Updates: Windows XP

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Patches and updates, especially for Windows. Try downloading them from their sources first (their connections are a lot faster, and you can download them all at once), but in the likely event they've made them unavailable, you can download most them from my site, or get them on the Great Stuff CD. (Note that Microsoft updates are not available from this site or on the Great Stuff CD.)

Windows XP

Tool

  1. Microsoft PowerToys  ( 4/23/2002 8:42:17 AM, 2656kb )
    Download my copy ( as of 7/19/2004 )
    They're back! PowerToys are additional programs that developers work on after a product has been released to manufacturing. They add fun and functionality to the Windows experience.
    Note We've taken great care to ensure that PowerToys operate as they should, but they are not part of Windows and are not supported by Microsoft. For this reason, Microsoft Technical Support is unable to answer questions about PowerToys. PowerToys are for Windows XP only.
    Important Notes
    • If you installed PowerToys prior to April 23, 2002, you must uninstall your old PowerToys before installing the versions available here.
    • PowerToys will only work with US-English regional settings.
    Just look at your PowerToy choices:
    • Open Command Window Here This PowerToy adds an "Open Command Window Here" context menu option on file system folders, giving you a quick way to open a command window (cmd.exe) pointing at the selected folder.
    • Alt-Tab Replacement With this PowerToy, in addition to seeing the icon of the application window you are switching to, you will also see a preview of the page. This helps particularly when multiple sessions of an application are open.
    • Tweak UI This PowerToy gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP default user interface, including mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more. Version 2.10 requires Windows XP Service Pack 1 or Windows Server 2003.
    • Power Calculator With this PowerToy you can graph and evaluate functions as well as perform many different types of conversions.
    • Image Resizer This PowerToy enables you to resize one or many image files with a right-click.
    • CD Slide Show Generator With this PowerToy you can view images burned to a CD as a slide show. The Generator works downlevel on Windows 9x machines as well.
    • Virtual Desktop Manager Manage up to four desktops from the Windows taskbar with this PowerToy.
    • Taskbar Magnifier Use this PowerToy to magnify part of the screen from the taskbar.
    • Webcam Timershot This PowerToy lets you take pictures at specified time intervals from a Webcam connected to your computer and save them to a location that you designate.

Critical Updates

  1. Microsoft Windows XP SP1a ( 128097kb )
    Download my copy ( as of 7/19/2004 )
    Windows XP Service Pack 1a (SP1a) provides the latest security and reliability updates to the Windows XP family of operating systems, and includes Internet Explorer 6 SP1. Windows XP SP1a is designed to ensure Windows XP platform compatibility with newly released software and hardware, and includes updates that resolve issues discovered by customers or by Microsoft's internal testing team. To determine whether to install Windows XP SP1a, we recommend reviewing the Windows XP documentation and information below. If you have already installed Windows XP SP1, you do not need to install Windows XP SP1a.

Theme

  1. Microsoft 3D Windows Screensaver  ( 10/21/2001 8:42:17 AM, 393kb )
    Download my copy ( as of 7/19/2004 )
    The 3D Windows XP screensaver shows off the power of DirectX matched with the bright colors of Windows XP.
  2. Microsoft Winter Fun Screensavers  ( 12/9/2002 8:42:17 AM, 6278kb )
    Download my copy ( as of 7/19/2004 )
    Holiday Snowflakes Transform your computer monitor into a winter wonderland with three-dimensional snowflakes falling from the sky. Amazing Windows XP Screensaver Floating spheres and soothing blue waves show the amazing things you can do with Windows XP.
  3. Microsoft Bliss Screen Saver  ( 8/6/2002 8:42:17 AM, 1710kb )
    Download my copy ( as of 7/19/2004 )

Tool

  1. Microsoft Movie Maker 2 ( 1/28/2003 8:42:17 AM, 12286kb )
    Download my copy ( as of 7/19/2004 )
    Windows Movie Maker 2 makes home movies amazingly fun. With Movie Maker 2, you can create, edit, and share your home movies right on your computer. Build your movie with a few simple drag-and-drops. Delete bad shots and include only the best scenes. Then share your movie via the Web, e-mail, or CD. Using third-party software you can even take movies you've made and turn them into DVDs. You can also save your movie back to the video tape in your camera to play back on a TV or on the camera itself.

Critical Updates

  1. Microsoft Windows XP SP2 ( 8/11/2004, 278927kb ) )
    An essential update to Windows XP containing (among other things) a decent firewall, and a popup-blocking Internet Explorer

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