Can someone give me an idea of what the minimum hardware requirements
are for a PC that will be used mostly for internet, as well as playing
DVDs? (I have a 900Mhz, 512mb XP system).

I ask because the system I've been using gets progressively more
sluggish after a reformat and re-install. There seems to be a lot of
background operations going on that I cannot find.

I alternate between installing Avast! and AVG after routine XP re-
installs and I usually disable as much I can in "Start Up" for all the
good it does because after a while the boxes tend to get checked again
anyway.

The sluggishness now occurs immediately after a new XP install, so it
is not malware. It seems that that problem may be that the increasing
complexity of software that I've been using for years may be the
culprit. (Not that I install much software).

I do have issues with jerky video at Youtube, and even worse issues
with loading pages at Photobucket, but that may be my connection.
(Even though I'm told by Verizon that there isn't a problem). But the
biggest problem involves random freezing of my cursor, freezing with
switching between tabs, freezing when typing, etc. Every operation I
perform with the mouse or keyboard can randomly get hung up,
necessitating a waiting period. At worse I have to reboot. Sometimes
going as far as having to pull the plug out the back of the PC case
because the pc case on/off button will not work. ("Ctrl+Alt+Del"
doesn't work at all on my system).

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.

In
news:809adf11-6f19-4c1b-857a-(E-Mail Removed),
Searcher7 wrote:
> Can someone give me an idea of what the minimum hardware requirements
> are for a PC that will be used mostly for internet, as well as playing
> DVDs? (I have a 900Mhz, 512mb XP system).
>
> I ask because the system I've been using gets progressively more
> sluggish after a reformat and re-install. There seems to be a lot of
> background operations going on that I cannot find.
>
> I alternate between installing Avast! and AVG after routine XP re-
> installs and I usually disable as much I can in "Start Up" for all the
> good it does because after a while the boxes tend to get checked again
> anyway.
>
> The sluggishness now occurs immediately after a new XP install, so it
> is not malware. It seems that that problem may be that the increasing
> complexity of software that I've been using for years may be the
> culprit. (Not that I install much software).
>
> I do have issues with jerky video at Youtube, and even worse issues
> with loading pages at Photobucket, but that may be my connection.
> (Even though I'm told by Verizon that there isn't a problem). But the
> biggest problem involves random freezing of my cursor, freezing with
> switching between tabs, freezing when typing, etc. Every operation I
> perform with the mouse or keyboard can randomly get hung up,
> necessitating a waiting period. At worse I have to reboot. Sometimes
> going as far as having to pull the plug out the back of the PC case
> because the pc case on/off button will not work. ("Ctrl+Alt+Del"
> doesn't work at all on my system).
>
> Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi Darren! Well I could configure such a machine as yours to do a fine
job for those tasks. Although performance really jumps up with 1GB of
memory. And depending on what kind of memory and the max that machine
can use, it might not be too costly at all.

The second thing I would check is CPU use. The Task Manager comes with
all XP machines, so watch what percentage of use it runs at. Sure it
will be jumping around depending on what you are doing. But I mean say
on average. If it is spending most of the time at 100% or something very
high, that is a problem. And if it is, we can tackle that one if it is.

Another thing that can slow a computer like that one down a lot is high
disk activity. Yes 512MB of RAM will cause lots more disk swapping than
1GB will. But other things like AVG might be scanning the drives at boot
or something. You can stop AVG from doing this if this is the case. And
I used to use AVG in the past, but later versions slowed down my
computers and I found Avast (the free one) to be very quick, so I
switched.

You also mentioned sluggish video with youtube. That uses Flash and the
newer versions of Flash requires a much more powerful machines. I would
use an older version of Flash. I usually use v9, but v8 might be ok for
most modern day websites. Older versions can be found at:

Old Version of Adobe Flash Player
http://www.oldapps.com/flash_player.php

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3

In news:(E-Mail Removed),
David H. Lipman wrote:
> From: "BillW50" <(E-Mail Removed)>
>
>> In
>> news:809adf11-6f19-4c1b-857a-(E-Mail Removed),
>> Searcher7 wrote:
>>> Can someone give me an idea of what the minimum hardware
>>> requirements are for a PC that will be used mostly for internet, as
>>> well as playing DVDs? (I have a 900Mhz, 512mb XP system).
>>>
>>> I ask because the system I've been using gets progressively more
>>> sluggish after a reformat and re-install. There seems to be a lot of
>>> background operations going on that I cannot find.
>>>
>>> I alternate between installing Avast! and AVG after routine XP re-
>>> installs and I usually disable as much I can in "Start Up" for all
>>> the good it does because after a while the boxes tend to get
>>> checked again anyway.
>>>
>>> The sluggishness now occurs immediately after a new XP install, so
>>> it is not malware. It seems that that problem may be that the
>>> increasing complexity of software that I've been using for years
>>> may be the culprit. (Not that I install much software).
>>>
>>> I do have issues with jerky video at Youtube, and even worse issues
>>> with loading pages at Photobucket, but that may be my connection.
>>> (Even though I'm told by Verizon that there isn't a problem). But
>>> the biggest problem involves random freezing of my cursor, freezing
>>> with switching between tabs, freezing when typing, etc. Every
>>> operation I perform with the mouse or keyboard can randomly get
>>> hung up, necessitating a waiting period. At worse I have to reboot.
>>> Sometimes going as far as having to pull the plug out the back of
>>> the PC case because the pc case on/off button will not work.
>>> ("Ctrl+Alt+Del" doesn't work at all on my system).
>>>
>>> Any advice would be appreciated.
>>
>> Hi Darren! Well I could configure such a machine as yours to do a
>> fine job for those tasks. Although performance really jumps up with
>> 1GB of memory. And depending on what kind of memory and the max that
>> machine can use, it might not be too costly at all.
>>
>> The second thing I would check is CPU use. The Task Manager comes
>> with all XP machines, so watch what percentage of use it runs at.
>> Sure it will be jumping around depending on what you are doing. But
>> I mean say on average. If it is spending most of the time at 100% or
>> something very high, that is a problem. And if it is, we can tackle
>> that one if it is. Another thing that can slow a computer like that
>> one down a lot is
>> high disk activity. Yes 512MB of RAM will cause lots more disk
>> swapping than 1GB will. But other things like AVG might be scanning
>> the drives at boot or something. You can stop AVG from doing this if
>> this is the case. And I used to use AVG in the past, but later
>> versions slowed down my computers and I found Avast (the free one)
>> to be very quick, so I switched. You also mentioned sluggish video
>> with youtube. That uses Flash and
>> the newer versions of Flash requires a much more powerful machines.
>> I would use an older version of Flash. I usually use v9, but v8
>> might be ok for most modern day websites. Older versions can be
>> found at: Old Version of Adobe Flash Player
>> http://www.oldapps.com/flash_player.php
>
> You don't need Flash to play YouTube videos. I play them in VLC
> Player.

VLC plays in your browser? How? Sure VLC could play them if you download
them.

> Do NOT use old versions of Flash. Doing so will have a high
> probability of the computer being compromised. Either use the latest
> version or none at all.

Yes I have heard that before. Older versions of Flash have many security
holes in them. Either I am very lucky or I don't visit pirate or porn
websites or something. Also real time AV scanners are supposed to be
scanning every port on your computer anyway. And if something does try
to sneak in through a security hole, it is supposed to block it anyway.

And I have been running Windows since '93 and I haven't been infected
yet. Although I have worked on a lot of computers that were and I
cleaned them all up. ;-)

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3

On 4/26/2012 2:33 PM, BillW50 wrote:
> In news:(E-Mail Removed),
> David H. Lipman wrote:
>> From: "BillW50"<(E-Mail Removed)>
>>
>>> In
>>> news:809adf11-6f19-4c1b-857a-(E-Mail Removed),
>>> Searcher7 wrote:
>>>> Can someone give me an idea of what the minimum hardware
>>>> requirements are for a PC that will be used mostly for internet, as
>>>> well as playing DVDs? (I have a 900Mhz, 512mb XP system).
>>>>
>>>> I ask because the system I've been using gets progressively more
>>>> sluggish after a reformat and re-install. There seems to be a lot of
>>>> background operations going on that I cannot find.
>>>>
>>>> I alternate between installing Avast! and AVG after routine XP re-
>>>> installs and I usually disable as much I can in "Start Up" for all
>>>> the good it does because after a while the boxes tend to get
>>>> checked again anyway.
>>>>
>>>> The sluggishness now occurs immediately after a new XP install, so
>>>> it is not malware. It seems that that problem may be that the
>>>> increasing complexity of software that I've been using for years
>>>> may be the culprit. (Not that I install much software).
>>>>
>>>> I do have issues with jerky video at Youtube, and even worse issues
>>>> with loading pages at Photobucket, but that may be my connection.
>>>> (Even though I'm told by Verizon that there isn't a problem). But
>>>> the biggest problem involves random freezing of my cursor, freezing
>>>> with switching between tabs, freezing when typing, etc. Every
>>>> operation I perform with the mouse or keyboard can randomly get
>>>> hung up, necessitating a waiting period. At worse I have to reboot.
>>>> Sometimes going as far as having to pull the plug out the back of
>>>> the PC case because the pc case on/off button will not work.
>>>> ("Ctrl+Alt+Del" doesn't work at all on my system).
>>>>
>>>> Any advice would be appreciated.
>>>
>>> Hi Darren! Well I could configure such a machine as yours to do a
>>> fine job for those tasks. Although performance really jumps up with
>>> 1GB of memory. And depending on what kind of memory and the max that
>>> machine can use, it might not be too costly at all.
>>>
>>> The second thing I would check is CPU use. The Task Manager comes
>>> with all XP machines, so watch what percentage of use it runs at.
>>> Sure it will be jumping around depending on what you are doing. But
>>> I mean say on average. If it is spending most of the time at 100% or
>>> something very high, that is a problem. And if it is, we can tackle
>>> that one if it is. Another thing that can slow a computer like that
>>> one down a lot is
>>> high disk activity. Yes 512MB of RAM will cause lots more disk
>>> swapping than 1GB will. But other things like AVG might be scanning
>>> the drives at boot or something. You can stop AVG from doing this if
>>> this is the case. And I used to use AVG in the past, but later
>>> versions slowed down my computers and I found Avast (the free one)
>>> to be very quick, so I switched. You also mentioned sluggish video
>>> with youtube. That uses Flash and
>>> the newer versions of Flash requires a much more powerful machines.
>>> I would use an older version of Flash. I usually use v9, but v8
>>> might be ok for most modern day websites. Older versions can be
>>> found at: Old Version of Adobe Flash Player
>>> http://www.oldapps.com/flash_player.php
>>
>> You don't need Flash to play YouTube videos. I play them in VLC
>> Player.
>
> VLC plays in your browser? How? Sure VLC could play them if you download
> them.
>
>> Do NOT use old versions of Flash. Doing so will have a high
>> probability of the computer being compromised. Either use the latest
>> version or none at all.
>
> Yes I have heard that before. Older versions of Flash have many security
> holes in them. Either I am very lucky or I don't visit pirate or porn
> websites or something. Also real time AV scanners are supposed to be
> scanning every port on your computer anyway. And if something does try
> to sneak in through a security hole, it is supposed to block it anyway.
>
> And I have been running Windows since '93 and I haven't been infected
> yet. Although I have worked on a lot of computers that were and I
> cleaned them all up. ;-)
>

512MB with XP SP3 is pretty skimpy. XP's demands for RAM did grow from
the original to SP3. If you don't want to spend on a new PC, then I
suggest more RAM -- lots more RAM -- to compensate for your rather slow
CPU. Since RAM is cheap, I'd pour in as much as your MoBo can handle:
4GB if possible, but at least 2GB.

Also, make sure you have a bunch of unused HD space, to avoid slowdowns
due to fragmentation. If your HD is more than 50% full, it may be
advisable to throw in the towel and get a modern PC. (I don't usually
push PC replacement -- I still use a 500 MHz Win98 PC for some stuff --
but a slow PC with a small RAM may be due to go.)

One more trade-off to consider: turn off the realtime feature of your
AV app, to improve file access time. On my primary PC, I have AVG and
AdAware and SpyBot set to run every night (and I run MalWareBytes and
SuperAntiSpyware a couple of times a week); enough protection so that I
don't feel the need to run any realtime AV.
--
Cheers, Bob

In news:jnc5l1$o1b$(E-Mail Removed),
Bob Willard wrote:
> On 4/26/2012 2:33 PM, BillW50 wrote:
>> In news:(E-Mail Removed),
>> David H. Lipman wrote:
>>> From: "BillW50"<(E-Mail Removed)>
>>>
>>>> In
>>>> news:809adf11-6f19-4c1b-857a-(E-Mail Removed),
>>>> Searcher7 wrote:
>>>>> Can someone give me an idea of what the minimum hardware
>>>>> requirements are for a PC that will be used mostly for internet,
>>>>> as well as playing DVDs? (I have a 900Mhz, 512mb XP system).
>>>>>
>>>>> I ask because the system I've been using gets progressively more
>>>>> sluggish after a reformat and re-install. There seems to be a lot
>>>>> of background operations going on that I cannot find.
>>>>>
>>>>> I alternate between installing Avast! and AVG after routine XP re-
>>>>> installs and I usually disable as much I can in "Start Up" for all
>>>>> the good it does because after a while the boxes tend to get
>>>>> checked again anyway.
>>>>>
>>>>> The sluggishness now occurs immediately after a new XP install, so
>>>>> it is not malware. It seems that that problem may be that the
>>>>> increasing complexity of software that I've been using for years
>>>>> may be the culprit. (Not that I install much software).
>>>>>
>>>>> I do have issues with jerky video at Youtube, and even worse
>>>>> issues with loading pages at Photobucket, but that may be my
>>>>> connection. (Even though I'm told by Verizon that there isn't a
>>>>> problem). But the biggest problem involves random freezing of my
>>>>> cursor, freezing with switching between tabs, freezing when
>>>>> typing, etc. Every operation I perform with the mouse or keyboard
>>>>> can randomly get hung up, necessitating a waiting period. At
>>>>> worse I have to reboot. Sometimes going as far as having to pull
>>>>> the plug out the back of the PC case because the pc case on/off
>>>>> button will not work. ("Ctrl+Alt+Del" doesn't work at all on my
>>>>> system). Any advice would be appreciated.
>>>>
>>>> Hi Darren! Well I could configure such a machine as yours to do a
>>>> fine job for those tasks. Although performance really jumps up with
>>>> 1GB of memory. And depending on what kind of memory and the max
>>>> that machine can use, it might not be too costly at all.
>>>>
>>>> The second thing I would check is CPU use. The Task Manager comes
>>>> with all XP machines, so watch what percentage of use it runs at.
>>>> Sure it will be jumping around depending on what you are doing. But
>>>> I mean say on average. If it is spending most of the time at 100%
>>>> or something very high, that is a problem. And if it is, we can
>>>> tackle that one if it is. Another thing that can slow a computer
>>>> like that one down a lot is
>>>> high disk activity. Yes 512MB of RAM will cause lots more disk
>>>> swapping than 1GB will. But other things like AVG might be scanning
>>>> the drives at boot or something. You can stop AVG from doing this
>>>> if this is the case. And I used to use AVG in the past, but later
>>>> versions slowed down my computers and I found Avast (the free one)
>>>> to be very quick, so I switched. You also mentioned sluggish video
>>>> with youtube. That uses Flash and
>>>> the newer versions of Flash requires a much more powerful machines.
>>>> I would use an older version of Flash. I usually use v9, but v8
>>>> might be ok for most modern day websites. Older versions can be
>>>> found at: Old Version of Adobe Flash Player
>>>> http://www.oldapps.com/flash_player.php
>>>
>>> You don't need Flash to play YouTube videos. I play them in VLC
>>> Player.
>>
>> VLC plays in your browser? How? Sure VLC could play them if you
>> download them.
>>
>>> Do NOT use old versions of Flash. Doing so will have a high
>>> probability of the computer being compromised. Either use the
>>> latest version or none at all.
>>
>> Yes I have heard that before. Older versions of Flash have many
>> security holes in them. Either I am very lucky or I don't visit
>> pirate or porn websites or something. Also real time AV scanners are
>> supposed to be scanning every port on your computer anyway. And if
>> something does try to sneak in through a security hole, it is
>> supposed to block it anyway. And I have been running Windows since
>> '93 and I haven't been infected
>> yet. Although I have worked on a lot of computers that were and I
>> cleaned them all up. ;-)
>
> 512MB with XP SP3 is pretty skimpy. XP's demands for RAM did grow
> from the original to SP3. If you don't want to spend on a new PC,
> then I suggest more RAM -- lots more RAM -- to compensate for your
> rather slow CPU. Since RAM is cheap, I'd pour in as much as your
> MoBo can handle: 4GB if possible, but at least 2GB.
>
> Also, make sure you have a bunch of unused HD space, to avoid
> slowdowns due to fragmentation. If your HD is more than 50% full, it
> may be advisable to throw in the towel and get a modern PC. (I don't
> usually push PC replacement -- I still use a 500 MHz Win98 PC for
> some stuff -- but a slow PC with a small RAM may be due to go.)
>
> One more trade-off to consider: turn off the realtime feature of your
> AV app, to improve file access time. On my primary PC, I have AVG and
> AdAware and SpyBot set to run every night (and I run MalWareBytes and
> SuperAntiSpyware a couple of times a week); enough protection so that
> I don't feel the need to run any realtime AV.

Since I have found security updates to cause stability problems and
incompatibilities, I *really* rely mostly on real time AV scanning. So I
would be a bit concern about turning it off. But I admit that about once
or twice a year that Avast flags and blocks a malicious website trying
to pass something through a security hole. So maybe I am more worried
than I should be.

Avast is also really light on using up your computer's resources. For
example AnVir tells me the worst Avast used was using 30% of the CPU in
the past hour and that was only for a second. The rest of the time it
was under 1%. I quit using AVG because later versions got very hoggish
over the resources and tied up the computer.

--
Bill
Gateway M465e ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
Centrino Core Duo T2400 1.83GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3

"Searcher7" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:809adf11-6f19-4c1b-857a-(E-Mail Removed)...

> Can someone give me an idea of what the minimum hardware requirements
> are for a PC that will be used mostly for internet, as well as playing
> DVDs? (I have a 900Mhz, 512mb XP system).

Your cheapest option is a refurbished office machine 3 to 5
years old, e.g. IBM model M52, nowawadays widely available
for about $100, with 2.6 MHz CPU and at least 1 Gb RAM,
preferably more. These were built for only a single hard drive,
but two 2 DVD drive bays, one usually empty, so you can add
your old hard drive there: and later swap it for a Terabyte size
drive if you like.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Per Bob Willard:
> If your HD is more than 50% full, it may be
>advisable to throw in the towel and get a modern PC.

One cause of a full C: drive that I have seen is Windows Updates.

Every update takes a little disc space for it's backup files and
after a few years, it can add up to enough to cause a problem
that was fixed by deleting all the backup folders like
C:\Windows\$NtUninstallKB971029$,
--
Pete Cresswell

Searcher7 wrote:

> Can someone give me an idea of what the minimum hardware requirements
> are for a PC that will be used mostly for internet, as well as playing
> DVDs? (I have a 900Mhz, 512mb XP system).
>
> I ask because the system I've been using gets progressively more
> sluggish after a reformat and re-install. There seems to be a lot of
> background operations going on that I cannot find.
>
> I alternate between installing Avast! and AVG after routine XP re-
> installs and I usually disable as much I can in "Start Up" for all the
> good it does because after a while the boxes tend to get checked again
> anyway.
>
> The sluggishness now occurs immediately after a new XP install, so it
> is not malware. It seems that that problem may be that the increasing
> complexity of software that I've been using for years may be the
> culprit. (Not that I install much software).
>
> I do have issues with jerky video at Youtube, and even worse issues
> with loading pages at Photobucket, but that may be my connection.
> (Even though I'm told by Verizon that there isn't a problem). But the
> biggest problem involves random freezing of my cursor, freezing with
> switching between tabs, freezing when typing, etc. Every operation I
> perform with the mouse or keyboard can randomly get hung up,
> necessitating a waiting period. At worse I have to reboot. Sometimes
> going as far as having to pull the plug out the back of the PC case
> because the pc case on/off button will not work. ("Ctrl+Alt+Del"
> doesn't work at all on my system).
>
> Any advice would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Darren Harris
> Staten Island, New York.

The others have given good advice, but I agree with the suggestion
about Task Manager. Underneath processes tab you can see the processes
taht are running and both CPU usage and memory usage that can give you
clues. The performance tab gives more info.

Which version of XP are you using and have you installed SP3? Are you
re-installing from the XP install CD? During the install process, you
can use the advanced choices and be more selective about what software
options you install.

Is your graphics card an integrated circuit built onto the mobo or is
it a stand-alone card? If it's built in, it's more than likely using
part of your system's 512Mb memory and slowing things down somewhat.

As someone mentioned, pagefile size could also be slowing down your pc.
IIRC, you can check out how much it's allocating on your HD looking
under system, IIRC, for system environmentals and manually change it if
it seems excessive. I think the rule of thumb was a multiple of your
memory size. You'll need to check that out.

The 512Mb RAM is(was) Microsoft's recommended minimum, so more RAM can
help. Your mobo determines how much more RAM you could add if you go
that route. In any case, the max that XP (32 bit, IDK about 64 bit)
can take advantage of is 4Gb. Repeating my caveat, your mobo may not
be able to take that.

Others have mentioned AVG and Avast. I used AVG for a long time but
got fed up with it because it hogged my pc's resources. I have no
experience with Avast. I use Microsoft's Security Essentials and am
satisfied. It too is free and MS updates the definitions fairly
regularly.

WRT internet connection speed, you could try DSLReports. At one time
they could test your speed connection. Or pinging your localhost and
your ISP to look at response times might give you some idea.

For troubleshooting, if you're going to try another re-install (I
assume you do a clean re-install, btw), I would suggest not doing it
while connected to the net. Why give someone a free shot? It also
means that you want to install your AV s/w before connecting your pc to
the net.

You might also find, d/l and run a piece of software that inventories
the hardware and software on your pc. I use the freeware version of
System Information for Windows (SIW), but I'm sure there are several
other programs out there that do the same thing. That could give you a
start at answering hardware questions that were asked such as about
your CPU and mobo. Not to mention it's handy info to have for times
such as now

I noticed one other thing. You think the problem might be the
complexity of the s/w you install, but you don't say what you're
installing. It might be advisable to install your other software in
stages if you have the luxury. Your info doesn't indicate if your pc
bogs down before or after adding the other s/w. So it is not
immediately apparent (at least to me) if the problem arises after
installing WinXP and before installing the other software you're using.

And check what percentage of your hd is being used for software. My
experience is that the more that your hd is filled up, the slower
things go period. If you do a right click on the folder for your
drive, a window pops up that gives you info about how much space your
drive has and how much is being used.

John

In article <809adf11-6f19-4c1b-857a-(E-Mail Removed)>, Searcher7 <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Can someone give me an idea of what the minimum hardware requirements
>are for a PC that will be used mostly for internet, as well as playing
>DVDs? (I have a 900Mhz, 512mb XP system).

Internet today is stuffed to the max with all kind of crap, requiring
pretty fast computer to run smoothly. Don't settle for minimum
hardware requrements because software developers will surely
find a way to make even more complex software that will require
better hardware. It's an arms race. For an end user, the speed
of everyday computing remained more or less constant over
the past decade (or even two).

Five years ago your machine ran Youtube videos just fine.
Today's Youtube is "improved" and so your computer no longer
keeps up with it. In 95% of the cases, end users ask for none of
these improvements. But it's the stuff that makes people buy
new computer hardware and ensures profits for hardware amd
software industries.

DK

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, "(PeteCresswell)" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Per Bob Willard:
>> If your HD is more than 50% full, it may be
>>advisable to throw in the towel and get a modern PC.
>
>One cause of a full C: drive that I have seen is Windows Updates.
>
>Every update takes a little disc space for it's backup files and
>after a few years, it can add up to enough to cause a problem
>that was fixed by deleting all the backup folders like
>C:\Windows\$NtUninstallKB971029$,

And don't forget to delete all of the downloaded fixes that
Windows keeps in
C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download

*Everything* in this directory can be safely deleted after
successful update and reboot.

DK