Windows XP Patches - "offline-update"

Installing a fresh copy of Windows XP can be a long drawn out process. Depending on the date of your original copy, you will ulitmately need to go to the Microsoft update site and then download, reboot, download reboot, etc, etc, etc...

Heise Security offers an alternative to this utilizing scripts available from Microsoft.

Version 3 of their recent script collection called "Offline Update" requires only a few steps to obtain a current service pack at any time, combining all released Windows updates at the time of download. The download script acquires the complete update library for selected operating systems from Microsoft's servers and uses them to created ISO images for CDs or DVDs as desired. These in turn can be used to update as many PCs as you wish.

According the the developers, "Offline update is not intended to replace the mechanism specified by Microsoft for bringing Windows up to date via Internet. It is intended to provide removable storage media with security updates for PCs, after which they can be brought safely onto the internet. A self-assembled service pack can be quite practical when making "house calls" for acquaintances or clients who lack a broadband internet connection or who have previously been skittish about patching."

This makes me feel a lot better about tackling the Windows XP re-install for my parents.

Visit their website at: http://www.heise-security.co.uk/articles/80682

Happy Updating!