Mandatory Security Updates

[j7n 0]

I am trying to rejoin a few DC after about a year of absence and I find ApexDC++ refusing to load anymore with an error about a Mandatory Update. I tried a few later versions, but they all want to update further.

My computer is running Windows XP SP1, and the most recent client does not work.

V1.3.4 seems to work just fine if I block your server.

Which is the latest version of ApexDC++ that is not broken and wouldn't require a _mandatory_ udapte?

[Lee 84]

Why doesn't the latest version work for you?

[j7n 0]

It requires a later service pack for the OS, and says:

The procedure entry point DecodePointer could not be located in the dynamic link library KERNEL32.dll.

This computer is running with uptime of months and (effectively) installing a new OS is not reasonable. I just want the error box to go away.

[Lee 84]

Considering even Microsoft don't support XP SP1, I think you should upgrade to SP3 when you next restart your computer. You're leaving yourself vulnerable on SP1.

[j7n 0]

I solved the problem by replacing http://update.apexdc.net/version.php with an invalid address.

A new OS brings all sorts of issues with it that take time and research to solve or work around, such as the Event ID 4226 or unstable network drivers.

[Crise 26]

A new OS brings all sorts of issues with it that take time and research to solve or work around, such as the Event ID 4226 or unstable network drivers.

Event ID 4226 only applies to SP2 as far as I am aware, not SP3.

In any case it is not practical for me to keep anything below XP SP3 supported, because the best I can get in terns of XP these days is the XP mode that ships with windows 7.

Besides Microsoft will drop all support for XP in 2014, and it is already on extended support anyways. It would be increasingly troublesome to keep supporting operating systems that have been abandoned in terms of security patches and hotfixes. Because each additional operating system supported adds its own limitations to what can and can't be done with the software, within reasonable effort.

Newer is indeed not always better, however, old will always be old and will only get older... that is a fact.