> hmm wrote:

>> Besides SP-2, I have downloaded a lot of Windows XP updates -- some
>> from Automatic Updates, others as needed to fix a specific problem.
>>
>> 1. If I ever have to reinstall Windows from the CD, how will I
>> include all these updates? Should I back up existing updates, if
>> so how?

>
> You can save those you downloaded as stand-alone installers, yes. You may
> even be able to integrate/splipstream them into your installation media.
>

>> 2. What is a good strategy for saving & backing up new updates so
>> that they will be available in case I have to reinstall XP?

>
> Download them each month - the standalone updates - and store them in a safe
> place (not the same drive as you have Windows installed on, perhaps write
> them to a CD-RW..)
>
> One site has a decently updated list:
> http://www.msfn.org/board/HOTFIXES_Win2000_SP4_WinXP_SP2_Win200_t86450.html
> Scroll down tothe part labeled:
> "MS WINDOWS XP PRO SP2 - (##)"
>
> You can order Windows XP Service Pack 2 on CD
> http://snipurl.com/d41v
>
> There are tools out there that can be used to get what you will need...
> Example:
> http://wud.jcarle.com/
>
> Each month Microsoft releases that month's updates in ISO format - but they
> *do not* go back as far as you might need.
> January 2006-current
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913086
>
> That would be one CD per month since January 2006.
>
> Direct Download of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP
> http://snipurl.com/8bqy
>
> You can see the critical (security and other) patches released for a given
> month using the following:
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms##-***.mspx
>
> At the end of this line you see "ms##-***.mspx" .. If you simply replace ##
> with the two-digit year and the *** with the three character month
> abbreviation, you will see the list of "critical" and "important" patches
> for that month (since it only happens once a month usually, if you check by
> the second Tuesday (wait until afternoon) of each month - you should be
> fine) - note that future months will not work.
>
> As an example...
>
> December 2004's patches..
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms04-dec.mspx
>
> March 2005's patches..
> None released.. so that one will fail...
>
> May 2006's patches..
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms06-may.mspx
>
> January 2007's patches..
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms07-jan.mspx
>
> Once you get on the page with each month's list of patches.. You can go to
> the related KB articles and grab the appropriate files from there.
>
>
> Here's a list through about April of this year - choose to go
> to the IT Professional link if given the option.
>
> Direct Download of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP
> http://snipurl.com/8bqy
>
> Critical Updates
> ----------------------
> Released: -- [ Web Page Address ] -- Description:
> 9/14/2004 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885626 ]
> -- Critical Update for Windows XP
> 11/22/2004 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887742 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 12/13/2004 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885835 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 12/13/2004 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885836 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 12/13/2004 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/886185 ]
> -- Critical Update for Windows XP
> 12/13/2004 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/873339 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 2/7/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/891781 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 2/7/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888302 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 2/7/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887472 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows Messenger
> 4/11/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/890859 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 5/18/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/894391 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 5/24/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896344 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 6/13/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896358 ]
> -- Security Update for Microsoft Windows XP
> 6/13/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896428 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 6/24/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/900930 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 6/27/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/898461 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 7/11/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/901214 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 8/8/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896423 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 8/8/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/899587 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 8/8/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/899591 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 8/8/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893756 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 10/10/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/901017 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 10/10/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/902400 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 10/10/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905749 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 10/10/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905414 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 10/10/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/900725 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 12/12/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910437 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 12/13/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/904706 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 1/9/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/908519 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 2/13/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911927 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 4/10/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911562 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 4/18/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/904942 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 4/25/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/900485 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 4/25/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/908531 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 5/9/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/913580 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 6/6/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916595 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 6/8/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918439 ]
> -- Vulnerability in ART Image Rendering Could Allow Remote Code
> Execution in Internet Explorer for Windows XP SP2
> 6/12/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914389 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 6/12/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917953 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 6/13/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917344 ]
> -- JScript 5.6 Security Update for Windows XP SP1 and SP2
> 6/27/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911280 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 7/10/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917159 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 7/10/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914388 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 8/7/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917422 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 8/7/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920670 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 8/7/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922616 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 8/7/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920683 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 8/17/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920872 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 9/11/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920685 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 9/11/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922582 ]
> -- Update for Windows XP
> 9/11/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919007 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 10/9/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922819 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 10/9/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924496 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 10/9/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923414 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 10/9/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923191 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows XP
> 11/14/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920213 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Microsoft Agent could allow remote code
> execution
> 11/14/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923789 ]
> -- Vulnerabilities in Macromedia Flash Player from Adobe
> could allow remote code execution
> 11/14/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924270 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Workstation Service could allow
> remote code execution
> 11/14/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928088 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Microsoft XML Core Services could
> allow remote code execution
> 11/14/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923980 ]
> -- Vulnerability in the Client Service could allow remote code
> execution
> 12/12/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926247 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
> could allow remote code execution
> 12/12/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926255 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Windows could allow elevation of privilege
> 12/12/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923694 ]
> -- Cumulative security update for Outlook Express
> 1/9/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929969 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Vector Markup Language
> Could Allow Remote Code Execution
> * If you have installed IE7, also install the IE7 version
> of this patch!
> 2/13/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928255 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Windows Shell Could Allow Elevation
> of Privilege
> 2/13/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927802 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Windows Image Acquisition Service
> Could Allow Elevation of Privilege
> 2/13/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928843 ]
> -- Vulnerability in HTML Help ActiveX Control Could
> Allow Remote Code Execution
> 2/13/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927779 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Microsoft Data Access Components
> Could Allow Remote Code Execution
> 2/13/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926436 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Microsoft OLE Dialog Could Allow
> Remote Code Execution
> 2/13/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924667 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Microsoft MFC Could Allow Remote
> Code Execution
> 2/13/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918118 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Microsoft RichEdit Could Allow
> Remote Code Execution
> 2/13/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928090 ]
> -- Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer
> * If you have IE7, obtain that version of this update.
> 4/3/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/925902 ]
> -- Vulnerabilities in GDI Could Allow Remote Code Execution
> 4/10/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931261 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Universal Plug and Play Could
> Allow Remote Code Execution
> 4/10/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932168 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Microsoft Agent Could Allow Remote
> Code Execution
> 4/10/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930178 ]
> -- Vulnerabilities in CSRSS Could Allow Remote Code
> Execution
> 4/10/2007 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931784 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Windows Kernel Could Allow
> Elevation of Privilege
>
> Media Player:
> -------------------
> Released: -- [ Web Page Address: ] -- Description:
> 9/2/2004 -- [ http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=30984 ]
> -- Windows Media Player 10
> 11/7/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/902344 ]
> -- Update for WMDRM-enabled Media Players
> 2/13/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911564 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows Media Player Plug-in
> 4/11/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911565 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 for Windows XP
> 6/12/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917734 ]
> -- Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 for Windows XP
> 12/12/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923689 ]
> -- Vulnerability in Windows Media Format Could Allow Remote
> Code Execution
>
> ..NET Framework:
> ------------------------
> Released: -- [ Web Page Address: ] -- Description:
> 3/30/2004 -- [ http://snipurl.com/10bde ]
> -- Microsoft .NET Framework Version 1.1 Redistributable Package
> 8/30/2004 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885055 ]
> -- Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1
> 2/8/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887219 ]
> -- ASP.NET Security Update for Microsoft NET Framework 1.1
> Service Pack 1
> 3/22/2006 -- [ http://snipurl.com/10bdv ]
> -- Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable
> Package (x86)
> 7/11/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917283 ]
> -- NDP 2.0 ASP.Net Security Update
> 10/10/2006 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922770 ]
> -- NET Framework 2.0 SYSTEM.WEB.DLL Security Update
>
> Other Updates:
> ---------------------
> Released: -- [ Web Page Address: ] -- Description:
> 9/14/2004 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/873374 ]
> -- Microsoft GDI+ Detection Tool
> 9/2/2005 -- [ http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893803 ]
> -- Windows Installer 3.1 Redistributable (v2)
> 10/14/2005 -- [ http://snipurl.com/10bex ]
> -- Windows Media Connect 2.0