Do Not Uninstall 56-Bit Hotfixes After Installing High Encryption Pack (128-Bit) (285782)

SUMMARY

You should not uninstall a 56-bit Windows 2000 hotfix after you install Windows 2000 High Encryption Pack to upgrade Windows 2000 to 128-bit encryption.

To determine the encryption level that you are currently using in Microsoft Internet Explorer, click About Internet Explorer on the Help menu. In the About Internet Explorer dialog box, the encryption level is listed next to Cipher Strength. If the cipher strength is reported as being 128-bit, you should not uninstall any 56-bit hotfixes. For additional information about the latest service pack for Windows 2000, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

MORE INFORMATION

If you uninstall a 56-bit hotfix after installing Windows 2000 High Encryption Pack, the wrong versions of some files might be placed in the uninstall folder. This could cause problems if you later uninstall a Windows 2000 service pack. To prevent this issue from occurring if you have already uninstalled a 56-bit hotfix after installing Windows 2000 High Encryption Pack, install the 128-bit version of the hotfix you uninstalled.

Windows 2000 High Encryption Pack adds high-encryption support for all Windows 2000 encryption-based services, including Kerberos, Encrypting File System, remote access, Remote Procedure Call (RPC), Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS), Cryptography Application Programming Interface (CryptoAPI), Terminal Services Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), and IP Security (IPSec). High-encryption support is intended to improve the security of stored data and online transactions, and any other content that you share over networks or the Internet.

Windows 2000 High Encryption Pack is available from the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/recommended/encryption/