Updates

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bill
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Bill

I have had to recover my HP which means formatting my HD and starting from
square 1. What is the best way to catch up on all the updates for XP Home?

Thank you
Bill
 
Windows XP service pack 3 will be available on Tuesday, April 29--if you
know anyone in the tech field, they may have access to the update now, and
they can put SP3 on a cd for you (was made available to Tech field
yesterday)

If you can wait that long, install and connect to Windows Update and install
SP3, this way you can avoid updating updates. (If you install SP2, you will
find yourself running updates, then running updates to updates, then updates
to updates to updates--or so it seems ;) ).

Following that, you will still need to update
a) drivers
b) recommended updates if desired

If you cannot wait that long, the fastest method I have tried is to use the
Offline-update tool from Heiss Security
http://www.heise.de/ct/projekte/offlineupdate/download_uk.shtml

You download the tool, load it, and have it create an update CD for you,
burn the iso image to a cd/dvd and then insert in new machine. Then run the
tool with the autorestart setting.

Windows will start the install, create a separate user account for update,
install updates, reboot several times, then delete the update user account
and put you back at your desktop
 
Bill said:
I have had to recover my HP which means formatting my HD and starting from
square 1. What is the best way to catch up on all the updates for XP Home?

Thank you
Bill
Simple: Connect to the internet, click on the windows update item on
the start menu and let windows do its thing.

If you are technically inclined, and have another PC, you might want to
look into slipstreaming your install CD with SP2, or in a week or so, e
ven better SP3. Sites like this:
http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/winxp-sp2-bootcd.html will give
you help. The only reason to do this is that it saves some space on
your HD and an the download time. But the slipstream process takes time
too. Downloading 120 patches to SP1, consumes a few gig of HD space.
But note, its only a few gigs. In todays hard drives that's not much.
But if you reload often, it might be a thought.
 
Overwrite is not quite the correct word--think inclusive. SP3 includes
updates from previous service packs. In many cases, the same file has been
updated several times over the years. So, sp3 contains the most recent
updated file
 
gerryf said:
Overwrite is not quite the correct word--think inclusive. SP3 includes
updates from previous service packs. In many cases, the same file has
been updated several times over the years. So, sp3 contains the most
recent updated file

And if my memory serves me right, just for Bill's FYI, the updates are a
bit intelligent and know if you have a newer or older file and only
update as needed.
 
Bill

Technically GerryF's suggestion is correct. However, I would not install
a major update until I have seen whether others have encountered
problems. I would wait at least a month. Just read about the problems
encountered with the Vista SP1 update. You need to allow time for others
to find solutions and make them available in these newsgroups and
elsewhere for the more common problems , which inevitably arise. Let
others be the guinea pigs.

If your Windows XP CD is pre SP2 borrow an SP2 CD from a friend.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
I like to live on the edge :D

Gerry said:
Bill

Technically GerryF's suggestion is correct. However, I would not install a
major update until I have seen whether others have encountered problems. I
would wait at least a month. Just read about the problems encountered with
the Vista SP1 update. You need to allow time for others to find solutions
and make them available in these newsgroups and elsewhere for the more
common problems , which inevitably arise. Let others be the guinea pigs.

If your Windows XP CD is pre SP2 borrow an SP2 CD from a friend.


--



Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
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