Most windows updates are just anti-piracy updates
I think you need to read the update descriptions more carefully. Heck, over 80% of them are
called "security update for Windows X" where X is XP, Vista, 7, etc.
Microsoft is not as concerned about pirates as the music industry is. A few people downloading a cracked copy of Windows 7 would hurt them as much as a speck of dust hurting a car. The real dough comes from the enterprises.
well, he never listen to others and now, he already got a laptop, but as usual, he dunno how to 'use' it well...install and uninstall...one day, his laptop jammed and he asked me to format it (as if!!)...i give him a ton of excuses and his laptop is never been fixed (although now can be use after using some kind of restoration program, with the problem still exist...hehe)
Don't help a friend who doesn't listen to you. Simple as that. If anyone, friend or not, can't take my advice in a particular subject, there's no way I would help him/her on that subject.
Or just wipe it and install Linux. Kinda hard to screw over a Linux installation, though it's also kinda hard to fix a Linux installation that gets screwed over without reinstalling it.