xp patches

Linda wrote:

I am confused XPHome Update downloads. Here's the
dilemma. When I read up on what a patch is supposed to do
it may say "only install if you experience this exact
symptom". I may not know if I have this problem or will
have. The question is "Will it hurt anything if I
download it anyway. Regardless if I'm experiencing the
problem or not. Windows Update says I need to install 32
updates. 24 of which are critical. I never know if these
updates apply to my computer or not.

The entries in Windows update have a brief description - and usually a
Read More button to find out, or a reference number like Q123456 which
you can look up at
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;123456

I suggest two types you should be able to leave on a stand-alone machine
are those that make explicit reference to Servers; or those that say 'an
attacker would need to have access/be able to logon': those relate to
corporate systems that need to be able to prevent a possibly disaffected
employee getting at things he is not supposed to.

If you start with the major roll-up upgrade 826983 and the consolidated
one for IE - 824145 then you should not find many other updates needed

--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)