Information and Communications Technology
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Information for
Microsoft OS
- General Information
- Avoid receiving XP SP2
- Receive XP SP2 pre-configured
- What has been pre-configured
- CD Install
- Network Install
- SUS Install - requires group policy
- Uninstall XP SP2
General Information
Microsoft Windows XP SP2 was released in August 2004 and introduced some fundamental functionality changes to Windows XP. Because of these functionality changes University business systems were checked to confirm that they continue to function as expected under XP SP2. The current version of Callista that is used for the Student Information System (SIS) is not certified under XP SP2 and it is not known when a certified version will be used.
Because of the security and functionality improvements IT Support staff at the October 2005 IT-Contacts meeting endorsed the SOE move to XP SP2. At this same IT-Contacts meeting IT Support staff also agreed to XP SP2 being made available on the University's SUS (Microsoft System Update Server) from Tuesday 3rd January 2006.
It must be stressed that whilst the SOE has moved to XP SP2 Callista (SIS) remains uncertified. Computers that are being used to access Callista (SIS) should not use XP SP2.
Methods for distributing (and avoiding) XP SP2 are detailed below. Further information about XP SP2 can be found on Microsoft's web site at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/
Avoid receiving XP SP2
All Windows XP computers configured to use the University's SUS server will receive XP SP2 (if it hasn't been installed already). Computers that are not to receive XP SP2 (ie because of access to Callista) should be configured to receive their updates from Microsoft's Update web site where the receipt of XP SP2 can be blocked.
Instructions on how to do this are available.
Receive XP SP2 pre-configured
What has been pre-configured
Two major changes in XP SP2 are the inclusion of a pop-up blocker and improved firewall functionality. Both the pop-up blocker and the firewall are enabled by default once XP SP2 is installed.
ICT has identified a minimal number of pre-configured pop-up blocker and firewall settings, namely the enabling of the following:
File and Printer Sharing
Kasenna MediaBase (XPlayer.exe)
Exempting La Trobe University web sites from the pop-up blocker
CD Install
ICT has produced an ISO file containing a pre-configured copy of XP SP2. Most CD burning software programs are able to recognize an ISO file as a file containing CD content and burn that content to a CD.
Instructions on installing XP SP2 from a CD created from this ISO file are available.
Network Install
ICT has produced a pre-configured version of XP SP2 that can be manually installed from the University network manually (as required).
The location of this network install is \\lucas\public\systemupdaters\winxp\servicepack2\sp2configured
Instructions on installing XP SP2 from the University network are available.
SUS Install
ICT enables XP SP2 on the University's SUS server from Tuesday 3rd January 2006. Any Windows XP computer that is configured to receive updates from the SUS server will receive XP SP2 if it doesn't already have it. Computers that already have XP SP2 will not be affected.
Installations of XP SP2 from the University's SUS server are not able to be pre-configured. Active Directory Group Policy, however, can be used to configure XP SP2 settings for computers joined to Active Directory (either the LTU or STUDENTS domain).
Instructions on configuring XP SP2 settings through Active Directory Group Policy are available.
Uninstall XP SP2
If XP SP2 needs to be removed from a computer there are a number of ways this can be achieved. It must be noted that this should only be done as a last resort as removing XP SP2 can cause problems (applications, group policies and hardware drivers stop working and need to be re-installed). In severe cases the computer may need to be rebuilt/re-imaged.
Instructions on removing XP SP2 are available.
