Hardware Update Questions

My PC has Rambus memory and a 1GB ram update is about 600.00 if you can find
the stuff, so for 300.00 I'm doing the mobo/CPU/DDR2 for half of that.

I have decided to do a fresh Windows install from scratch. I have OEM copy
of WinXP Professional and SP2 on CD-Rom. However, I am on dialup and Windows
Updates will be at least an overnite download, maybe more. I do have my
system backed up on an external USB drive. Can I restore the updates or will
I be causing myself headaches? I can't think of how to get the updates in
any other fashion, that's why I thought I'd try here.

I know I will probably have to deal with Windows reactiviation. There is a
workaround for the reactivation by saving the wpl files from the old
System32 directory to a floppy, renaming them, and then copying them to the
new install of Windows. That workaround doesn't work with major surgery such
as this, does it? How big a deal is reactivation anyway...are there long
wait times? Just curious.

I had a hard drive failure, replaced a vdieo card and added memory over the
5 year life of this PC and never even had a burp from Windows. I did however
call them with a request for help getting IE7 to work and my PC got trashed
in process. I could have done that on my own, thank you very much. Anyhow, I
am reluctant to call if I don't have to. My experience was not a happy one.

Appreciate any advice. TIA.

You can restore the updates if you used Administrative updates to store the
update on your PC, and I doubt you did this.
MS, perhaps depending on your local, supply sp updates on cd, for a post &
packing charge.
Alternatively if you know someone with broadband access they could download
and burn Adminastrative updates to cd/dvd for you.
The last time I activated, on the phone took about a minute.

"DotNettie" <msdimpnospampleeze.TakeThisOut@localnet.com> wrote in message
news:1374ut0qaaph345@corp.supernews.com...
> My PC has Rambus memory and a 1GB ram update is about 600.00 if you can
find
> the stuff, so for 300.00 I'm doing the mobo/CPU/DDR2 for half of that.
>
> I have decided to do a fresh Windows install from scratch. I have OEM copy
> of WinXP Professional and SP2 on CD-Rom. However, I am on dialup and
Windows
> Updates will be at least an overnite download, maybe more. I do have my
> system backed up on an external USB drive. Can I restore the updates or
will
> I be causing myself headaches? I can't think of how to get the updates in
> any other fashion, that's why I thought I'd try here.
>
> I know I will probably have to deal with Windows reactiviation. There is a
> workaround for the reactivation by saving the wpl files from the old
> System32 directory to a floppy, renaming them, and then copying them to
the
> new install of Windows. That workaround doesn't work with major surgery
such
> as this, does it? How big a deal is reactivation anyway...are there long
> wait times? Just curious.
>
> I had a hard drive failure, replaced a vdieo card and added memory over
the
> 5 year life of this PC and never even had a burp from Windows. I did
however
> call them with a request for help getting IE7 to work and my PC got
trashed
> in process. I could have done that on my own, thank you very much. Anyhow,
I
> am reluctant to call if I don't have to. My experience was not a happy
one.
>
> Appreciate any advice. TIA.
>
>