IMPROMED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR XP SERVICE PACK 2
OVERVIEW
Installing and updating to the latest Windows® XP service pack places some new security features on
your computers that will impact the performance of ImproMed Infinity and other applications across your
network.
The primary focus of XP Service Pack 2 is to lock down the network security on your computers. This
security interferes with the way Infinity had been setting the database to single user mode. When the
Infinity programs try to place the database in single user mode, the request gets blocked by the network
and the user receives an error on the screen. Furthermore, the programs are left in single user mode
(which means other users of the system are locked out of the programs). This will only happen if you are
trying to modify the structure of the client and patient records – which is rarely done. Normal use of the
Infinity programs will not place the database into single user mode and therefore, will not be a problem
when running Infinity with the XP Service Pack 2 installed. SR12 changes the way the database is placed
into single user mode so that it is compliant with the changes that are made to the operating system after
the service pack is installed.
WINDOWS XP SP2 with Infinity
ImproMed has tested Infinity running after installing XP SP2. Infinity has been found to run fine on XP
SP2. However, an issue was found when trying to setup client and patient record layouts. You will receive
the following error when the screen is launched (or similar).
A fix has been found and included with the Infinity SR12 update, which is available for download on our
website at www.impromed.com
Refer to the directions specific for the operating system you wish to upgrade to XP SP2.
SERVER
KB 872769 Update for Windows Small Business Server 2003
On Networks with Windows 2003 Small Business Servers a Critical Update from Microsoft needs to be
loaded for the Server to support having Windows XP SP2 anywhere on the network. It should be
available from Windows Updates.
TABLET PC
DO NOT run the Service Pack 2 installation across a wireless network. Copy the service pack to the
tablet and run the update from the hard drive.
When loading Service Pack 2 on a Tablet PC, the computer should be physically connected to the
network via a network cable. Also, the Service Pack should be downloaded and installed via Windows
Updates if the Tablets have Internet access. If Internet access is unavailable to the Tablet then the XP
SP2 it can be downloaded to a shared drive on the network, and copied to the hard drive of each Tablet
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IMPROMED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR XP SERVICE PACK 2
and then installed from the hard drive or by copying via network from a CD-ROM on another machine to
the hard drive of each Tablet and then installed from the hard drive. Windows Updates will download the
Service Pack to a Temp directory and run it from there, it will not install it directly from the Internet.
Tablets installed with XP SP2 offer the following benefits:
• Provides Windows Security Center to help manage your computers Firewall, Automatic Updates,
Internet options, and Virus protection
• Windows Firewall is enabled and Easily manageable
• Improved Handwriting Recognition displays the most likely options for you to choose from
• Simplified wireless networking configuration interface
• Sticky notes allow you to leave text and Audio messages
WINDOWS XP SP2 CONFIGURATION
Things to keep in mind once XP SP2 is installed....
• Windows Firewall is Enabled
• Messenger Service is Disabled
Windows Firewall will prevent users from connecting to the computer running XP SP2. This includes File
and Printer Sharing, Remote Desktop, SQL Server, etc. Each of these can be "unblocked" by adding
them to the Firewall Exceptions list (Control Panel | Windows Firewall).
ALL WORKSTATIONS
To get to the Windows Firewall:
Right-click on My Network Places.
Click Properties.
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IMPROMED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR XP SERVICE PACK 2
Right-click Local Area Connections.
Click Change Firewall Settings.
Click the Exceptions tab.
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IMPROMED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR XP SERVICE PACK 2
DEFAULT SETTINGS
File and Printer Sharing, Internet Explorer, Remote Assistance, Remote Desktop and UPnP
Framework are in the list by default.
RECOMMENDED SETTINGS
Check the box by File and Printer Sharing
Add the Symantec PC Anywhere Host
o Click on Add Program and browse to C:\Program
Files\Symantec\pcAnywhere\AWHOST32.EXE, click OK
Add the Microsoft SQL Server Service (Should be the same for MSDE and SQL)
o Click on Add Program and browse to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL$Infinity\Binn\sqlservr.exe, click OK
Add the Netmeeting Remote Desktop Service
o Click on Add Program and browse to C:\Windows\System32\mnmsrvc.exe, click OK.
To Add Remote Desktop
o Just check the box, it will be listed already.
OTHER APPLICATIONS
If you have other applications that are affected by XP SP2 changes, please follow these steps:
Choose "Add Program | Browse...", then locate the exe you want to allow (ex. "C:\Program
Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL$INFINITY\Binn\sqlservr.exe"), then click OK.
The selected program should then be listed in the Exceptions List.
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IMPROMED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR XP SERVICE PACK 2
Scroll through the list until you find the required application or service.
COMMAND LINE CHANGES
This can also be done from the command line.
netsh firewall /? for more info)
netsh firewall add allowedprogram program = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL$INFINITY\Binn\sqlservr.exe" name = InfinitySQLServer
If the messenger service is disabled, "NET SEND" will not work. This is used by EverSafe to
notify users about backup status.
To enable and start the Messenger service (used by EverSafe for "NET SEND" commands, run
the following at the CMD prompt...
sc config Messenger start= auto
net start Messenger
(no space between start and =)
When you create exceptions via the netsh firewall command, you can choose the how it appears in the
exception list. However, when you use the dialog boxes, it just displays the name of the executables.
ImproMed Analysts have created some batch files to assist with the configuration changes. The bat files
to enable these things via netsh so the Exceptions names are “clean”.
To Enable File and Printer Sharing run “Enable File and Printer Sharing.bat”
To Allow SQL Server or MSDE run “Allow SQL Server.bat”
To Allow Netmeeting Remote Desktop Sharing run “Allow Netmeeting.bat”
To Allow PC Anywhere run “Allow PCAHost.bat”
To Enable Remote Desktop run “Enable Remote Desktop”
To Enable and Start the Messenger Service run “Enable Messenger Service.bat”
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IMPROMED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR XP SERVICE PACK 2
Adding Exceptions via the command line will result in Exceptions looking similar to the dialog box below:
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