To further your knowledge of Service Pack2 here's another tidbit for FYI.
Preliminary testing has revealed some problems with Windows XP Service Pack 2 by John McCormick |
More from John McCormick | Published: 8/13/04 Category: Microsoft Support | Audience: NetAdmin
Rating: 4.1 (out of 5) Rate it Comments: 28 | 0 NEW | View all
Takeaway: This edition of The Locksmith provides details on some issues and incompatibilities that have arisen in
preliminary testing of Windows XP Service Pack 2.
It's time to take an early look at some of the issues that IT departments are facing in deployments of Windows
XP Service Pack 2. You may think I'm spending a lot of time in this column in dealing with XP SP2, but since this is such
a major software initiative, I believe the coverage is justified. This isn’t just a cumulative roll-up of patches, but
a serious security upgrade.
The network installation package of XP SP2 was released on Aug. 9, 2004, and many organizations are now testing it or
simply considering whether to deploy it or not. Based on the RC1 and RC2 versions of XP SP2 that Microsoft released publicly
leading up to the full release of XP SP2, there have been a number of issues discovered in which deploying the service pack
can cause problems to Windows and other applications.
Keep in mind that once a program or service pack reaches the RC2 stage, it is very close to the final code. However,
it's always possible that some of the issues that are listed in this article could have been resolved in the final release
of XP SP2.
Earlier coverage of XP SP2 Windows XP SP2 is big step forward in security--but it can break things Windows XP
SP2 contains some legitimate security improvements Check out TechRepublic's Windows XP SP2 Spotlight for more
Details Microsoft pushed back the release date of SP2 several times. Apparently this was done in order to tweak the
way Internet Explorer blocked poorly-designed Web site applets, pop-ups, and Browser Helper Objects (BHOs). Other reports
say that the delay came because Microsoft wanted to give some major corporate Web sites extra time to properly sign their
ActiveX and other applets so that functionality would not simply be cut off with the deployment of XP SP2.
Look for the biggest problems caused by SP2 to lie in Web functionality. It looks as if the changes to Internet Explorer
could lead to a number of Web sites not working properly. If you're managing a Web site with a bunch of features that include
Active X and other applets, then I recommend that you download XP SP2 immediately and load it on testing machines to see what
problems users may be facing in accessing your Web site once they are running XP SP2.
Along the same lines, the next version of IE will include a special Add-On Manager that makes it a lot easier to deal
with ActiveX, BHOs, and extensions. Also, when XP SP2 is deployed, Outlook Express may be a bit safer to use with the addition
of the new Attachment Manager intended to block or at least warn about malicious attachments.
Microsoft has stated that the size of XP SP2 is so big because a lot of code has been recompiled with a more security-conscious
compiler.
Issues with XP SP2 The big news is the incompatibilities and problems that have already been discovered in testing
XP SP2 RC2. There is an ongoing discussion at the Computer Hardware Forum that looks at Tablet PC issues with SP2.
Computer Reseller News tested XP SP2 RC2 on five machines. Three displayed the dreaded blue screen of death (BSOD) after
failing to locate the winserv file. Even worse, apparently if you try to uninstall SP2, you can also lose SP1. They had to
turn to Microsoft for help resetting the BSOD systems. This turned out to be a major undertaking that ended up with every
device driver disabled or removed. One of the video cards simply disappeared until a new driver was downloaded. The rest were
restored from existing files on the systems.
This isn’t unique to CRN because I’ve heard other reports of this occurring on a variety of platforms
(Intel and others), but I haven’t been able to find enough details on the system configurations to give any advice at
this point.
Some things I picked up from an MSDN blog include:
SP2 RC2 doesn’t appear to render XBMP images such as hit counters. The information should still be collected and
available; it just doesn’t display on the page. One individual complained about the pop-up ad blocker. The person
had finished a lengthy online test only to be prompted to allow a pop-up. Doing so caused the entire page to reload and reset.
The person lost all the work he’d done on that page. This was on a Microsoft site. Apparently this is done on purpose
because capturing and replaying pop-ups instead doesn’t work unless the pop-up scripts are well written, which is another
new SP2 problem that is actually the result of poorly-written legacy code. Darren Stewart, who is apparently a network
administrator in the UK, wrote a lengthy, highly negative, and very thoughtful analysis of just what is wrong with the way
Microsoft manages IE. He isn’t a flamer or Microsoft basher by any means, and what he has to say is worth reading. On
the TechWatch forums, there is a description of a clean XP SP2 RC2 install that resulted in the loss of the “Startbar.”
I’ve seen various reports from around the world about strange happenings with eBay after installing XP SP2 RC2,
but I couldn't duplicate any problems, and I both bid and own an eBay store, so I use all the features.
Other complaints have surfaced on the Web about an inability to have multiple applications access Borland’s Database
Engine after installing XP SP2.
If you're a user of Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA), you'll need to download version 1.2.1 in order to get
full XP SP2 compatibility.
Final word I think the bottom line is that most of the problems that SP2 is likely to cause are due to software developers
of Web sites and third-party applications ignoring best practices. Despite the short-term pain that a lot of us are likely
to experience, this may turn out to be a watershed development in Microsoft security.
Although there are a lot of security-related changes in XP SP2, the vast majority of them are aimed at clueless users
rather than IT shops that have already plugged many of the holes. Thus, administrators’ major concern is with how SP2
breaks existing apps or reduces Web site availability—the security enhancements will only have an indirect effect on
many corporate desktop systems. The biggest issue for desktops will probably be the fact that the Windows Firewall (formerly
Internet Connection Firewall) is now turned on by default. That will mean that administrators may need to open some ports
on it in order to ensure connectivity to current applications and functions.
There is now a Firewall Control Panel intended to help you turn off the Windows Firewall, if you choose. My suggestion
is that if you already have a real firewall in place and are happy with it, then you should simply shut off the Windows Firewall.
For many mobile users, having a firewall is probably something new. In this case, leave it enabled and select Don’t
Allow Exceptions to really lock it down in hotels and coffee shop hot spots. For mobile and any dial-up connections, I use
Symantec’s Personal Firewall and won’t switch to SP2’s version unless forced to do so (which might happen
because it seems to turn itself back on at the drop of a hat). On the other hand, if your road warriors didn’t have
firewalls before, the one in SP2 is pretty decent, and you probably don’t need to bother replacing it with an additional
software firewall.
The thing that has scared me most about XP SP2 was the report from experts at the CRN test lab, who were unable to remove
RC2 without Microsoft's help, and even then found they were stuck with barebones machines that had to be completely rebuilt
by reinstalling or reactivating every single device driver. In contacting Microsoft, they had better luck than I did; by this
column’s deadline, I had been waiting three days for Microsoft’s experts to get back to me with comments on or
explanations for the BSOD problem and the fact that removing SP2 RC2 apparently also removes SP1. In the discussion to this
article, I’ll put the Microsoft response, if and when it comes in.
Winzip is a great archiving program in widespread use. With version 7 it also
reads Microsoft's cab files.
Windows 98 reads cab files in an explorer type interface, and Plus! 98 reads
zip files in an explorer type interface. Winzip itself is a more powerful
program and I prefer to use Window's programs for day to day tasks and Winzip
for more advanced tasks.
This tip will describe how to restore Window's default behaviour, while
keeping the best of Winzip's.
Start Winzip.
Click the Options menu - then System tab and clear the
Associate Winzip with archives checkbox.
To keep Winzip on right click menus make sure that Use shell
extension remains checked. Likewise the checkboxes under Check for self
extracting cab files.
To restore Window's associations
For cab files
Copy the following lines into a text file (assuming Windows is
installed into c:\windows), rename it to RestoreCab.reg, and double click it.
These command lines all rebuild parts of the registry back to the default.
Any changes made in the areas rebuilt may be (but not necessarily) lost.
The headings give a general indication of the area they repair. However they
are inter-related and it is worthwhile trying all of them for problems with
Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, Explorer, Start Menu, Taskbar and the
Desktop.
Type these command lines into the Start Run dialog box.
Fixing the Taskbar & Start Menu
Booting up in safe mode will restore a hidden taskbar. This is because when
Explorer starts in safe mode it sets it's some of its Start Menu and Taskbar
settings back to the default.
Repair Compressed Folders (require Plus!)
regsvr32 zipfldr.dll
Repair Internet OCX Cache
regsvr32 /i occache.dll
Repair Explorer, the Desktop, Taskbar & Start Menu, Send To
Win98
This checks and sets between 2,000 and 3,000 registry entries
regsvr32.exe /i shdocvw.dll
and
This checks and sets between 4,000 and 6,000 registry entries
and to repair internet file associations, and problems with previewing
images.
Win98
This checks and sets between 2,000 and 3,000 registry entries
regsvr32.exe /i shdocvw.dll
and
This checks and sets between 4,000 and 6,000 registry entries
regsvr32 /i shell32.dll
IE5
regsvr32.exe /i shdoc401.dll
Repair Web View
This restores the default registry entries for Web View, though it doesn't
restore the Shell's registry entries also used in Webview. Webvw also contains
the htt template and graphic files used in Web View and this command will
extract them.
regsvr32.exe webvw.dll
Some More to Try
regsvr32 vbscript.dll
regsvr32 rsabase.dll
regsvr32 mmefxe.ocx
If a program is involved try to start the program with the /r or /reg
parameter. To reregister Outlook Express use;
Special Folders such as Scheduled Tasks (real location C:\Windows\Tasks),
Fonts (real location C:\Windows\Fonts), History, Temporary Internet Files, and
others all require the Read Only or System attribute set to act as a special
folder. If a special folder no longer acts as it should then set the System or
Read Only attribute.
The Read Only attribute can be set by right clicking the folder and choosing
properties. Use the following command line to set the System Attribute (or look
at the Context Menu and Sendto Menu pages on this site);
attrib +s the name and path of the folder
This is the default settings for common special folders. In testing it
doesn't appear to matter if they are marked Read Only or System (System is used
for protecting and super hiding the folder).
The Dos path is dependent on how Windows was installed and will vary from
system to system. Common factors that affect the actual path are if User
Profiles enabled, the exact version of Windows and Internet Explorer, if Windows
or IE have been upgraded, and Network Administrators (and Users) may also
specify alternative paths. The paths shown here are the most common for non
networked computers with Windows 98 cleanly installed.
Folder Name
Dos Path
Default Attribute
Cookies
C:\WINDOWS\COOKIES
S
Downloaded Program Files
C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLO~1
S
FONTS
C:\WINDOWS\FONTS
S
History
C:\WINDOWS\HISTORY
S
My Documents
C:\MYDOCU~1
R
Offline Web Pages
C:\WINDOWS\OFFLIN~1
R
RECYCLED
C:\RECYCLED
S
Scheduled Tasks
C:\WINDOWS\TASKS
R
Temporary Internet Files
C:\WINDOWS\TEMPOR~1
S
This topic is incomplete. Will be finished soon by including copies of all
the Desktop.inis
Copy following line into a new Text Document. Rename it something.reg. Double
click it. This fixes the one problem that installing Win95 Power Toys Send To
causes. It still worthwhile installing then fixing for the added functionally of
Send To Powertoys. Win98 Send To Desktop As Shortcut and Powertoys Send to Mail
can't co-exist, but Win 98 includes it's own Send To Mail.
If the registry entries for My Documents get out of sync then it may not be
possible to use the My Documents icon with out a crash or changes to the path
don't actually change.
This script file fixes this problem
'SetMyDocs.vbs
'Set the path to My Documents.
'Used when User Shell Folder\Personal is blank (the UI doesn't accept changes)
'
'Serenity Macros https://www.angelfire.com/biz/serenitymacros
'David Candy davidc@sia.net.au
'
On Error Resume Next
strExplain="SetMyDocs displays and changes the My Documents path." & vbCRLF & "Used when their is a blank value for
Personal in the User Shell Folders key" & vbCRLF & vbCRLF
strTitle="Set MyDocuments Path"
Dim Sh
Set Sh = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
ReportErrors "Creating Shell"
MyDocsPath1=Sh.RegRead("HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\Personal")
MyDocsPath2=Sh.RegRead("HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders\Personal")
If Err.Number=-2147024894 then Err.Clear
If MsgBox (strExplain & "Shell Folders" & vbtab & MydocsPath1 & vbCRLF & "User Shell Folders" & vbtab
& MydocsPath2 & vbCRLF & vbCRLF & "Continue?", vbYesNo + vbInformation, strTitle) = 6 then
Dim bffShell
Dim bff
Set bffShell = WScript.CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Set bff = bffShell.BrowseForFolder(0, "Select the My Documents folder", 1)
If Err.number<>0 Then
ReportErrors("Setting up Browse for Folder")
Else
A = bff.ParentFolder.ParseName(bff.Title).Path
If err.number=424 then err.clear
End If
If A<>"" then
Sh.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\Personal", A
Sh.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders\Personal", A
If Err.number<>0 Then
ReportErrors("Writing to the registry")
Else
MsgBox "My Documents folder has been changed to " & A & vbCRLF & vbCRLF & "Edit the path of the My Documents
folder by right clicking the icon and choosing properties. Windows may need to be restarted before the My Documents icon works
properly.", vbInformation, strTitle
End If
Else
MsgBox "A blank value was entered or the dialog box was canceled, no changes made", vbInformation, strTitle
End If
End If
ReportErrors "SettingPath"
VisitSerenity
Sub ReportErrors(strModuleName)
If err.number<>0 then Msgbox "Error occured in " & strModuleName & " module of " & err.number& " -
" & err.description & " type" , vbCritical + vbOKOnly, "Something unexpected"
Err.clear
End Sub
Sub VisitSerenity
If MsgBox("This program came from the Serenity Macros Web Site" & vbCRLF & vbCRLF & "Would you like to visit
Serenity's Web Site now?", vbQuestion + vbYesNo + vbDefaultButton2, "Visit Serenity Macros") =6 Then
sh.Run "http:\\www.angelfire.com\biz\serenitymacros"
End If
End Sub
Files with extension scf are shortcut type files that issue commands
via Internet Explorer. As they are considered Shortcuts they never show their
extension though their description is Windows Explorer Command.
Other types of shortcuts are lnk with a description of Shortcut, pif with a
description of Shortcut to MS-Dos Program, and url with a description of
Internet Shortcut.
To recreate these files copy the following lines into a new Text Document and
rename it to the appropiate name and copy to either the original location, the
desktop, or the Start Menu (or anywhere).
ShowDesktop
ShowDesktop.scf hides all open windows so items on the desktop can be seen or
used. It is normally located in the Quick Launch toolbar. Items on the Quick
Launch toolbar are stored at C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Quick Launch.
ViewChannels.scf shows the Channels toolbar. It is normally located in the
Quick Launch toolbar. Items on the Quick Launch toolbar are stored at
C:\WINDOWS\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch.
Many posters in the Windows
newsgroups are concerned about System Resources - some indeed do have a
problem in this area but others (most) are only noticing normal behaviour. The
posters report two issues.
The first is System Resources reduce after starting a program and don't
restore after the program exits. This can indicate a faulty program is running
but is also normal behaviour.
The second report is of low System Resources. If the resources are low then
this indicates that lots of programs are running in the background. This is
generally indicated by lots of icons next to the time on the taskbar. What is
low depends on what programs have been running and what programs are running
(because a previous running program may load resources that a program that will
run later will use and reducing the observable use of resources but not the
actual use).
I would suspect a 16 bit program if resources were really low, under 40%.
System Resoures is a term that applies to five specific areas of memory. The
value that Windows reports for System Resources is the lowest of the five and
the percentage is calculated for each by Free Memory Now/Free Memory After
Windows Started * 100. The amount of installed memory has no bearing on
System Resources, its equivlent (sort of) term is Memory Load. The five areas
and their size are;
The 16-bit User heap (64K)
The 32-bit User window heap (2MB)
The 32-bit User menu heap (2MB)
The 16-bit GDI heap (64K)
The 32-bit GDI heap (2MB)
System Resources will not return to the levels that they were when Windows
started, of even when a application starts then stops. Some resources are loaded
only when requested to save time while starting Windows - in Windows 3.1 all
fonts were loaded at startup while Windows 98 waits for a program to use the
font before loading it and keeps the font loaded for other programs to use.
For more information on System Resources, what is stored in them, and
troubleshooting see the Windows 98 Resource Kit (on the Win98 CD-Rom) and query
the Microsoft Knowledge Base
on these three article numbers - Q117744 Q146418 Q190217. I've supplied a
glossary below to help you make sense of some of the terms.
Glossary
These definitions are taken from the VC++ glossary and the Platform SDK
glossary. These glossaries are probably available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/ but I haven't
checked as I have the MSDN on CD-Rom.
Term
Definition
brush
A bitmap that is used to fill the interior of closed shapes, polygons,
ellipses, and paths. See also bitmap, ellipse, path, polygon.
device context
Structure that defines a set of graphic objects and their attributes,
and the graphic modes that affect output. In addition, the device context
(DC) refers to a physical output device-its name, device driver, and other
attributes. GDI function call parameters contain a handle to a DC to
include the attributes of the specified device. There are four types of
DC:
display (supports drawing operations on a video display terminal)
printer (supports drawing operations on a printer or plotter)
memory (supports drawing operations on a bitmap)
and information (supports retrieval of device data.) See also
graphic modes, graphic objects.
font
A collection of characters and symbols that share a common design
A drawing object used to write text on a display
surface.
GDI (Graphics Device Interface)
An executable program that processes graphical function calls from a
Windows-based application and passes those calls to the appropriate device
driver, which performs the hardware-specific functions that generate
output. By acting as a buffer between applications and output devices, GDI
presents a device-independent view of the world for the application while
interacting in a device-dependent format with the device.
GDI (Graphics Device Interface)
A dynamic-link library that processes graphics function calls from a
Windows-based application and passes those calls to the appropriate device
driver. See also dynamic-link library (DLL).
Heap
A portion of memory reserved for a program to use for the temporary
storage of data structures whose existence or size cannot be determined
until the program is running. The program can request free memory from the
heap to hold such elements, use it as necessary, and later free the
memory.
logical brush
A description of a bitmap. A logical brush can be selected into a
device context. See also bitmap, device context.
logical palette
An array of colors, or "color palette," that an application creates
and associates with a device context and uses for graphics output. See
also device context.
menu handle
A unique value of the type HMENU used to identify a menu. See also
menu.
pen
A drawing tool used to draw lines and curves.
physical brush
A bitmap that the system uses to paint the interior of filled shapes.
A physical brush is a device driver's approximation of a logical brush.
See also bitmap, logical brush.
timer
An internal routine that causes the system to send a WM_TIMER message
whenever a specified interval elapses.
window handle
A 32-bit value, assigned by Windows, that uniquely identifies a
window.
