If you do a Repair Install of Windows XP or of Server 2003 then you
must do a manual check for updates at
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com even if you have automatic updates
fully enabled. Otherwise your system will only be updated to the
point at which the CD you used for the Repair Install was created
(e.g. if you use a CD with Service Pack 2 included then the computer
will not have any of the post-SP2 updates installed.

If you don't do this then automatic updates will not start to work
unless and until a new critical update is issued by Microsoft. At
that point automatic update will start and will catch up on all of the
missing updates. But in the interval your system could be vulnerable
to any malware that exploits the missing updates.

There have been over 40 critical updates issued for Windows XP since
Service Pack 2 was released.

See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555615/en-us (Windows XP) and
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555616/en-us (Server 2003)

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."