A CLUTCH of popular software packages are likely to crash when PC users install a free upgrade to Windows XP this week. But experts say the upgrade is probably worth the hassle.
Microsoft’s Service Pack 2 (SP2) upgrade is in part designed to plug security loopholes in Windows XP, including some that allow hackers to take control of a PC and steal passwords. But the upgrade trips up many supposedly XP-compatible software packages, such as the drivers for networking and video cards.
Microsoft has already identified some 40 packages that crash when SP2 is installed (see list at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=884130…
