Culling updates

[Lee]

I am not technical like the rest of you, and I
am hoping that this is an easy one for you all:
I bought my computer some time ago but only just
set it up. I checked the Microsoft site for XP
updates and apparently there are 47 Critical Updates
and 24 XP updates that I am missing. I am thinking that
some of the earlier ones are unnecessary and in any case,
downloading all of them would take up a vast
amount of space on my cpu. Any idea on how I can
figure out which I need and which I don't? Also,
should they be downloaded earliest first or does
it no matter?
Thank you.

 

[FAB]

As a Systems Administrator, I would personally recommend
doing all the critical updates (just keep going to the
site and checking until you don't have any left). As far
as the others, maybe install DirectX9. Other than that
don't be worried about space, you probably have more than
enough.

FAB

 

[Roger Abell]

You should start with the Criticals, select all, and it
will figure the order of application for you. It may
take multiple visits / reboots.
There is a CD that will get a number of them but you
would need to wait (weeks) for it to arrive, or
download and burn it (which would possibly be
longer that just letting Windows Update do its thing).