SP2 Update Solution

For some of us home users receiving SP2 over different days and a download
time that takes hours is a lot of hassle.
Instead...Go to the MS SP2 page at:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro.../winxpsp2.mspx
;
and download the SP2 for "Multiple Computers". It's the same Service Pac
for all computers. It took 15 minutes to download the 272,391kb file.
Once downloaded execute the file and it automatically installs on Pro and
Home. The only action required is to accept the EULA and click next 2
or 3 times. I then burned it to a CD and installed it on my other XP-Pro and
2 XP-Home standalone computers.
Worked like a charm. Straight forward and simple. Reboot and you're good
to go. The EXE file is the key for this upgrade, not WU.

The purpose of Windows update is to parcel out the SP2 to home
users so MS servers won't be overwhelmed. Only so many can receive it per
day and then the slice of bandwidth you're getting is tiny. With WU the
download time could be hours rather than the 15 minutes it should take.
Windows
Update doesn't do anything magical on the instal other than execute the EXE
file. The analysis of your system and the update is all handled from within
the EXE file.