SP2 and/or Zone Alarm?

I'm about to reformat and install Windows XP.
I've been using Zone Alarm and have been very happy with it, but I've never used SP2...
I know nothing about SP2, but since I've had little problems using only ZA, I wouldn't bother with it.
Anyway, what I'm wondering is if I should install SP2 and/or ZA.
I use Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 on my comp, and I've heard of incompatibilites with SP2. Are there updates for things like this?
I need some enlightening.
Thanks in advance!

 

I can only reply in general: So 'In General' yes you should get SP2 -it should work fine with an up to date version of ZA (it works fine on my PC which has ZA PRO).
I've no personal experience with 'Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5' but I *suspect* that if there were any compatibility issuses that Adobe would have released an update/patch by now -as most large software makers have done.
Hope that helps,
522.

 

What about the SP2 firewall? Is it any better than Zone Alarm? Will it make ZA obsolete?

 

talked to a dell guy last night as he saved my computer . . he reccommended turning off the xp firewall and installing zonealarm free . . .

but i as well would like some takes on this decision very much - thanks

and what gives with aol IM having spyware with it??? jeez

 

Hey Wiz, it just goes to show something that many of us have known for a long time.

AOL is the devil... If you absolutely have to have access to you AIM, Download Trillian.

 

Windows XP Service Pack 2 is very important from a security standpoint. It begins to fix some of the many security flaws dismissed by Redmond over the years. Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 as soon as you have the chance.

Zone Alarm and Windows Firewall are different in that Zone Alarm defends incoming and outgoing threats. Windows Firewall only defends incoming threats. Think Trojan detection. It is an important distinction. Zone Alarm is the way to go.

Keep asking more questions. Truth is you're asking questions that half computer users want to know but are afraid to ask, and they are important questions so good job.

 

Thanks everyone, this is exactly what I wanted to hear!
Heh, here's something weird-
I installed SP2 last night after I installed Zone Alarm. SP2 didn't like this. It froze half way through when ZA popped up asking if the install could access the internet. After manually restarting and uninstalling my corrupt SP2, I turned off ZA and successfully installed SP2.
Weird wild stuff.

 

Good work!

 

ok so to narrow it down . . . with xp sp2 run:

1) BOTH xp firewall and zonealarm

or

2) just zonealarm

please let me know - im running just zonealarm rright now

 

Just Zone Alarm and you'll be fine. You don't need XP Firewall if you have Zone Alarm.

Do you use a router? If so, think of that as a hardware firewall. It won't conflict with Zone Alarm, and adds another layer of security. A router (hardware firewall) and Zone Alarm (software firewall) is an excellent combination.