Can I download XP Updates to CD?

Can I download to CD XP Updates?

I have a friend that is going to move up to Windows XP. She doesn't have a high speed connection to the internet and is concerned about being able to download all the Microsoft updates. I have a cable connection and wouldn't mind downloading the updates and putting them on a CD for her to use to update her computer.

I haven't the foggiest idea of how I would do that or even if it is possible. Looking for directions

BTW, it is so **** hot here I left a can of pepsi in the cooler and after the ICE melted the can exploded. I'd fry an egg on the sidewalk but I don't like eggs!

 

Thanks Pete, I appreciate the help.

 

Before you go!

I have used this means of downloading the hotfixes and updates before. Along with slipstreaming the service packs into the installation CD I wonder if there is a way to integrate these downloads from the corporate website into the installation disc, or what is the best means of installing these updates into the operating system, manually or automatically.

I do plan to test this, whatever solution you all may have, and will document any problems or solutions that occur along the way, so if anyone has any ideas, please post them and I'll test them within the next week or so, perhaps this weekend if I get enough information soon.

Thanks for all your help,

Stoogemaster

 

Hi: PeteC, I went to the site, been there before, posted comments on a previous post on this subject like this:

The site is too confusing for me, It was very difficult to determine which updates applied to what, even sorting by date, you can only see one update at a time so I'd rather do a repair install and then let Windows go on line and pick it's own updates.

The idea of downloading 85 potential upgrades, each one into it's own folder might take me 6 months or longer.

If there is an easier way, I'd like to know how.

 

Thats what I do. I download everything and then go to the regular update and note the numbers that I would apply and then load those updates.

Note, the only reason I do this is because I have high speed internet access and load the updates on computers with the slow 56K modem connection.

It would be nice if M$ wouild provide a download that we could put on a CD and it would work like the regular update site.

FWIW

 

Yeah Guys, at that download site I couldn't even find SP1.

I did find it on the corporate site and saved it to disc.

Now, with DSL, I find it much easier to do a Windows XP home upgrade to itself by starting the install program within Windows, choosing upgrade. The only thing this method does other than fixing the OS is wipe out all updates. All my other data and programs stay intact.

Then after the new install, install service pack 1 from the saved copy, go online to the update site, Windows then finds all available updates and I can be quickly finished installing all updates.

Of course, I don't do this just to get updates, only If I have a problem with Windows. To me, this is the best way to get the OS fixed, that is if you can still get it to boot.

 

How do you "start the install program within windows "?

Edit: 20:16, 8AUG26: Oh, I guess you mean run the Windows XP CDROM with Windows already running? Duh.

 

Even easier, go to the corporate site, get them all, burn to CD, and then you can install what you want.
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp?corporate=true

 

Thanks, PeteC and Reboot. I use the automatic update on Windows XP. Because I have a dialup connection, I ordered the CD for SP1. I always install the service pack when I reinstall the OS, and never have any problems. Since I finally managed to get a good, careful installation, doing a clean install of every application, I have had zero problems with Windows XP for so many months I have forgotten how many. It really is a more stable OS, once you get it right. The problem is when its not right, a reboot will not fix it like it does with Windows 98. When XP crashes, you usually have to reinstall it. I almost junked it; but it is worth the hassle to get it installed right.
I was just curious about how you can do a repair of Windows XP by running the install within Windows. Whenver I crash, I boot from the XP CDROM; and there are some options in that process which include a repair installation of Windows. As I recall, there is a tricky part. Even though you are doing a repair installation, if you select "REPAIR" you get the Repair Console, which mere mortal humans should never mess with, as far as I can tell. The repair installation option never works for me. I forget what the error message is, but I think it basically says my system is too messed up to do a repair install. I had never heard about doing a repair installation from within Windows. It seems like a good thing to know about, if I ever have a problem that still allows Windows to boot. (I have a book that lists the steps for doing a repair install from the CD. I know almost nothing about this stuff.)

 

Hi Duke:

I've done the re-install of Windows XP several times since November of '01 when I first installed it.

I hate to call it a repair install because of the fact that you can do a different kind repair install when booting from CD using DOS. It was very confusing to me in the beginning, as when booting from CD, to do the same install, you have to skip the first option to do a repair and also, skip the password entry by just pressing enter.

I have done the last couple of re-installs by starting the install program with XP running, just like you would do if upgrading from 98. Just put the cd in the cd drive and when it is running click "install "

Selecting "upgrade install" installs XP over itself and will get rid of any corrupt Windows files. It will leave your programs and data intact. It will also tell you if any installed program is incompatible.

You can also do a reformat and clean install using this method by selecting "clean install ". Of course, you loose all your programs and any data on "C "

Unfortunately, an "upgrade install" will wipe out all updates. They will be GONE!

Also, if you have a PPOe dsl connection, you may not be able to connect to the internet unless you have service pack 1 installed.

(I keep a copy of SP1 on the machine and install it after doing the upgrade) There is also a registry hack that will get PPOe DSL connection working if you don't have access to service pack 1. See MS Knowledge Base article Q329441. (I'd make this into a link if I knew how.)

After you connect, you can download and re-install all updates.


Martin

 

Instead of waiting until Windows becomes unbootable, just make manual restore points, TEST THEM to make sure they work, and then use system restore, instead of a repair install.
A boot to the startup menu allows for "last known good... ", and seems to work just fine for me, providing the last known good is one of my manual restore points.
Between System Restore, and Norton's Ghost, I haven't had to do a repair install on anything, except the one time I changed the mobo, and couldn't get enough of a boot with the Intel mobo drivers to install Via ones.

 

'Evening All:

Reboot, you are so right. Only do a repair install as a last resort. I did not mean to give the impression that was a routine thing to do. One of the reasons I liked Roxio's Go Back was it gave you the opportuninty to restore prior to the machine booting, something you can't do with Microsoft's System Restore. (did you hear that MS?) If your machine won't boot, unless I'm missing something, System Restore will not help you.

You already know how good I can mess up a machine. I'm always experimenting, installing and uninstalling, testing this and that. I build my own machines and you guys are my tech support.
My machines are neve good enough, so I am always trying to make them better and sometimes crash really bad. I guess If I was satisfied with any machine I'd get bored and go do something else.

I'm still working on that PCI IDE controller card install, its not right yet. See my next post on that one.

Martin