How Do You Copy Microsoft Updates to a CD?

by Mickey Walburg
Burn Microsoft Updates to a CD.

Burn Microsoft Updates to a CD.

cd on cd image by Stephen Kirkby from Fotolia.com

Microsoft releases regular small updates in the form of small patches through the Windows Update program in the Windows XP, Vista and 7 operating systems. These updates are not released as standalone downloads that you can download outside of Windows Update. However, major update packs that include these small patches into one big package---called Service Packs---are usually released as standalone downloads that you can save to your computer. You also can copy them to a CD to archive in case you ever need to reinstall your operating system and don't want to download the patches again.

Step 1

Download the updates that Microsoft has made available as standalone installation programs from Microsoft's website. Note that these updates are large in size, so you shouldn't attempt to download them unless you are on a high-speed Internet connection.

Step 2

Open your CD writing program and open the "Data Writing" mode. Browse to the location on your computer where you downloaded the updates you want to save to the CD. Insert a blank CD in your drive and click the "Burn" button to start the burning process.

Step 3

Eject the CD from your computer once the files have finished burning and label it so that you don't forget what it is. Store it in a safe place so that you can refer to it if you need to install the updates that you copied to it.

About the Author

Mickey Walburg has worked as a writer since 2000 on technical and creative writing projects. He has worked on a publication for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and now writes for various websites. Walburg holds a Bachelor of Science in systems engineering from the University of Virginia.

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