A computer spring clean in January...

[Robbie]

As the old year gives way to the new... it's that time of year that I like to do a new install of my Windows XP. In fact I like to do one every 3 months or so (it helps with all them freebie programs that only give you so long to use them, I won't mention MS Office ). But as the beginning of the New Year approaches I wonder if it's worth doing it this time... the last time I reinstalled, back in September I had to download 34 updates and now the total is at 65, and that doesn't include IE7 or WMP11.

 

I'd love to know how people can download all the updates to a disk and have them run easily. I tried doing it once before and I never could get it to work properly - only 7 actually worked and after all my hard work I still had to download the rest.

 

What we need is an SP3, but that's not likely to happen in the near future, so to all those people who regularly reset their computer back to factory perfect - how do you get your XP updates?

 

I always use DBAN to wipe the disk, then I use my (own) OEM compiled disk, which returns my computer to how it was last March. It does recreate the recovery partition etc but I love a clean install with a full disk wipe. Does anyone have any idea how I can then install a disk to update the computer without having to spend ages downloading update after update? Especially now that we have IE7, WMP11 and other new things.

 

I've tried using disk imaging software in the past (eg Acronis) and that never works...

 

All I ever have is all my programs (eg FF, Open Office) backed up to disk to save reinstalling the latest updates.

[Andavari]

As the old year gives way to the new... it's that time of year that I like to do a new install of my Windows XP. In fact I like to do one every 3 months or so (it helps with all them freebie programs that only give you so long to use them, I won't mention MS Office ).

Since you're doing this every 3 months you should look into getting two freebie programs that can stave off such reoccurring re-installs:

* ERUNT & NTREGOPT - can save your butt when System Restore fails, also is best used when you only want to restore the registry only and don't want System Restore reverting files or undoing recent automatic updates to other software like anti-virus, anti-spyware, etc.

* Total Uninstall 2.35 (Last Freeware Version) - can get rid of a great majority of applications that don't fully uninstall or have broken uninstallers. It unfortunately doesn't deal with services located in the ENUM area of the registry a registry cleaner or manual removal with RegEdit is needed for that.

[Andavari]

I'd love to know how people can download all the updates to a disk and have them run easily.

You need what's in this post, with a bundle of CD-R's.

[hazelnut]

Another way here, although it could be more suited to people who mend all their friend's systems by re-installing windows as it is for xp, 2000 and 2003.

 

http://www.heise-security.co.uk/articles/80682/0

[XPSP2]

As the old year gives way to the new... it's that time of year that I like to do a new install of my Windows XP. In fact I like to do one every 3 months or so (it helps with all them freebie programs that only give you so long to use them, I won't mention MS Office ). But as the beginning of the New Year approaches I wonder if it's worth doing it this time... the last time I reinstalled, back in September I had to download 34 updates and now the total is at 65, and that doesn't include IE7 or WMP11.

 

I'd love to know how people can download all the updates to a disk and have them run easily. I tried doing it once before and I never could get it to work properly - only 7 actually worked and after all my hard work I still had to download the rest.

 

What we need is an SP3, but that's not likely to happen in the near future, so to all those people who regularly reset their computer back to factory perfect - how do you get your XP updates?

 

I always use DBAN to wipe the disk, then I use my (own) OEM compiled disk, which returns my computer to how it was last March. It does recreate the recovery partition etc but I love a clean install with a full disk wipe. Does anyone have any idea how I can then install a disk to update the computer without having to spend ages downloading update after update? Especially now that we have IE7, WMP11 and other new things.

 

I've tried using disk imaging software in the past (eg Acronis) and that never works...

 

All I ever have is all my programs (eg FF, Open Office) backed up to disk to save reinstalling the latest updates.

 

Go to Windows update, do not update, use administrator options link. Follow from there. I did this for a friend of mine who only had a 28Kb connection and was still updating 7 months after purchasing new computer. I sent him the DVD and he has been smiling ever since.