February 2000
Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6
by Rozanne Whalen
Microsoft's Service Pack 6 (SP6), Released in October 1999, includes
the latest collection of fixes, updates, and upgrades to Windows NT 4.0.
In this article, we're going to show you where to get a copy of SP6, as
well as what fixes and updates Microsoft has included in it.
Where can you get Service Pack 6?
You can obtain a copy of Service
Pack 6 by either downloading it from Microsoft's Web site, installing it
from the Web site, or by ordering the CD. SP6 comes in both standard and
high encryption versions. You should apply the version of SP6 that
corresponds to the level of encryption you're using in Windows NT. If you
aren't sure which level of encryption you're using, check for a file named
rsaenh.dll in your \%windir%\system32 folder. If you have this file
on your computer, you're running the high encryption (128-bit) version of
Windows NT. You can download both the standard and high encryption
versions of SP6 from the Service Pack 6 Web page by going to
microsoft.com/ntserver/nts/downloads/recommended/sp6/allsp6.asp
You can also order SP6 on CD. Microsoft prefers that you order it
online by going to
microsoft.com/ntserver/nts/downloads/recommended/SP6/ordercd.asp
This page has links you can use to order both the standard and high
encryption versions. If you don't have access to the Internet to order
online, you can order the CD by calling Microsoft directly at (800)
370-8758 or by faxing your order to (716) 447-7330. (If you're an
international customer, you'll need to order SP6 directly from your local
Microsoft subsidiary.)
you'll find that installing SP6 might cause Microsoft Exchange Server
to reindex its databases. This reindex process can take quite a while,
depending on the size of your server's databases. (The Exchange Server
databases consist of the public and private information stores, along with
the directory database.) Don't interrupt this reindexing process or you
might end up with corrupted databases.
What's new in SP6?
Microsoft has stated that SP6 isn't a required
upgrade to Windows NT--so you should make sure you review the list of
fixes and enhancements in SP6 to see if you really need to install it on
your computers. Service Pack 6 is cumulative, which means it includes all
fixes, updates, and enhancements Microsoft previously included in Service
Packs 1 through 5. Microsoft has divided the list of fixes included in SP6
into two articles. You can read about the fixes in Parts 1 and 2 of "List
of Bugs Fixed in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6" at their following Web
sites:
Part 1--support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q241/2/11.asp
Part 2--support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q244/6/90.asp
Some of the problems fixed by SP6 include:
- Intermittent printing of jobs when a Windows NT print server is busy
(Article ID # Q232230).
- Users can no longer delete files for which they have only the Read
permissions by using File | Save As in WordPad (Article ID # Q231855).
- Printing problems when printing to a printer pool (Article ID #
Q242035).
SP6 also adds the following enhancements to Windows
NT:
- The Add Printer Wizard contains new printer drivers for supporting
new printers such as those made by Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, Canon,
Kyocera, and Tecktronix (Article ID # Q238330).
- Updated driver for the 3Com EtherLink 905B network card (Article ID
# Q242278).
Conclusion
In this article, we looked at how you can obtain a copy
of Service Pack 6 for Windows NT 4.0. If you find that you're having any
of the problems with your Windows NT-based computers that we've mentioned
in this article, you should install SP6 on those computers.
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