Yesterday, I spent a few hours reinstalling Windows XP Home Edition [1] on my fathers computer. Thanks to MSDN, I was able to download a slipstreamed XP Home with SP2 in it (otherwise I would just slipstream it myself) and I also burned a CD with all essential tools and programs (AV, etc). But what I'm missing is a way to download and burn the security patches Microsoft published since SP2. Microsoft is relying on people like myself providing tech support for friends and family - and I don't understand why they can't make it easier for all of us to provide that support (which, by the way I regard as some sort of internet-community service - one virus and malware ridden computer less on the internet sending you spam and viruses).
What I'm looking for is a website where I can specify what type of system I want to install (in my case Windows XP Home Edition German SP2) and download all the patches available for that system. If a simple script would be provided to install these patches it would just be great.
What I had to do yesterday, was establish an Internet connection first [2] (with a not-fully patched system nota bene) and go to Windows update to download 38 security updates (!) on top of Windows XP SP2 - over a slow internet connection. I can't even imagine how Microsoft could make it harder for me.
Now with security patches coming monthly, I'd expect Microsoft to provide monthly roll-up hotfixes - especially since SP3 seems to be far far away.
Don't tell me that I could have downloaded the patches one by one beforehand - this is just not feasible.
Robert Scoble: Is there anything you can do about it?
[1] No, Linux is not an option, since my father is used to Windows, and I did not want to spend hours to search for all the drivers for the gazillion gadgets he has attached to that PC.
[2] The irony here is, that to install Bluewin ADSL support, it is required by Bluewin to disable the firewall software.
What I'm looking for is a website where I can specify what type of system I want to install (in my case Windows XP Home Edition German SP2) and download all the patches available for that system. If a simple script would be provided to install these patches it would just be great.
What I had to do yesterday, was establish an Internet connection first [2] (with a not-fully patched system nota bene) and go to Windows update to download 38 security updates (!) on top of Windows XP SP2 - over a slow internet connection. I can't even imagine how Microsoft could make it harder for me.
Now with security patches coming monthly, I'd expect Microsoft to provide monthly roll-up hotfixes - especially since SP3 seems to be far far away.
Don't tell me that I could have downloaded the patches one by one beforehand - this is just not feasible.
Robert Scoble: Is there anything you can do about it?
[1] No, Linux is not an option, since my father is used to Windows, and I did not want to spend hours to search for all the drivers for the gazillion gadgets he has attached to that PC.
[2] The irony here is, that to install Bluewin ADSL support, it is required by Bluewin to disable the firewall software.
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