Install a clean copy of XP, install Your drivers with latest versions (don't use optimized drivers), install sp2 and then install Your apps.

Many of the programs in the incompabilitylist works just fine for me. No problems so far.

I maked a windows XP PRO with SP2 clean install and all was ok until installed some apps. like OutPost FireWall, Remotely Anywhere, I'd have with this and i'd decide format again and come back to XP+SP1, and all is ok now.
My PC:
AMD64 3000+ with 1gb RAM markvision PC32000
HD Maxtor IDE 7200rpm
SB AUDIGY 2 ZS
FX5900XT 128
MSI K8TNeo-FIS2R BIOS 1.8

And i maked a clean install of Windows XP+SP2 on P4 1.5 with 512RAMBUS,MSI 6339 MO, ATI R8500/128,AUDIGY Gamer. In this PC all is ok with all same apps. (OutPost Firewall,PCAnywhere).

So.... We have AMDs incompatibilities??... May be...

MICROSFT TAKE NOTE!!!

I have been reading that sp2 will cause you HD to be damaged. The boot sector will corrupt and the drive will get physical errors. I don't see how this is possible unless there are microscopic Bill Gates running around with a rake to your harddrive. Anyone else heard of this?
Either way, I think I will wait till microsoft gets things straight. I don't wanna install sp2 and have 1/2 my apps not work.

You have heard wrong

Nope. Software cannot cause your hdd to have physical errors, especially since the hard drive is where software is stored. Now, perhaps in certain rare unusual circumstances SP2 may cause windows to fail to boot (this would be true especially if the sp install were interrupted in the middle).

Oh I know it is imposible for software to physically damage a drive but i thought it was all interesting lol

You can hear things like that, because as soon as windows fails to boot, people will start complaining that there hard disks have a problem, when really they kicked out the power cable or were playing a game during SP2 installation, and they would rather not blame it on themselfs.

There are some cases where there actually is a problem with SP2 stoping the boot of windows, however that is still not a hardware problem.

For all who feel bad about win xp sp2, wait for win xp sp2a.
Please keep reporting problems you are facing with win xp sp2, so maybe Microsoft will make the win xp sp2a soon, to solve all the problems and make all people happy.

To Microsoft: if Microsoft really want to make customer happy, consider the win xp sp2 soon, otherwise it will make not good in win xp user

It is impossible to make EVERYONE happy all the time. It simply cannot be done. Users will always want more features, more security, more whatever regardless of what Microsoft or anyone else releases.

I installed SP2 3 weeks ago I have not experienced any problems. I have on my computer e-trust antivirus and Nero 6 latest version also Visual Studio NET. I think you need to configure the new firewall which I have done or you can simply turn off the firewall and see if you still having the same problems.

Don't. At least not yet. It should be S.O.P. to give any new OS, service pack, or any other "major" release from MS a wide berth until the majority of quirks are dealt with. Make sense? I think so.

SP2 downloaded and installed very smoothly. No hitches or glitches. But within 24 hours, I experienced five freeze ups and one BSOD involving a Networked Attached Storage device. After an initial speed-up, Explorer windows soon after opened slowly, apps loaded slowly (especially Outlook), and video rendering software went to a crawl. After removing SP2, performance and stability returned to its original state. Not sure I can blame legacy apps or drivers. I am running a brand new Toshiba laptop with a 15.4" wide screen, built-in wireless, etc.

Test SP2 and be prepared to uninstall. If you choose to uninstall, go with a third party firewall, keep your anti-virus software up-to-date, and replace usage of MS Internet Explorer and Outlook Express with a better browser and email client (eg Mozilla, Mozilla Thunderbird).

And while I'm at it, try Open Office if you want a very nice alternative to insecurity-ridden MS Office.

I've upgraded to SP2 with absolutely no problems. A slight increase in performance, and a much better security interface. I have got to commend Microsoft on the improvements to Internet Explorer, the pop up blockers is excellent blocking un-necessary windows and downloads. I've been running SP2 for 3 weeks non-stop on my system and have had no problems. Also the biggest thing i've noticed is access to the network has improved dramatically.

(2800xp/512ddr 400/ g4ti4200 /200gb/)

Ok, so yeah, many of us are experiencing some issues with SP2 but hey, can't always blame Microsoft. Let's face it; SP2 has to be compatible with all hardware that is out there and all apps. But I think hardware is the biggest problem. Myself, having a Radeon 9800Pro and was using the Omega Radeon driver (www.omegadrivers.net) well, guess what, kaboom!!! Rebooted from SP2 install and the driver was gone. But, I reinstalled it and all went fine.

So, let's keep that in mind, SP2 is like a new OS. And BTW, all you Mac enthusiastic that laughs at us Windows users (and I really don't want to start another debate here!) keep in mind that your OSX was built to operate exclusively on the IBM G5 processor. And anyway, that is why Apple's hardware is sooo expensive! Ho and, I wonder how Doom 3 is running on those G5 anyway?!! ;-) aah just kiddin' guys!!

This type of thing happens with every release of every product ever made... Everyone always whines because things change and God Forbid they have to actually learn something new and update things to stay working properly.

Anyway, yes, most incompatibilities exist because some vendors use lousy programming methods and others use techniques and hacks that are OS-version dependent.

Bottom line... update your apps, learn, and move on with life.

really? i've heard of only one problem with a win2k service pack (sp3 bsod with some bad promise controllers).

Downloaded, installed, no problems. Good job Microsoft.

I installed fresh Windows XP(SP1 integrated) and updated to SP2.
Installed:
Office XP, Photoshop, 3D softwares, many little usaful tools... Everything worked fine.

I think microsoft firewall only affects internet based applications(as far as I know), which need open in/out ports. Other than this I don't think SP2 will cause problems.

I think many more unlisted software need more testing. as microsoft will not test all software available in the market.

prepare for the surprise

I keep seeing "download manager" but I don't see it in sp2...

There is no download manager in XP SP2... many news sites (this site included!) INCORRECTLY made that statement during the beta. They were wrong.

All thirdparty device drivers disappeared from device manager. They are still working but not shown in the list. Try many method still cannot uninstall and install them again. Extra features with my display card gone (like TV output, etc.)

Finally have to fresh install with the integrated XP SP2 CD. Device manage working fine now.

But another problem sfc/scannow not working keep asking for the XP PRO Service pack 2 CD. Inserted the CD that I used for the fresh install. Fail and keep asking for the CD retry and retry.

Did you check the drivers in safe mode? Do you happen to have ATI Radeon Mobility(tm) as your video chipset (if so and your video is messed up, you may be screwed until a new driver is released) ? Also update the drivers (or simply download the latest drivers from the vendor's web site and install them). Drivers can have issues after SP upgrades--this is nothing new. I run Win2k and updated to SP4 and I had to reinstall almost all of my drivers--even my nvidia Geforce4 MX420 drivers.

I upgraded to SP2 and I use a Mobility Radeon 9000 chipset, with no problems at all.

"Incompatability" is the key word here--this is not SP2's fault. Some programs expect XP Gold or service pack 1, but until you update them, they do not expect service pack 2 (think of SP2 as a new windows--if your application works with windows 2000 it SHOULD work with XP but there were some incompatabilities. Same thing for upgrading to SP2.)

You may need to read the whole article, specially the section that says "The programs that are listed in this article *MAY* experience issues after you upgrade to Windows XP SP2"

In most of the cases, what you'll see is a dialog box asking if you want to allow the application to access the internet or if you want to block it.

I think controlling what applications are sending or require sending information over the internet is the best thing it could happen.

I've found WinXP SP2 to be much more reliable and user friendly regarding applications that need a little tweak to work on it.

From that list, I use eTrust, Diskeeper, Nero, and Zone Alarm. I've yet to have a problem with any of them since installing SP2.

Had problem with AVG personal Antivirus, had to uninstall, caused problem with booting into Windows, caused bluescreen error.

Interesting--mine had no problems. Oh yeah--you did update AVG ***BEFORE*** installing service pack 2, right? Grisoft's web site mentions that you must do this before you install the service pack (it specifically mentions that an updated reference file patches some issues with SP2 incompatability)

"Nero Bruning ROM"

Anyone around here using a Nero Bruning ROM? :P

As a matter of fact, I am using Nero Burning ROM and I'm willing to bet that you are too...

Was a reference to the typo in the KB Article ;)

I thank the bruning applakaton ees a typoh bute I am nawt shore.

Yeah--SP2 must've messed up his keyboard :)

Ah.

I find it troublesome that every news site is publishing this same list and claiming these applications are "broken" and yet ignoring a simple reality.

These applications are not "broken" at all... they simply require "adjustments" within the new Windows Firewall to permit traffic necessary for the applications to communicate properly.

Broken implies "does not work, cannot be fixed without a patch/workaround".

Agreed, this is just scaremongering. The apps listed by microsoft as incompatible as basically stamped incompatible on small technicalities. Basic operation is not affected.

For instance, Visual Studio.NET is incompatible, as remote DCOM debugging needs the firewall tweaking for it to work. How many people use this feature??? Not many, of those, there is a perfectly adequete solution...

Getting as many users updated to XPSP2 is a priority, not just for Microsoft, but for the whole good of the IT industry, having scaremongering news stories like this with no real basis is just a unneeded hurdle.

Anyone have some GOOD press about XPSP2? (I doubt it, as it's always bad news that make the news...)

My personal favorite incompatible apps:
Office 11 Microsoft
Office - Power Point 2002 (German) 2002 Microsoft
Office Access 2002 2002 Microsoft
Office System - Power Point 2003 Microsoft
Office XP Access 10 Microsoft
Office XP Professional Excel 10.0 SP2 --- Microsoft
Office XP SP2 - PowerPoint 11 Microsoft
Office XP Standard 10 Microsoft
Outlook 2000 9 Microsoft
Outlook 2002 10 Microsoft
Outlook 2003 11 Microsoft

Personally, I haven't experienced any of the office effects, but it's funny that Microsoft forgot to patch itself.

"Microsoft delays automatic XP SP2 delivery"
-http://www.itworld.com/Comp/4063/040816mspushesback/

Check it out.

Nero Bruning ROM
Bakcup Exec 9.1
Norman Personla Firewall
Encarta Enzyklopädie (may well be just a localised spelling .... I hope!)
VisursScan
1st nd Grade Excelerator Curious George Studio 1

I guess that explains which part of the Office system is broken .... the spellchecker :)

Hehehe.... :)

XP SP2 may be good for those people who don't know how to handle their own security, I prefer to handle my own. Don't need the firewall, or the Ad - blocker, nor do I need the 10 socket limit for outgoing connections (most p2p users will patch this to allow at least 50) and I don't need to introduce incompatibility problems with my existing software. Needless to say I won't be installing SP2 until absolutely necessary, .... if ever.

Really? I installed it on my network August 10th with no problems. The only thing I would have done differently if I were MS is I would have released SP2 back in December as originally scheduled (without the added features--just the latest critical updates, hotfixes, etc.), and then release an SR-1 or SP 3 package now. A Service Release would be even better as that is more of what this is anyway.

Nero still works on my system after SP2, but the max write speed has been slashed to 4x, when it really has a max write of 24x.

No other major problems so far.