I am also a c++ n00b to be honest.

And its true that it is hard to make a downloader.
But if you want it so bad there are 3 options that i can think of.

1. Build a File Transfer server (in vb) and run it yourself and build a c++ client that contacts that server (in c++)

2. Find a HTTP File Downloader on the net (c++ source), and modify it so that it will download the runtimes files.

3. Use another language that doesn't need runtimes.