saving windows updates

where are the windows updates kept before install.at the time of downloading them.And also where are the update kept after install.

1) IS it possible to install them againg in a case of format if they can be copied on to cd?
2) also i have the xp_unofficial_thehotfix_DOT.net pack supplied with digit dec or jan. should i install it.

oops. had posted wrongly in difrnt post. hence editing out. sorry.

R

this describes how to download and save Windows updates including updates for different versions of Windows.

Many times I have needed to download updates and save them for later use or reference. This often comes up when I want to repair an older, never-been-updated Windows system that doesn't have broadband. Downloading all those updates on a landline is too painful.

This method will allow you to download updates and save them on your hard drive for any version of Windows.

1. Visit the Windows Update Catalog *v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/catalog
2. Click Find Updates or Find Driver Updates
3. Select the appropriate version of Windows or category of hardware
4. Search or click on Advanced Search if you want to refine your search
5. Click Add on the updates you want to save
6. Once you have the ones you wanted selected, click on Go to Download Basket
7. Type or browse to the area you want to save the selected files
8. Click Download Now and then Accept the license agreement.
9. Let'em download.

If you have any problems, you can reference the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article on this topic. *support.microsoft.com/?id=323166

source:*www.tech-recipes.com/windows_tips87.html

If u have already installed the updates, go to c:\windows\Software Distribution folder.. There will be a download folder inside it. It will have many folders with wierd names.. like "b56cb336738217d91222cb81fd28b079". Inside all these folders, there would be a folder named "update". Inside this "update" folder, there will be a file "update.exe".. These files are the setups for the updates. So just make a backup of "C:\Windows\Software Distribution\Download" folder.. And you have all your updates!

Hope that was not sooooo confusing!

S

well i do this, i have set the auto update to just inform me of updates but not download them... so wen it informs me, i just open the link given and then dl updates manually and then install them, hence having a back up at all times

Thanks kalpik! I was really looking the location of the update files as I was deciding to reinstall XP.

You are most welcome!

what about my second question???