Well, I finally flicked on that little note: "You have updates...

[gristy]

ready to install." That was two hours ago and my laptop is still crunching away, trying to get the Service Pack 2 installed. Right now it's "performing cleanup".

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

1. OMFG!!!!! You didn't! RUN! RUN AWAY!

The last friend I had who clicked on the M$ update button was a pod person by daybreak!

[Osamasux]

2. SP2 is not just an update.

It is a serious, major overhaul. It installs a firewall, spam filtering, spyware, pop-ups, and other things. It is not just the usual group of security fixes. You may have some issues. Get ready to update your other applications.

If you use a firewall like Zone Alarm, Norton Internet Security or Black Ice, you'll have some settings to let them go back in charge. If you didn't, SP2 will make you much safer than you were before. SP2 is not as good as other companies' security products, but it is a big step in the right direction.

I forget just how large it is, but it will run for a while.