I believe you're referring to the "WGA" ("Windows Genuine Advantage") 
update, which (in its various versions...) is considerably newer than (and 
not part of) SP2.
  I know I'm not the only one to have blocked (and pretty much forgotten 
about) its "phone home" element, without any apparent ill effects.

David Gillett


On 25 Sep 2006 at 13:46, Richard F. Bolha wrote:

> Hi David:
> 
> What about the built-in phone home to Microsoft. What are they collecting?
> Could it be personal information? What if they keep the information and it
> is taken by others. How can you trust them? Did they tell you about the
> phone home? I beleive their are concerns!  
> It not just someone running pirated stuff! Information is worth protecting.
> JMO
> 
> Richard F. Bolha
> 
> 
> >
> >   I've been running XP Pro SP2 for quite a while now without any problem
> -- 
> > and I believe that I am more likely to depend on oddball programs that
> might 
> > have had issues with it than most "normal" users.  I know of no good
> reason 
> > to advise anyone to avoid it.
> >
> >
> > David Gillett
> 
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