T 'n' T: Up With Downloads Five Must-Have Enhancements, As Close As Your Modem Gregg Keizer
Mon 3/4/02 -- Staying on top of Windows may seem like a full-time job, but there are ways to trim the time you spend keeping the operating system up-to-date. (For some tips on using Windows Update, check out the T'n'T column "Make a Date with Windows Update.")
I regularly cruise Microsoft's Download Center and browse the top 50 downloads, just to make sure I haven't missed something important or merely cool. That's how, among the links to don't-need-'em downloads for MSN Messenger and the like, I found the following five that I can't live without.
Install Windows XP from floppies. Trying to do a new installation of Win XP on an older machine? You may be stymied if the PC can't boot from its CD or DVD drive. (And no, XP doesn't let you launch SETUP.EXE from the DOS command prompt or Run box.) Sans such a bootable drive, you're limited to doing an upgrade of the existing OS (which is what I've had to do in the past) -- a less satisfying route to XP, since it's always better to start afresh rather than carry the baggage of, say, Windows 98 or Me along when you move to XP.
Fortunately, Microsoft's posted a download that creates a half-dozen floppy disks that you can use to start up the PC and begin setup of a new install. Grab the utility for Windows XP Home Edition or Win XP Professional, then reach for six 3.5-inch disks. For detailed directions, see this support page.
Patch the leaky IE boat. We all know that Internet Explorer has more holes than a warehouse of Swiss cheese, so it's vital to stay on top of any security patches the Redmond geniuses put out. That's why the poorly named 11 February 2002 Cumulative Patch for Internet Explorer update (why not just call it, "We Screwed Up #324"?) is a must-get download (at this writing, number five with a bullet on the Microsoft.com top downloads list). This update comes in versions for Internet Explorer versions 6.0, 5.5 SP2, 5.5 SP1, and 5.01 SP2 and ranges from 1.8MB to 2.5MB in size, so pace your modem accordingly.
Blanket security. News flash: Windows has as many security problems as an airport where the guy at the metal detector's dozed off. If you haven't run Windows Update in a while, do so. Or download Microsoft's famous fix for a hole in Universal Plug and Play -- every Windows XP and Me user needs this hostile-takeover blocker, as does any Win 98 user who's installed XP's Internet Connection Sharing client. For more info, check out this support page, or just download the update.
Thoroughly modern mousing. Microsoft's mice -- I love 'em. I rely on a variety of IntelliMice, including the highly excellent IntelliMouse Optical, which glides over the crumbs and coffee spills on my desk without gunking up. But I've had some problems with older drivers on Windows XP machines, particularly in resetting the mouse buttons so they work for lefties. A recent driver update solved these woes, and I recommend it for anyone using a Microsoft mouse.
Do DirectX 8.1. DirectX, Microsoft's multimedia and gaming technology, goes through updates faster than Donald Trump changes girlfriends. You need to keep up (no, not with the Donald, with the Bill). At number four on Redmond's top downloads list is DirectX 8.1 for Windows 98 and Me, while the Windows 2000 version comes in at number 11. Windows XP already comes with DirectX 8.1, so XP gamers are A-OK for now.
