Upgrade or Re-image?

If you have an IBM T22, T30, T40, or T42 laptop obtained through Rensselaer's Mobile Computing Program, the Rensselaer Help Desk now has images for these machines with XP SP2 pre-installed along with the latest application software. Please make sure all of your files are backed up prior to this process.

You can also install SP2 yourself, following the instructions below.

Before Upgrading

Before performing this upgrade, please follow the steps below.

• Backup your data. You can use Rensselaer's EZ Snapshot service or backup up to CDs or any other reliable mass storage device (e.g., external hard drive, DVD writer, network share).
• Scan for and remove malware. We recommend the following freeware utilities: Spybot Search and Destroy and Ad-Aware. Norton Antivirus V9.0 and above also includes an "expanded threat" capability that will scan for spyware. The combination of these tools will detect most malware exploits.
• Apply all Microsoft Critical patches. Use the Windows Update web service which can be found in the Start->All Programs list. Do not install SP2 at this time.
• Turn off all the programs running in the background on your system, including spyware monitors, screen savers, and system utilities. These programs can cause the SP2 update to fail.
• Upgrade software that is not compatible with SP2. Below is a list of Rensselaer provided application software that needs to be upgraded prior to SP2. Visit the Help Desk web page for information on obtaining this software. To determine if your personal application software needs upgrading or patching, visit the vendor web site.
  • OpenAFS client needs to be upgraded to V1-3-7400. There is a serious incompatibility between Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and all previous versions of AFS for Windows whether released by IBM/Transarc or OpenAFS.org. More complete information and instructions on how to avoid this XP SP2/OpenAFS incompatability are available on-line.

    Specifically, the afslogon.dll file, which provides the Integrated Logon functionality, violates the newly-imposed security restrictions which cause any network operations performed during DLL process attachment to block forever. As a result, user profile information will not load or unload properly. Depending on the version of AFS, the boot cycle of Windows XP SP2 may also fail to complete.

    If you cannot install that release, remove all references to afslogon.dll from the system, as well as delete a specific registry key (if present).

  • Symantec NAVCE needs to be upgraded to V9.0 with the NAVCE SP2 specific patch. (Symantec AntiVirus 9 is pre-installed on the IBM ThinkPad T42.) Since SP2 adds a Security Center function to Windows XP, the Security Center will not correctly detect the status of Symantec AntiVirus without the patch.

    Instructions and the patch are available on-line. Please note that you must have a valid RCS userID and password to download this patch.

  • IBM Access connections needs to be upgraded to V3.3. Rensselaer IBM ThinkPads (T30, T40, T42) come with IBM Access Connections pre-installed to simplify connecting to networks. Windows XP SP2 does not work well with the old, pre-installed versions of IBM Access Connections. Download the latest version of IBM Access Connnections. Carefully review the instructions and warnings prior to installation.

Installing SP2

The easiest way to obtain this service pack is to use the Windows Update web service which can be found in the Start->All Programs list. This will redirect your browser the to the Microsoft site containing this update and others as well as a detailed description of SP2. This update can take an hour or more, so be prepared to be without the use of your system during this time.

If you are installing SP2 on a laptop, make sure that you have the laptop plugged in to AC power and that you have a fully charged battery.

After the installation is complete, restart your computer.

After Upgrading

• After SP2 is applied, return to the "Windows Update" site and apply any remaining critical updates.
• Turn on "Automatic Updates" - the "Windows update" site has instructions to do this.
• Test your applications and visit vendor-specific web sites for any problems encountered.
• Visit the Help Desk Web site if you need assistance or have questions.

Microsoft has released Windows XP Service Pack 2, a major operating system update for Windows XP which provides better protection against hackers, viruses, and worms. This free upgrade provides enhanced security, blocks (some) pop ups, and includes a basic internet firewall and enhanced wireless support.

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 has been available for approximately six months. During that time, DotCIO has tested the software with the standard laptop applications and has installed it in controlled environments with good results. We are now recommending that users currently running Windows XP install this major operating system upgrade. As with most major changes to Windows (or any operating system), there may be some problems with the actual installation as well as with specific application software. In an effort to avoid the most common problems encountered during the upgrade, a list of pre- and post-installation steps are outlined below.