blank page without>any hardware showing..>>I see MS knows about it though;>>>http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=914450>I had your problem a while back. And it was the KB905749 update.In add and remove programs there is a "show updates" check box on top.With that checked it shows all the updates from MS. I just uninstalledthat update and hid it on the MS update site. That fixed the problem.Lou

I had your problem a while back. And it was the KB905749 update.In add and remove programs there is a "show updates" check box on top.With that checked it shows all the updates from MS. I just uninstalledthat update and hid it on the MS update site. That fixed the problem.LouThanks for the reply Lou.. however, that one show's that KB905749 update can NOT be uninstalled. Really stinks that they can't even keep their own house in order when doing these updates.Thanks anyway, I'll keep looking as you really do need the Device Manager. Know of any 3rd party device managers that would do the same ? Of course, MS may have this system info locked from ANY viewing. Except that it seems to be a small percentage of XP users that lost DM function with SP2 update. ??

OK... phone the help line to MS and get a tech to tell you how to fix it. It will be an 800 or 888 #. It IS their problem and I'm sure they got plenty of calls. I made them fix soemthing else they broke not too long ago. They gave me a case# and the tech e-mailed me with fixes and kept the case # open until it was fixed. Now I just remebered, the MS update quit working. Works fine after talking to tech.

It is a total pain in the rear.I constantly change my hardware, therefore MS immediately assumes I use a copy of XP. I have to call MS to let them unblock my registration.What I normally did was to install Windows and I didn't register it until I had all patches installed together with all the software (In case I needed to go back to a previous HD for example).This crappy new thing doesn't allow me to test new hardware such as HDs, mobos, etc as it won't install XP patches unless it is registered. So if I want to install a new piece of hard I have to register, like it or not, even though I might have to reload windows in another HD, which means I will have to register again.Unfortunately, MS is starting to develop things with the idea that all users are regular users with one PC that will never have its harware touched (I agree it is the majority), leaving any advanced user with his own problems.Symantec started doing the same a while ago, thus there isn't any Symantyec product in my PCs any longer. A shame there's no way to get rid of MS too :).Other than this performance is not affected.Leo