Updating Windows after reinstalling Windows XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter depal1200
  • Start date Start date
D

depal1200

I have to install a new hard drive in my laptop and install Windows XP
SP2 immediately afterwards. That should be OK, but how do I download
two years of Windows updates without letting the nasties into the
machine before the updates are installed? Is it enough simply to
activate a firewall (probably Zone Alarm) before going online? Or is
there some setting which will allow data from Microsoft but no one
else?

All advice welcome.

D P
 
All you do is install SP2 and SP2 will automatically enable
Windows XP's built-in firewall. Then go directly to the
Windows Update web site and download the critical updates.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

depal1200" wrote:

| I have to install a new hard drive in my laptop and install Windows XP
| SP2 immediately afterwards. That should be OK, but how do I download
| two years of Windows updates without letting the nasties into the
| machine before the updates are installed? Is it enough simply to
| activate a firewall (probably Zone Alarm) before going online? Or is
| there some setting which will allow data from Microsoft but no one
| else?
|
| All advice welcome.
|
| D P
 
I have to install a new hard drive in my laptop and install Windows XP
SP2 immediately afterwards. That should be OK, but how do I download
two years of Windows updates without letting the nasties into the
machine before the updates are installed? Is it enough simply to
activate a firewall (probably Zone Alarm) before going online? Or is
there some setting which will allow data from Microsoft but no one
else?
Click to expand...

With XP SP2 installed you are protected from unwanted incoming traffic by
the built in Windows firewall. Once connected to the Internet, go directly
to Windows Update by clicking the Windows Update icon on the start menu.
Download and install all critical updates. Once that is finished you will
need to reboot. Visit Windows Update again and again download/install any
critical updates. Repeat until no critical updates available. You can then
download/install any high priority or other updates that you want. Once
that is complete, again visit windows update and download/install any
critical updates.

It's unfortunate that you have to repeat the process, but with so long since
the last full SP for XP, sometimes there are patches to patches.
 
I have to install a new hard drive in my laptop and install Windows XP
SP2 immediately afterwards. That should be OK, but how do I download
two years of Windows updates without letting the nasties into the
machine before the updates are installed? Is it enough simply to
activate a firewall (probably Zone Alarm) before going online? Or is
there some setting which will allow data from Microsoft but no one
else?

All advice welcome.
Click to expand...

Many thanks, Carey and Tom - more straightforward than I had feared.

D P
 
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