One of the questions many people are asking before deploying service pack 2 for Windows XP is whether the applications they are currently running are compatible. That is what Microsoft has designed the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) 4.0 for.

Security is a top priority for most businesses, however, so is end-user satisfaction. You certainly do not want to trade one for the other. There are many security enhancements in service pack 2 that make it a must for any Windows XP desktop. Ensuring applications can still function under SP2 is also important. ACT 4.0 can be used to identify application compatibility issues with the service pack before you deploy it in your production environment.

ACT 4.0 identifies compatibility issues by examining:

• DCOM interfaces

• Firewall settings
• Internet Explorer settings

The results will identify those applications that require further testing, those applications that are outdated, and which applications are already compatible with SP2. If you are planning to deploy SP2 or are in the process of doing so, download the Windows Application Compatibility Toolkit 4.0 for free to minimize the cost and the risk.