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On April 12th, all Windows XP computers configured for automatic updates will receive Service Pack 2 from Microsoft. While there are several important security fixes and Windows enhancements, there are numerous known conflicts with certain popular software applications. A few of these programs include Norton AntiVirus and ZoneAlarm. For a complete list of these conflicting programs, click the following link: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=884130&product=windowsxpsp2

Aiming to crack down on counterfeit software, Microsoft plans later this year to require customers to verify that their copy of Windows is genuine before downloading security patches and other add-ons to the operating system. Since last fall the company has been testing a tool that can check whether a particular version of Windows is legitimate, but until now the checks have been voluntary. Starting Feb. 7, the verification will be mandatory for many downloads for people in three countries: China, Norway and the Czech Republic. In those countries, people whose copies are found not to be legitimate can get...

Windows XP users could be excused for feeling a little less safe this week. Security tools maker Finjan Software warned on Wednesday that it found as many as 10 security flaws in the last update to Microsoft's flagship operating system, Windows XP Service Pack 2. In a statement that contained few details, the U.K. company claimed that the vulnerabilities could enable attackers to remotely access a victim's files, remove security measures aimed at Internet threats and run programs without any notification to the user. Windows XP SP2 "suffers because it is still basically the same operating system and has some...

Hello all you PC geeks out there. I need some help with Windows XP and know of two webpages that were very helpful to me in the past. I have seen these links here on FR that reference two different resource pages for solving various minor problems with Microsoft products. One of them was by a gentleman by the name of Bob Cerelli and the other was a Rick (something). If anyone has those links, would you mind posting them? They were a tremendous help to me, but unfortunately, like a moron, I didn't bookmark them. Thanks in advance.-Andonius

Hey take a look at Longhorn if your using WinXP or WinXp SP2. Pretty cool. Longhorn Transformation Pack Remember, backup all your files before using this, this is just a look into what Longhorn will look like, just a taste. I found this site from anandtech.com he is a reputable computer geek and would not put something on his site that would harm your system. I have it on my computer and give you some neat themes and even gives you a weird side bar for notes and such.. Pretty cool... Here is one of the MANY wallpapers that comes...

The Blaster worm, which continues to create chaos by crashing numerous vulnerable Windows machines across the Net, has changed the rules on malicious code attacks. Unlike Slammer or Nimda, home users have borne the brunt of the attack - although businesses of all sizes have also suffered. Blaster shatters the partially reassuring notion that email-borne nasties are the most significant threat for Harry Homeowner. Now updating patches and using perimeter security, always good ideas, have become prerequisites for Windows users. With the appearance of new variants of Blaster already appearing on the Net, its worth reviewing the nature of Blaster,...

Red-Faced Microsoft Pulls Controversial Ad Spot Featured PR Agency Employee POSTED: 9:28 p.m. EDT October 14, 2002 WASHINGTON -- Red-faced Microsoft executives have pulled an ad that purports to show a free-lance writer who switched to Windows from rival Macintosh. There were questions about whether the woman actually existed. It turns out she works at a public relations company hired by Microsoft. The Associated Press tracked her down by examining personal data hidden within documents that Microsoft published with its ad. She says, "It was me. I made the switch." Microsoft's ad was apparently a response to a national...

I am currently using WinXP, and like it. That is, except for a couple of irritating quirks. For one thing, when I am working with one window open, and I open another window, the graphic, for the other window, on the taskbar will keep blinking until I go back to it, maximize it, and then I can go back to my first window. Also, when I am surfing the net, and having an instant message chat at the same time, the little graphic on the task bar will start blinking when I get a new message. I use Auto Hide...