using Windows Update vs. manually downloading/installing the updates

Automatic Windows Updates have caused dramatic problems on my system from day 1 (had to reinstall WinME x3 the first week I owned the computer, after running Windows Update for a critical update; also got some nasty error messages when I tried it for a different item on the updates list a few weeks ago, although at the last minute someone saved me from having to actually reinstall WinME that time!).
In browsing through some other Windows Update problems in this forum yesterday, I became aware of the fact that it is possible to download update files manually from the Microsoft Corporate site.
My question is, given my history of computer freezes and mortal error messages with Windows Update, how likely is it that I would have similar problems downloading the updates manually? Is it possible (even probable?) that my problem is related strictly to the Windows Update program, and that I might be able to get around this by getting the downloads manually?
Thanks!

 

Hi Rebecca,

Give it a shot, that's how I used to update ME and continue to do so with XP.

I do it because I can save the MS update Setup files the same way I save any software download; if I had to re-do them, I had them at hand instead of having to go on-line again for them.

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp?corporate=true

Regards - Charles

 

Thanks for the reply, Charles, but what I'm really wondering is if there's anyone out there who has actually had problems with automatic Windows Update, who subsequently succeeded at installing the downloads manually. I've had so much trouble with installing updates in the past (though I've only tried doing so via Windows Update) that I'm reluctant to experiment unless I have a real reason to believe manual downloads/installations might work out differently for me.
Can you or anyone else think of a reason why the Windows Update program would wreak such havoc but a manual installation might not?
Thanks!