How to Download Updates but NOT install them?

[Jam_On_Toast]

Hi,

 

Whenever I re-install the operating system I have to download over 2gb of windows updates (even with the most recent Service Pack) and as I use a Mobile Broadband device this is a bit expensive (1gb = £5).

 

Is there any way I can download the updates (or most of the updates) then save them to a disk to install them whenever I re-install a fresh OS?

 

My question is, how could I download them, then install them manually?

 

many thanks

 

James

[RandyL]

There is a stand alone installer for the service packs. As for the other updates you could turn off automatic updates. Then when they are available look to the right and you will see "more information". Following that link you can find the stand alone installers or navigate to them. From there you can save instead of run. It can turn into a very tedious project.

[Jam_On_Toast]

Hi

 

Thanks for the advice.

I found the "more information" link but most of the descriptions of the updates did not have a download option (or it wasn't on the page I was reading).

 

It does look like a tedious task.

There must be several hundred updates to do, perhaps a thousand, even with SP2 installed!

It's a shame that Microsoft will not just sell a disk with them all on for £10.

 

My alternative solution is to just buy a pot of tea in a cafe with free broadband and download several gb worth of updates in the space of an hour.

Are there any security precautions I should take before doing this?

ie: are there any vital updates I should download before using public wi-fi?

 

from

James

[RandyL]

My alternative solution is to just buy a pot of tea in a cafe with free broadband and download several gb worth of updates in the space of an hour.

 

Trust me. That would be far easier. I've done it before and it's extremely time consuming to do it manually for every single update ever made for an OS.

 

There are links to the downloads but often times you have to navigate to more pages. Also ocassionaly you have to search the Microsoft downloads.

 

And just to make it more complicated sometimes you have to search the Windows Update Catalog site. Yes there is one. It's not well known that it exists for Windows 7 and Vista but it does. Even there it gets more complicated. You have to know what updates to search for and you need to search by name, KB and dates.

 

Like I said it is not a task I recommend unless you have a lot of time and savy.

 

You can buy the SP disks but other updates come out continually.

 

As for security that is a whole different issue.

[Jam_On_Toast]

Okay, I'm going to start a new post regarding public wifi security precautions on a new PC

 

Thanks

[RandyL]

Please do. We have an expert security team.