Where are the original update programs stored?

Suppose my system crashes but I can still have acces to certain parts of my
hard disk using some kind of rescue disk. Where are all the update *.exe
files stored? If I reinstall Windows XP from the start, then will I have to
connect to Microsoft via internet and do all that updating again from
scratch, or is there any folder in which the update files are stored, so that
I can easily restore all the updates from my own computer? This is very
important for me because I have just a 64Kbps internet line and the updating
takes from 2 to 3 1/2 hours to complete.

They are stored in the Softwaredistribution/Downloads folder but they are
only there temporarily. You would need to redownload the updates from the
catalog and save them to CD to keep.

Catalog
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...en/default.asp

Click Add button for each update you want to download. Once you have what
you want, Click the “Go To Download Basket� link. Type in or browse to the
location where you want the updates saved to and then Click the “Download
Now� button.
Once downloaded, you can then burn them to CD.

How to download updates and drivers from the Windows Update Catalog or from
the Microsoft Update Catalog
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323166

or search for them individually

Search for a download
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/s...displaylang=en




"Tall John" wrote:

> Suppose my system crashes but I can still have acces to certain parts of my
> hard disk using some kind of rescue disk. Where are all the update *.exe
> files stored? If I reinstall Windows XP from the start, then will I have to
> connect to Microsoft via internet and do all that updating again from
> scratch, or is there any folder in which the update files are stored, so that
> I can easily restore all the updates from my own computer? This is very
> important for me because I have just a 64Kbps internet line and the updating
> takes from 2 to 3 1/2 hours to complete.

Thank you TaurArian,
Problem solved!

"TaurArian" wrote:

> They are stored in the Softwaredistribution/Downloads folder but they are
> only there temporarily. You would need to redownload the updates from the
> catalog and save them to CD to keep.
>
> Catalog
> http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...en/default.asp
>
> Click Add button for each update you want to download. Once you have what
> you want, Click the “Go To Download Basket� link. Type in or browse to the
> location where you want the updates saved to and then Click the “Download
> Now� button.
> Once downloaded, you can then burn them to CD.
>
> How to download updates and drivers from the Windows Update Catalog or from
> the Microsoft Update Catalog
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323166
>
> or search for them individually
>
> Search for a download
> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/s...displaylang=en
>
>
>
>
> "Tall John" wrote:
>
> > Suppose my system crashes but I can still have acces to certain parts of my
> > hard disk using some kind of rescue disk. Where are all the update *.exe
> > files stored? If I reinstall Windows XP from the start, then will I have to
> > connect to Microsoft via internet and do all that updating again from
> > scratch, or is there any folder in which the update files are stored, so that
> > I can easily restore all the updates from my own computer? This is very
> > important for me because I have just a 64Kbps internet line and the updating
> > takes from 2 to 3 1/2 hours to complete.