Windows updates - It's all too much!

For most of today and this evening my new laptop has been doing not much else besides downloading and installing updates.

When I first connected it to the internet, it installed 49 windows updates. I then installed Office XP, which triggered another windows update frenzy.

Followed by .NET 2.0, another batch of updates. And then out of the blue, an Office XP sp3 update....

And now, here I sit at 4.20am watching it install another 15 'high priority' updates for Office XP.

And that's just the MS updates. Don't get me started on the laptop updates (it's a thinkpad, so pressing that blue button and letting it do its update thing, where the update software has to update itself, and then you get the updates to the bios, the fingerprint reader software, etc..etc...)

And I haven't even bothered looking at the 'optional updates' yet!

They could at least give us one final sp release of XP to leave it reasonably stable and secure before plunging us into Vista; where, no doubt, the update nightmare starts all over again (.NET 3.0 included!) /rant

 

i haven't found a need to instal any updates post sp2

 

And have you visited http://update.microsoft.com recently?

 

I guess you'll just have to live with getting a new laptop and all the annoying installs, drivers, etc. There's nothing really you can do about it, other than leave your computer more vulnerable .

 

I love getting updates. I feel like I'm doing something to further the performance and enjoyment of my computer. It's fun for me.

 

You sound like a fellow that needs to make a slipstreamed install disc. Go look at NliteOS or RyanVM, and have a blast next time you install. I can throw in a DVD, come back later, and Windows is installed, updated to the date of my disc, along with FireFox, AVGFree, and some other enhancements. Now, I'm going to try it on a flash drive to see just how fast I can get it to rock out.

 

Sounds interesting, I'll check them out. I used to use Drive Image to make copies of the HD for quick restores. But you still have to go through the updates etc. the first time you install, which is the pain.

Anyway, the updates have subsided today, the laptop has been quietly sitting here. I was so confident I even defragged the HD and did a full clean backup.

Now I can move my docs onto the machine and actually start doing some work.....

 

Microsoft was going to release SP3, but they delayed it to 2008 instead. Because of the Vista release.

 

Try this: Autopatcher. Makes updating a little easier.