Microsoft recently shipped two important service packs--one for Windows XP, and the other for Internet Explorer version 6. Service Pack 1 for Windows XP includes IE 6 SP-1, so if you're running XP, you'll have to install only the XP update to get both.

Windows XP SP-1 contains a critical patch for a previously unknown security flaw that may be one of the most dangerous holes I've ever written about. The flaw involves the way that XP's Help and Support Center works. Experts say that unlike run-of-the-mill security holes, this one is easy to exploit and can enable a miscreant to delete files from your hard drive remotely.

Microsoft has announced that it won't release a separate security patch for this serious hole.

A word of warning: When installing the XP service pack, don't be surprised if you run into some complications. So far, things have gone pretty smoothly for most users. But a number of e-mail messages I've gotten indicate that SP-1 is driving some of you batty.

Several readers reported that programs such as Microsoft Outlook stopped working properly. Others had trouble with their systems' overall stability. To deal with the issue, some users uninstalled SP-1; they said that the problems promptly went away. Though this tactic might work for a little while, it's not a good long-term plan. You will probably need to install SP-1 in order to get future updates.

At press time, Microsoft said it was looking into our readers' complaints. Meanwhile, the company has posted workarounds for acknowledged post-SP-1 problems; these include specific error messages and IntelliMouse glitches.

Just as the XP service pack rolled out, Microsoft released the first service pack for IE 6. This update contains all previous security fixes for IE 6, including the cumulative patch I wrote about last month. There are no new fixes in this service pack, but read "Java Jive" to learn about a patch that isn't covered in SP-1.

IE's SP-1 is available in different versions for Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98, and NT 4.

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