Windows XP SP 2 and Pension Software Conflicts

[mwyatt]

I'm assuming most folks here are using Windows XP. Service Pack 2 will start rolling on to your computers in the next couple of weeks, and I thought it might be a good idea to keep track of any issues popping up with pension software so we don't feel like lone voices in the wilderness (trust me, there will be problems).

I downloaded the complete patch and put it on our server (so we won't have 15 computers downloading the complete patch over and over again) and installed it over the weekend (on my own guinea pig computer - not on all boxes before testing!).

Observations to date:

Pension Software running

ASC Win/Val w/ Pervasive 2001

Relius 2004 Government Forms

Relius SAR

Relius Government Forms 5300

Only problem noted is with Relius Government Forms 5300. You will NOT be able to print as it gives you an error message that "Your Printer Drivers are Outdated". Tried it on a non SP2 computer and no problem (both to network printers).

Contacted Relius this morning; still waiting to hear of a fix.

[Kirk Maldonado]

MWyatt:

Would you share with us what effect, if any, SP2 had on the operations of your other Microsoft products, such as Word, Excel, and Powerpoint?

Even Microsoft admits that SP2 causes problems with its other products.

[mwyatt]

Hey Kirk:

Really haven't run into too many issues, other than Firewall related tweaking, as yet. By default SP2 turns on the new Windows Firewall. Of course, the MS firewall only blocks incoming stuff and doesn't block outgoing, so you may want to stick with a Zonealarm or some other firewall program.

The official MS list of programs can be found here:

MS Windows XP SP2 Program Problem List

The Relius issue has got me befuddled as I haven't had problems with the regular 5500 program. However, the 5300/1099-R print engine is pretty problematic (as any regular user trying to print to a more modern laser printer can attest) so I'm assuming something in the Relius coding did not like SP2 at all. Waiting to hear back from their support staff on this matter.

Word, Excel, and other standalone programs probably won't have issues. The real glitches seem to be with programs communicating over the Internet or LAN. Took me a little while but I was able to "train" the MS firewall to get my PCAnywhere connection back up and running.

Thought I should also throw this link in if you are responsible for a few computers:

MS Windows XP SP 2 Complete Download

This is a huge 220mb download, but might be easier than having all of your computers independently downloading an 80mb file (plus you'll have it available for future use if you need to rebuild XP).

[mwyatt]

Another update on 5300 printing. Tried all of our network printers and was able to get an older HP4 to work; however, the SP2 definitely took a working HP5 out of action for printing.

Larger observation is if you are using any sort of VPN software to get back into your network, be careful before updating to SP2.

[Kirk Maldonado]

mwyatt:

Thanks for the URL.