diff --git a/Tools/buildbot/external-common.bat b/Tools/buildbot/external-common.bat
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ecf9901ccc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tools/buildbot/external-common.bat
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+@rem Common file shared between external.bat and external-amd64.bat.  Responsible for
+@rem fetching external components into the root\.. buildbot directories.
+
+cd ..
+@rem XXX: If you need to force the buildbots to start from a fresh environment, uncomment
+@rem the following, check it in, then check it out, comment it out, then check it back in.
+@rem if exist bzip2-1.0.3 rd /s/q bzip2-1.0.3
+@rem if exist tcltk rd /s/q tcltk
+@rem if exist tcltk64 rd /s/q tcltk64
+@rem if exist tcl8.4.12 rd /s/q tcl8.4.12
+@rem if exist tcl8.4.16 rd /s/q tcl8.4.16
+@rem if exist tcl-8.4.18.1 rd /s/q tcl-8.4.18.1
+@rem if exist tk8.4.12 rd /s/q tk8.4.12
+@rem if exist tk8.4.16 rd /s/q tk8.4.16
+@rem if exist tk-8.4.18.1 rd /s/q tk-8.4.18.1
+@rem if exist db-4.4.20 rd /s/q db-4.4.20
+@rem if exist openssl-0.9.8g rd /s/q openssl-0.9.8g
+@rem if exist sqlite-source-3.3.4 rd /s/q sqlite-source-3.3.4    
+
+@rem bzip
+if not exist bzip2-1.0.3 svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/bzip2-1.0.3
+
+@rem Sleepycat db
+if not exist db-4.4.20 svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/db-4.4.20-vs9 db-4.4.20
+
+@rem OpenSSL
+if not exist openssl-0.9.8g svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/openssl-0.9.8g
+
+@rem tcl/tk
+if not exist tcl-8.4.18.2 svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/tcl-8.4.18.2
+if not exist tk-8.4.18.1 svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/tk-8.4.18.1
+
+@rem sqlite3
+if not exist sqlite-source-3.3.4 svn export http://svn.python.org/projects/external/sqlite-source-3.3.4