Monday, October 02, 2006

Windows XP: Accessing the Windows Update Catalog

Do you need to download specific updates from Microsoft without using the Windows/Microsoft update site (i.e.: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/)?

There can be several reasons why you would want to do this, for example: you have a slow modem at home and you want to get your updates from a faster computer. Or, if you're a systems administrator at a company, and you need to update Windows clients or servers.

Whatever the reason, here is how you can do it.
  • Open Internet Explorer (this won't work from Firefox), and go to "http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/catalog"
  • Click the link "Find updates for Microsoft Windows operating systems" or "Find driver updates for hardware devices"
  • If you selected the find updates for operating system, you will need to select the OS which you're looking for the updates. Press the Search button to continue.
  • Select the category, and then select updates that you want to get.
  • Click the "Go to Download Basket" link.
  • Press the Browse... button to select the download location on your local computer.
  • Press the 'Download Now' button.
  • Choose if you want to accept the licensing agreement, then press the appropriate button.
After the files finish downloading, they will be available in the location that you selected.

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