I asked myself the same question, EW, having a decent broadband connection
but a very shaky Vista that was randomly freezing - having no idea if the
issue was hardware, Vista Ultimate, or both.

I would recommend Windows Update based upon my experience - first I'll tell
the bad -

I thought it more safe to download 64-bit Vista & open to install from my
hard drive - but in my case - Wrong! Upon opening & beginning the
installation - a popup error said I had the wrong download - a 32-bit
version - so - giving the benefit of doubt to the error notice - being extra
careful - I clicked again to download from the Windows dload website and
started again. Wrong again! I got a different popup saying - I cannot
remember precisely - something is illegal. (I googled that & other users
were also getting that peculiar error)

Then - I activated Windows Update - & everything went so smoothly I could
not believe it. Surprise! Note: Be patient with the SP2 installation - it
shuts down 2-3 times for a 3 part installation.

Good luck - Blithe
PS - Vista has been functioning much more reliably under SP2 - but only time
will convince me when my random freezes will have stopped - for at least 10
days.


"ELW" <ewyatt__delme__@excite.com> wrote in message
news:gvuoup$jgv$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
> mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2. However,
> considering efficiency and reliability, would I be better off downloading
> the standalone installer (using another faster connection elsewhere) and
> bringing the download on a flash drive to my computer?
>
> Is this standalone installer much bigger, containing irrelevant stuff,
> than
> what Windows Update would eventually supply me with (since I'm current
> with
> all previous updates)?
>
> Thanks.
>
> EW
>
>
>

Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2. However,
considering efficiency and reliability, would I be better off downloading
the standalone installer (using another faster connection elsewhere) and
bringing the download on a flash drive to my computer?

Is this standalone installer much bigger, containing irrelevant stuff, than
what Windows Update would eventually supply me with (since I'm current with
all previous updates)?

Thanks.

EW

With Vista it is much better to install the SP's stand-alone to avoid the
much dreaded "Startup Repair" issue, where you may need to re-install the
OS.

Ref: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949358
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937287


--
Randem Systems
Your Installation Specialist
The Top Inno Setup Script Generator
http://www.randem.com/innoscript.html
Disk Read Error Press Ctl+Alt+Del to Restart
http://www.randem.com/discus/message...tml?1236319938



"ELW" <ewyatt__delme__@excite.com> wrote in message
news:gvuoup$jgv$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
> mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2. However,
> considering efficiency and reliability, would I be better off downloading
> the standalone installer (using another faster connection elsewhere) and
> bringing the download on a flash drive to my computer?
>
> Is this standalone installer much bigger, containing irrelevant stuff,
> than
> what Windows Update would eventually supply me with (since I'm current
> with
> all previous updates)?
>
> Thanks.
>
> EW
>
>
>

Hi,

The standalone is nearly 1.4GB and will contain far more than you actually
need. The vast majority should just use Windows Update to get the parts they
actually need.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"ELW" <ewyatt__delme__@excite.com> wrote in message
news:gvuoup$jgv$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
> mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2. However,
> considering efficiency and reliability, would I be better off downloading
> the standalone installer (using another faster connection elsewhere) and
> bringing the download on a flash drive to my computer?
>
> Is this standalone installer much bigger, containing irrelevant stuff,
> than
> what Windows Update would eventually supply me with (since I'm current
> with
> all previous updates)?
>
> Thanks.
>
> EW
>
>
>

Also remember that if you download the sp's and save them if you NEED to
re-install (and you will111) you won't have to re-download.

--
Randem Systems
Your Installation Specialist
The Top Inno Setup Script Generator
http://www.randem.com/innoscript.html
Disk Read Error Press Ctl+Alt+Del to Restart
http://www.randem.com/discus/message...tml?1236319938



"Randem" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> With Vista it is much better to install the SP's stand-alone to avoid the
> much dreaded "Startup Repair" issue, where you may need to re-install the
> OS.
>
> Ref: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949358
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937287
>
>
> --
> Randem Systems
> Your Installation Specialist
> The Top Inno Setup Script Generator
> http://www.randem.com/innoscript.html
> Disk Read Error Press Ctl+Alt+Del to Restart
> http://www.randem.com/discus/message...tml?1236319938
>
>
>
> "ELW" <ewyatt__delme__@excite.com> wrote in message
> news:gvuoup$jgv$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
>> mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2. However,
>> considering efficiency and reliability, would I be better off downloading
>> the standalone installer (using another faster connection elsewhere) and
>> bringing the download on a flash drive to my computer?
>>
>> Is this standalone installer much bigger, containing irrelevant stuff,
>> than
>> what Windows Update would eventually supply me with (since I'm current
>> with
>> all previous updates)?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> EW
>>
>>
>>
>
>

ELW wrote:
> Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
> mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2. However,
> considering efficiency and reliability, would I be better off downloading
> the standalone installer (using another faster connection elsewhere) and
> bringing the download on a flash drive to my computer?
>
> Is this standalone installer much bigger, containing irrelevant stuff, than
> what Windows Update would eventually supply me with (since I'm current with
> all previous updates)?
>

The SP is the SP, no matter how you get it. And a SP has nothing to do
with repeated updates. The SP addresses other things.

"ELW" <ewyatt__delme__@excite.com> wrote in message
news:gvuoup$jgv$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
> mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2.

Took 15 minutes to download on my 1 MB broadband.......

--
Asking a question?
Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
your OS, Service Pack level
and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

"Rick Rogers" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> The standalone is nearly 1.4GB and will contain far more than you actually
> need. The vast majority should just use Windows Update to get the parts
> they actually need.

Agree with that - took me 15 minutes only to download on 1 MB broadband -
the same as the OP....

--
Asking a question?
Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
your OS, Service Pack level
and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

On Sun, 31 May 2009 17:17:50 -0400, "Mr. Arnold" <"Mr
Arnold"@Arnold.com> wrote:

>The SP is the SP, no matter how you get it. And a SP has nothing to do
>with repeated updates. The SP addresses other things.

Get tired of being "Planters"??

won't fit on a flash
drive.

but you might take your
computer and connect it
to that faster connection,
temporarily and for the
purpose of the update.

the other option is to
use a freeware like
free download manager
and let it use smart technology
to download the update.

the benefit of a download
manager is that if the
computer gets disconnected
or turned off

the download manager can
pick up where the connection
was lost or stopped or you
manually paused.

a technique may be to dedicate
your computer for a couple of
hours each day, like at dinner
time and let it download sp2
in increments over the course
of several days - until the entire
download is completed.
--

db·´¯`·...¸><)))º>
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- Microsoft Partner
- @hotmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~"share the nirvana" - dbZen

>
>

"ELW" <ewyatt__delme__@excite.com> wrote in message news:gvuoup$jgv$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sorry if this is redundant. I have a fairly slow broadband connection (1
> mbps) but barely good enough for downloading Vista SP2. However,
> considering efficiency and reliability, would I be better off downloading
> the standalone installer (using another faster connection elsewhere) and
> bringing the download on a flash drive to my computer?
>
> Is this standalone installer much bigger, containing irrelevant stuff, than
> what Windows Update would eventually supply me with (since I'm current with
> all previous updates)?
>
> Thanks.
>
> EW
>
>
>