G
gxsaurav
Guest
Real Life Windows XP SP2 Guide
Although there are many guides on the internet telling something or some trick to tweak Windows XP SP2 this way or that way, but those are all too complex, at least in my opinion, so I made a guide to Windows XP based on the mixture of all of the internet & some of my own, so credit to those who already posted this somewhere else
First I assume that U already have SP2 file with U, it is given in this month’s Digit, both in CD & DVD, so should be available to all, now comes the part from start. Also it will install even on Pirated copies so no worries for everyone
1) Installing over existing SP1 or Windows
If U are already using a RC version of Windows XP SP2 & Don’t want to reinstall windows but just want to install SP2 safely then I prefer that U don’t select the option to backup the file to uninstall SP2 at a later time, this however is not possible by default, go for small file names, copy the SP2 setup file to some where in your PC, I prefer D:\ now rename it to SP2.exe so the total path becomes
D:\sp2.exe
Now start >> run >> sp2.exe /n
Remember there is a space between .exe & /
Now SP2 installation will start but it will not backup the files to remove SP2 later
2) DEP
This is a new technology in SP2, which runs every code in a managed environment & doesn’t allows the execution of something malicious in the hardware, so nothing can beat it, only Athlon64/Athlon 64 FX, Opetron, & Prescott F core support this in hardware, for every other CPU it runs in software mode, this really hampers the performance of even Windows 2D, there is no direct way to disable it instead of editing the boot.ini file, for that
Open system properties >> Advanced >> Startup & recovery >>
Select edit to edit the boot.ini file, it will have a string called /NoExecute=optout, change this code to /execute, only change this nothing else or Windows will not work, now reboot & go again to
Open system properties -> Advanced -> Performance -> Data Execution Protection, if every thing is grayed out or unavailable then U have successfully Disabled
3) SP2 will revert Windows to the condition it was when XP was released, basically much of the code is re-written so it can also be considered as XP version 2 or XP 2nd Edition
4) XP SP2 comes with Windows Media Player 9, but if U have WMP10 final installed then it will not over install WMP9 on it, be patience, SP2 takes a lot of time to install, it’s normal, on my PC it took about 15 mins
5) Slipstreaming
Best way to use SP2 is to make a slipstreamed CD of XP SP2 & then reinstall Windows, but this should be done only if U don’t want to keep your existing windows installation & want to start fresh, the safest way to slipstream is to use AutoStreamer, it is a idiot proof way to slipstream, I don’t recommend nlite as it might create problem. Just start & follow the instruction, remember, Autostreamer hates long file paths
6) tcpip limit
Windows XP limits the maximum connection to any server to only 10, in SP1 it was unlimited, or 16.7 million connections, this is good so as to stop the spreading of virus who automatically send them selves to everyone in your address book, to disable this limit & use the 16.7 million limit gain, U have to patch your tcpip.sys file, an already patched file with unlimited connection can be downloaded from here.
Boot is safe mode, then go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers backup the existing tcpip.sys file, now copy the new unlimited file U just downloaded to
C:\Windows\System32\drivers
C:\Windows\System32\dllcache
C:\Windows\Servicepackfiles
Remember, the folder servicepackfiles will not be available If U are using a slipstreamed version of SP SP2, also the dll cache folder is a hidden system folder so go to
Tools -> folder Option -> Select “Show hidden files� & show hidden system files, now copy the files to the above mentioned location
7) JAVA runtime
If U are installing XP SP2 on your existing installation of Windows XP then it will not uninstall MS JVM if it is already present, however If U are using a slipstreamed version, then MS JVM won’t be installed, a better the MS JM way is to use Sun JAVA runtime, currently at 1.4.2_05
8) Although Security centre is a good edition for novices but U can disable it from services,nsc if U don’t like it, do the same with other services which U don’t use. Don’t change the status of print spooler service if U R using a printer
Although there are many guides on the internet telling something or some trick to tweak Windows XP SP2 this way or that way, but those are all too complex, at least in my opinion, so I made a guide to Windows XP based on the mixture of all of the internet & some of my own, so credit to those who already posted this somewhere else
First I assume that U already have SP2 file with U, it is given in this month’s Digit, both in CD & DVD, so should be available to all, now comes the part from start. Also it will install even on Pirated copies so no worries for everyone
1) Installing over existing SP1 or Windows
If U are already using a RC version of Windows XP SP2 & Don’t want to reinstall windows but just want to install SP2 safely then I prefer that U don’t select the option to backup the file to uninstall SP2 at a later time, this however is not possible by default, go for small file names, copy the SP2 setup file to some where in your PC, I prefer D:\ now rename it to SP2.exe so the total path becomes
D:\sp2.exe
Now start >> run >> sp2.exe /n
Remember there is a space between .exe & /
Now SP2 installation will start but it will not backup the files to remove SP2 later
2) DEP
This is a new technology in SP2, which runs every code in a managed environment & doesn’t allows the execution of something malicious in the hardware, so nothing can beat it, only Athlon64/Athlon 64 FX, Opetron, & Prescott F core support this in hardware, for every other CPU it runs in software mode, this really hampers the performance of even Windows 2D, there is no direct way to disable it instead of editing the boot.ini file, for that
Open system properties >> Advanced >> Startup & recovery >>
Select edit to edit the boot.ini file, it will have a string called /NoExecute=optout, change this code to /execute, only change this nothing else or Windows will not work, now reboot & go again to
Open system properties -> Advanced -> Performance -> Data Execution Protection, if every thing is grayed out or unavailable then U have successfully Disabled
3) SP2 will revert Windows to the condition it was when XP was released, basically much of the code is re-written so it can also be considered as XP version 2 or XP 2nd Edition
4) XP SP2 comes with Windows Media Player 9, but if U have WMP10 final installed then it will not over install WMP9 on it, be patience, SP2 takes a lot of time to install, it’s normal, on my PC it took about 15 mins
5) Slipstreaming
Best way to use SP2 is to make a slipstreamed CD of XP SP2 & then reinstall Windows, but this should be done only if U don’t want to keep your existing windows installation & want to start fresh, the safest way to slipstream is to use AutoStreamer, it is a idiot proof way to slipstream, I don’t recommend nlite as it might create problem. Just start & follow the instruction, remember, Autostreamer hates long file paths
6) tcpip limit
Windows XP limits the maximum connection to any server to only 10, in SP1 it was unlimited, or 16.7 million connections, this is good so as to stop the spreading of virus who automatically send them selves to everyone in your address book, to disable this limit & use the 16.7 million limit gain, U have to patch your tcpip.sys file, an already patched file with unlimited connection can be downloaded from here.
Boot is safe mode, then go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers backup the existing tcpip.sys file, now copy the new unlimited file U just downloaded to
C:\Windows\System32\drivers
C:\Windows\System32\dllcache
C:\Windows\Servicepackfiles
Remember, the folder servicepackfiles will not be available If U are using a slipstreamed version of SP SP2, also the dll cache folder is a hidden system folder so go to
Tools -> folder Option -> Select “Show hidden files� & show hidden system files, now copy the files to the above mentioned location
7) JAVA runtime
If U are installing XP SP2 on your existing installation of Windows XP then it will not uninstall MS JVM if it is already present, however If U are using a slipstreamed version, then MS JVM won’t be installed, a better the MS JM way is to use Sun JAVA runtime, currently at 1.4.2_05
8) Although Security centre is a good edition for novices but U can disable it from services,nsc if U don’t like it, do the same with other services which U don’t use. Don’t change the status of print spooler service if U R using a printer