XP SP2

[Roberto]

shouldn't it be "Our technical staff are currently working on a solution..."?

In my opinion, it probably shouldn't. Staff is a singular noun (albeit that it refers to a plural number). And with this comment, I seem to have got myself into the strange position of defending someone from Microsoft! Isn't it strange the way conversations can develop?

 

[zuijlen]

"our staff is" or "our staff are" ?

I'm no grammarian, but if MS's 'technical staff' consisted of more than one person, shouldn't it be "Our technical staff are currently working on a solution..."?

Hmmm....

I am a linguist, I'm afraid. Both forms are acceptable, though I would have a preference for "our staff is" (maybe because I've lived in the US for some time ).

In order to do some field research I instigated a GoogleFight between "our staff is" and "our staff are". The winner turns out to be
"our staff is" with 207 000 against 136 000 occurrences. This is for written language, but probably includes a lot of informal writing, like this board.

Job van Zuijlen

 

[TheBramble]

Roberto, Zuilen - I is corrected.

Thanks/Dank U

 

[Soya]

Regarding SP2. When I installed it, it seemed OK except that it cut off my intenet connection. Couldn't get it to work. Un-installed SP and about a quarter the way through the lights on my wireless PC Card came back on indicating that the 'blockage' had been removed. On removing SP2 the internet connection was back again. So I don't use SP2. If it ain't broke, etc. Have Zone Alarms and AVG which I didn't diable before installing SP2, Maybe that caused the prob, Who knows?

 

[Trader333]

Soya,

Have Zone Alarms and AVG which I didn't diable before installing SP2, Maybe that caused the prob, Who knows?

Yes that is exactly why you lost connection and if you still wish to use Zonealarm you have to switch off the XP firewall that comes with SP2.


Paul

 

[RogerM]

Regarding SP2. ...............Un-installed SP and about a quarter the way through the lights on my wireless PC Card came back on indicating that the 'blockage' had been removed. On removing SP2 the internet connection was back again. So I don't use SP2. If it ain't broke, etc.

Soya - how are you removing SP2 please? Are you going back to a restore date, or is there actually an "uninstall" function somewhere?

 

[Roberto]

Soya - how are you removing SP2 please? Are you going back to a restore date, or is there actually an "uninstall" function somewhere?

Excuse my leaping in with an opinion, but I've been through this recently with XP SP2. Go to the start menu and select "control panel" and then "add or remove" and then click on the software you want to remove. The "wizard" will guide you through the rest.

 

[RogerM]

Excuse my leaping in with an opinion, but I've been through this recently with XP SP2. Go to the start menu and select "control panel" and then "add or remove" and then click on the software you want to remove. The "wizard" will guide you through the rest.

Thanks Roberto. Did removal using this method resolve your problems? And can anyone with more knowledge than me say whether this is a safe way of removing SP2 before I commit to it? TIA.

 

[Roberto]

Thanks Roberto. Did removal using this method resolve your problems? And can anyone with more knowledge than me say whether this is a safe way of removing SP2 before I commit to it? TIA.

Unfortunately not. But I understand from everyone I've spoken to that this was _extremely_ unlucky, and that the overwhelming majority of such problems _are_ completely resolved by removing SP2. Your second question is a very valid one, but I am not such a person; sorry.

 

[Soya]

RogerM:
No I didn't go back to a restore date to remove SP2. I just removed it in the usual way of removing a program. In other words: Start ----> Settings ------> Control Panel and then Add/Remove Programs. SP2 will be in the list just like any other program and can be removed/uninstalled. I didn't suffer any problems after uninstalling SP2. So it seems safe enough to do. I believe SP2 makes a sort of back-up of your system during instalation so that things can be returned to normal if there are any problems and it has to be uninstalled. But do your own research, I'm no expert.

 

[Soya]

Trader333:
Thanks, Now I know what the problem was I may have another go with SP2, although to be honest as things are working fine at the moment I'm slightly reluctant to 'rock the boat'.

 

[Roberto]

I believe SP2 makes a sort of back-up of your system during instalation so that things can be returned to normal if there are any problems and it has to be uninstalled.

I was also told this, by the technical support people at my ISP, and by an independent computer engineer who came round to help me out. I imagine that it, or something like it, is true.

Nevertheless, the problems I was left with after removing SP2 were (i) that my PC didn't "recognise" the printer any more, and announced "new hardware has been detected" but then couldn't "install" it (it was already installed, really, but the PC didn't know this), and (ii) my internet connection-speed had fallen so badly that it was virtually impossible to load anything but the simplest of pages with no graphics to speak of.

Both these problems had begun the minute that SP2 was installed, on a system I'd been happily using for a couple of years. And I had closed down Norton Antivirus before installing it, as advised.

 

[Trader333]

Hmm,

It would seem that the best bet is to ghost your hard drive before installing SP2 as this will put your PC back to exactly how it was before.


Paul

 

[oatman]

Maybe something here can help you
http://pcpitstop.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=63817

 

[roguetrader]

Hi I have just started runnin an xp based machine, can anyone tell me how to access data telling me how much free resources I have. In 98 it was start>control>system and performance tab, would tell you there is like 46% free resources, can;t seem to find the same thing on xp

 

[Altern8]

Hi I have just started runnin an xp based machine, can anyone tell me how to access data telling me how much free resources I have. In 98 it was start>control>system and performance tab, would tell you there is like 46% free resources, can;t seem to find the same thing on xp

press Control + Alt + Delete (all together) and you should get the Window sTask Manage, then click on Performance tab, and you will see what resourses you are using.

Kev

 

[roguetrader]

Ok thanx Altern

 

[boy]

Hi I have just started runnin an xp based machine, can anyone tell me how to access data telling me how much free resources I have. In 98 it was start>control>system and performance tab, would tell you there is like 46% free resources, can;t seem to find the same thing on xp

Or you might try; start/mycomputer/right click on local disc and then- properties.

 

[oatman]

You can get a load of info about your machine with Everest
http://www.lavalys.com/products.php?lang=en

 

[roguetrader]

Hi Altern8 I am assuming the attached is what you are referring to. Does the PF usage represent the amount of RAM I am using.