Alternatives to Windows Updates

Been trawling about looking for alternatives to Windows Updates due to
the current WGA problems which I have been fixing by various means all
week now. There are several sites offering critical update downloads
but the most interesting ones I found were Windiz Update which works
via Open Source browsers plugins and does not use WGA. It works
beautifully I tried it on a test PC form which I had removed several
updates for the purpose of checking it. Also tried Autopatcher which
was very good but complicated and not something I would give to normal
users to play with.

Legally speaking is there a problem with using this sort of service
which by-passes the official windows updates and also ignores WGA. I
have not read the convoluted legalese in windows but from a lay point
of view if I use it to update a genuine machine in order to bypass
problems caused by WGA I assume it is not going to be strictly kosher
but it does give me a fast fix. Just how bad is it? I need to decide
weather to use this approach next week when the latest round of
critical updates appears and its going to get really busy.

So in light of the current problems which have hit a lot of users and
the lack of a real solution - some work some don't + the random
problems that Windows Update seems to inflict for no apparant reason I
am thinking that this may be an easy way out.

I realise that these updates are from a third party site and I realise
the risks but still its an option?

I am asking for opinions, not advocating piracy - don't take this the
wrong way please.

8-)

Jonah

Sounds like a good idea in principle, Jonah.
I have a feeling that when the next round of critical updates come out ,all
hell is going to break out as thousands of people discover their downloads
won't install.
I think that some users who have set their Windows to automatically download
and install will find their PC's hanging at Shutdown.
I have simply set my Updates to 'notify me' and am hoping to find a simple
way to install critical updates without using the Microsoft Update Utility.
Any thoughts?

flo

"jonah" wrote:

> Been trawling about looking for alternatives to Windows Updates due to
> the current WGA problems which I have been fixing by various means all
> week now. There are several sites offering critical update downloads
> but the most interesting ones I found were Windiz Update which works
> via Open Source browsers plugins and does not use WGA. It works
> beautifully I tried it on a test PC form which I had removed several
> updates for the purpose of checking it. Also tried Autopatcher which
> was very good but complicated and not something I would give to normal
> users to play with.
>
> Legally speaking is there a problem with using this sort of service
> which by-passes the official windows updates and also ignores WGA. I
> have not read the convoluted legalese in windows but from a lay point
> of view if I use it to update a genuine machine in order to bypass
> problems caused by WGA I assume it is not going to be strictly kosher
> but it does give me a fast fix. Just how bad is it? I need to decide
> weather to use this approach next week when the latest round of
> critical updates appears and its going to get really busy.
>
> So in light of the current problems which have hit a lot of users and
> the lack of a real solution - some work some don't + the random
> problems that Windows Update seems to inflict for no apparant reason I
> am thinking that this may be an easy way out.
>
> I realise that these updates are from a third party site and I realise
> the risks but still its an option?
>
> I am asking for opinions, not advocating piracy - don't take this the
> wrong way please.
>
> 8-)
>
> Jonah
>

On Sun, 12 Mar 2006 11:34:18 -0800, flo
<> wrote:

>Sounds like a good idea in principle, Jonah.
>I have a feeling that when the next round of critical updates come out ,all
>hell is going to break out as thousands of people discover their downloads
>won't install.
>I think that some users who have set their Windows to automatically download
>and install will find their PC's hanging at Shutdown.
>I have simply set my Updates to 'notify me' and am hoping to find a simple
>way to install critical updates without using the Microsoft Update Utility.
>Any thoughts?
>
>flo
>
I know what you mean flo its all grist to my mill though.

Go http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/ you will find all the info you need
to do exactly as you wish.

Looks OK to me and it works, you need to make your own desicion on it
though cos its not a official M$ source

I would also set Automatic Updates off completely and just check once
a week or so.

Jonah

Hi,

Below are listed some Web pages that lists security updates where the
download links for the exe files are pointing to a Microsoft server
(meaning it is pretty safe to use them, but also that you must have the
English OS version to use them):


Windows XP and Windows 2000
http://www.softwarepatch.com/windows/index.html

Windows XP SP2 and Windows 2000 SP4
http://xpcreate.com/current.htm

Windows XP SP2
http://www.microscum.com/postsp2/

HOTFIXES: Win2000 SP4 – WinXP SP1 – WinXP SP2
http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=31886


jonah wrote:

> Been trawling about looking for alternatives to Windows Updates due to
> the current WGA problems which I have been fixing by various means all
> week now. There are several sites offering critical update downloads
> but the most interesting ones I found were Windiz Update which works
> via Open Source browsers plugins and does not use WGA. It works
> beautifully I tried it on a test PC form which I had removed several
> updates for the purpose of checking it. Also tried Autopatcher which
> was very good but complicated and not something I would give to normal
> users to play with.
>
> Legally speaking is there a problem with using this sort of service
> which by-passes the official windows updates and also ignores WGA. I
> have not read the convoluted legalese in windows but from a lay point
> of view if I use it to update a genuine machine in order to bypass
> problems caused by WGA I assume it is not going to be strictly kosher
> but it does give me a fast fix. Just how bad is it? I need to decide
> weather to use this approach next week when the latest round of
> critical updates appears and its going to get really busy.
>
> So in light of the current problems which have hit a lot of users and
> the lack of a real solution - some work some don't + the random
> problems that Windows Update seems to inflict for no apparant reason I
> am thinking that this may be an easy way out.
>
> I realise that these updates are from a third party site and I realise
> the risks but still its an option?
>
> I am asking for opinions, not advocating piracy - don't take this the
> wrong way please.
>
> 8-)
>
> Jonah


--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scr...r/default.mspx

Thanks very much for this ,Jonah.
I have turned Automatic Update off completely and run that 3rd party update
site via FireFox.
Haven't actually tried it yet........I think my security updates are all up
to date...but I notice it asks permission to gather file data before it scans
to see which updates it thinks you need.
Do you consider this reasonably 'safe'?
flo

"Jonah" wrote:

> On Sun, 12 Mar 2006 11:34:18 -0800, flo
> <> wrote:
>
> >Sounds like a good idea in principle, Jonah.
> >I have a feeling that when the next round of critical updates come out ,all
> >hell is going to break out as thousands of people discover their downloads
> >won't install.
> >I think that some users who have set their Windows to automatically download
> >and install will find their PC's hanging at Shutdown.
> >I have simply set my Updates to 'notify me' and am hoping to find a simple
> >way to install critical updates without using the Microsoft Update Utility.
> >Any thoughts?
> >
> >flo
> >
> I know what you mean flo its all grist to my mill though.
>
> Go http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/ you will find all the info you need
> to do exactly as you wish.
>
> Looks OK to me and it works, you need to make your own desicion on it
> though cos its not a official M$ source
>
> I would also set Automatic Updates off completely and just check once
> a week or so.
>
> Jonah
>

On Mon, 13 Mar 2006 10:35:27 -0800, flo
<> wrote:

>Thanks very much for this ,Jonah.
>I have turned Automatic Update off completely and run that 3rd party update
>site via FireFox.
>Haven't actually tried it yet........I think my security updates are all up
>to date...but I notice it asks permission to gather file data before it scans
>to see which updates it thinks you need.
>Do you consider this reasonably 'safe'?
>flo
>
>"Jonah" wrote:
>
snip

Yeah flo I checked it every which way, it needs permission to do
exactly what M$ updates does ie scan your system for existing updates
- its just checking whats installed - and offer any new ones. It looks
and runs exactly like the Custom dialogue in M$ updates.

Its safer than M$ updates when it comes to breaking systems 8-)

I reckon its more than OK I just wonder how long it will last patching
Windows Machines without using WGA and via Firefox - OUCH thats gotta
hurt!.

I will certainly be using it next week to update problem machines that
I know are genuine cos I built most of them myself.

Jonah