Vista Service Pack 1 - stand alone version

Why is microsoft advising against downloading the stand alone version?

My windows update hasn't worked for about 9 months now (80004002 - see
various other threads) and so I cannot possibly get any updates unless
they're stand alone versions yet you're not advised to download the stand
alone version.

My choice is:
1. continue with no updates, no SP1 and so forth for an indefinite period
(probebly for the life of the PC) until it no longer works at all (it already
crashes about once every half hour)
2. download the stand alone version, hope that fixes windows update but risk
PC meltdown

thoughts?!?!

and why on earth can't we have the old style windows update back? the one
where you downloaded rather than auto-scanned for things?

"gareth" <> wrote in message
news:3E66F27B-5686-4A90-A4A6-...
> Why is microsoft advising against downloading the stand alone version?
>
> My windows update hasn't worked for about 9 months now (80004002 - see
> various other threads) and so I cannot possibly get any updates unless
> they're stand alone versions yet you're not advised to download the stand
> alone version.
>
> My choice is:
> 1. continue with no updates, no SP1 and so forth for an indefinite period
> (probebly for the life of the PC) until it no longer works at all (it
> already
> crashes about once every half hour)
> 2. download the stand alone version, hope that fixes windows update but
> risk
> PC meltdown
>
> thoughts?!?!
>
> and why on earth can't we have the old style windows update back? the one
> where you downloaded rather than auto-scanned for things?


It's because the auto update scans for languages installed and for drivers
which currently do not support SP1. If you know for certain that you only
have one of the supported languages (and have not inadvertently installed
some of the others) and you know for certain that you don't have any of the
dodgy drivers, or any of the other 6 reasons why SP1 will not install (e.g.
you have blocked it, or you have a beta version installed etc) then you are
good to go with the manual version.

John

Have you ever contacted MS about your 80004002 error?

Start a free Windows Update support incident request:
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/de...spx?gprid=6527

--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2008 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Computer Maintenance: Acronis / Diskeeper / Paragon / Raxco


"gareth" <> wrote in message
news:3E66F27B-5686-4A90-A4A6-...
| Why is microsoft advising against downloading the stand alone version?
|
| My windows update hasn't worked for about 9 months now (80004002 - see
| various other threads) and so I cannot possibly get any updates unless
| they're stand alone versions yet you're not advised to download the stand
| alone version.
|
| My choice is:
| 1. continue with no updates, no SP1 and so forth for an indefinite period
| (probebly for the life of the PC) until it no longer works at all (it already
| crashes about once every half hour)
| 2. download the stand alone version, hope that fixes windows update but risk
| PC meltdown
|
| thoughts?!?!
|
| and why on earth can't we have the old style windows update back? the one
| where you downloaded rather than auto-scanned for things?