Backing Up Windows Updates

I know that backup copies of Windows update files can be saved by downloading
and installing them manually, but this is a lengthy and tedious process. It
would be appropriate if there were an option available to back up files that
are downloaded using Automatic Updates. That is to say, files are downloaded
with Automatic Updates, and then a "copy files to folder" option would be
selected before installing them.

You *can* save the latest round of updates for future use if you do it
*immediately* after automatically updating is completed -

Show hidden files, folders, and system files
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...l62.html#winxp
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...l62.html#vista

Create a folder and name it Updates.
Using Windows Explorer, navigate to
WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download
There will be randomly named subfolders in Download.
You can right click such subfolders and check the Date they were created
in order to locate the most recent ones.

To find out the KB number of the update, open one of the randomly named
subfolders and then open it's 'update' subfolder.
The KBxxxxxx.cat will be the KB number of the update

EX: KB953838.cat is KB953838: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953838
MS08-045: Cumulative security update for Internet Explorer

Copy each recent randomly named subfolder to the location you want to
save them to. Suggest you rename them to the KB article number to
simplify things.

Voila. You've now saved the most recently downloaded automatic updates.
The original copies left in SoftwareDistribution\Download will be cycled
off of the machine by the Default setting. I'm not sure when that occurs
but, it's most likely done in a 7 to 10 day time frame.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


tenman wrote:

> I know that backup copies of Windows update files can be saved by downloading
> and installing them manually, but this is a lengthy and tedious process. It
> would be appropriate if there were an option available to back up files that
> are downloaded using Automatic Updates. That is to say, files are downloaded
> with Automatic Updates, and then a "copy files to folder" option would be
> selected before installing them.

tenman wrote:
> I know that backup copies of Windows update files can be saved by
> downloading and installing them manually, but this is a lengthy and
> tedious process. It would be appropriate if there were an option
> available to back up files that are downloaded using Automatic
> Updates. That is to say, files are downloaded with Automatic
> Updates, and then a "copy files to folder" option would be selected
> before installing them.

MowGreen's suggestion will work fine...

Or you could use something like:
http://www.windowsupdatesdownloader.com/

Grab the updates all at once with little effort - save them accordingly.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html