SP2 or not ?

Originally Posted by El Ray Fernando

Also of note that Microsoft in the not too distant future will stop support and providing security fixes/updates for SP1 so you will have to upgrade at some point to SP2 otherwise your machine will be left vulnerable to any future exploits in the Windows operating system.

Uh... hi.
Microsoft will not selectively cut off support for people using older service packs. Would you like to know why? It is because a Service Pack is just a collection of updates, genius. This was a package to make distributing updates easier, and I suppose it could be called one of the "milestones" in XP's life. Need I also add that things like Windows 98 and ME (someone correct me if this is wrong) are still supported, though updates have stopped on the former, and it took a few years for this to happen?

To summarise, there is no logic behind cutting off XPSP1 support--XP itself would be cut off, and that will likely not happen for a few years.

Back to the topic at hand, I suggest you get Service Pack 2 just because it grants access to more updates, if I understand Windows Update properly; it also includes a bunch of new, nifty features (like the Wireless Networking controls getting totally redone).

Jam it back in, in the dark.