Can downloaded updates be saved?

On my home network, every once in a while it becomes standard practice
to wipe one of my Windows machines clean and re-install the OS. The
longest step in this process has become using Windows Update after the
installation. Is there any way that a person can somehow store the
update packages on a local drive and run installs from there and then
just check Windows Update for anything new that has come out since then?
I mean, I can't even remember how many times I've installed Win2K, its
subsequent service packs, IE6, its subsequent service packs, etc.

Basically, what I'm picturing is a directory full of installers (.exe or
..msi, whatever) and a couple batch scripts that would run them in the
proper order. I'd be able to determine that order myself the first time
I run Windows Update on a freshly installed machine (including reboots
between updates which require it). Then, when I eventually go through
that process again on that same machine, I'd have a folder on one of the
network drives with the updates tailored to that machine already
downloaded and ready to install.

Is this possible? If so, how can it be accomplished? I'd be interested
in pretty much every update I download for that machine... critical,
optional, drivers, etc.


Regards,
David P. Donahue

David,

It would be much more efficient to slipstream the Service Packs for
each OS with the original OS CD . Here's a site that offers some
info : http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?act...showarticle=49

And, another one : http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm

HTH,
MowGreen [MVP]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

David P. Donahue wrote:

> On my home network, every once in a while it becomes standard practice
> to wipe one of my Windows machines clean and re-install the OS. The
> longest step in this process has become using Windows Update after the
> installation. Is there any way that a person can somehow store the
> update packages on a local drive and run installs from there and then
> just check Windows Update for anything new that has come out since then?
> I mean, I can't even remember how many times I've installed Win2K, its
> subsequent service packs, IE6, its subsequent service packs, etc.
>
> Basically, what I'm picturing is a directory full of installers (.exe or
> .msi, whatever) and a couple batch scripts that would run them in the
> proper order. I'd be able to determine that order myself the first time
> I run Windows Update on a freshly installed machine (including reboots
> between updates which require it). Then, when I eventually go through
> that process again on that same machine, I'd have a folder on one of the
> network drives with the updates tailored to that machine already
> downloaded and ready to install.
>
> Is this possible? If so, how can it be accomplished? I'd be interested
> in pretty much every update I download for that machine... critical,
> optional, drivers, etc.
>
>
> Regards,
> David P. Donahue
>

This looks great, thanks. My only concern at the moment (I'm not at
home to test this yet) is where the first article says to select the
service pack file. When I download the major service packs, does that
include all the little fixes throughout Windows Update? Also, what
about new versions of IE, its service packs, drivers, etc.? Can any
non-service-pack (even non-microsoft) installer be included as well?


Thanks for the help,
David P. Donahue




MowGreen [MVP] wrote:

> David,
>
> It would be much more efficient to slipstream the Service Packs for each
> OS with the original OS CD . Here's a site that offers some info :
> http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?act...showarticle=49
>
> And, another one : http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm
>
> HTH,
> MowGreen [MVP]
> ===============
> *-343-* FDNY
> Never Forgotten
> ===============
>
> David P. Donahue wrote:
>
>> On my home network, every once in a while it becomes standard practice
>> to wipe one of my Windows machines clean and re-install the OS. The
>> longest step in this process has become using Windows Update after the
>> installation. Is there any way that a person can somehow store the
>> update packages on a local drive and run installs from there and then
>> just check Windows Update for anything new that has come out since
>> then? I mean, I can't even remember how many times I've installed
>> Win2K, its subsequent service packs, IE6, its subsequent service
>> packs, etc.
>>
>> Basically, what I'm picturing is a directory full of installers (.exe
>> or .msi, whatever) and a couple batch scripts that would run them in
>> the proper order. I'd be able to determine that order myself the
>> first time I run Windows Update on a freshly installed machine
>> (including reboots between updates which require it). Then, when I
>> eventually go through that process again on that same machine, I'd
>> have a folder on one of the network drives with the updates tailored
>> to that machine already downloaded and ready to install.
>>
>> Is this possible? If so, how can it be accomplished? I'd be
>> interested in pretty much every update I download for that machine...
>> critical, optional, drivers, etc.
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>> David P. Donahue
>>
>
>

What you suggest is fine for major updates (SPs), but what about the
continious stream of patches
that trickle almost daily from Redmond? That is what I am and (I believe)
Dave is looking for. I've
even suggested the idea of making it possible to designate one Windows
machine to be an update
server for the LAN. It will download and store updates from MS and other
machines will be pointed
to it for updates. Imagine the bandwidth saved everyday if such an idea is
implemented.

Anyway, where does windowsupdate store the downloaded files? and does it
erase them after
they are installed?




------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"MowGreen [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:...
> David,
>
> It would be much more efficient to slipstream the Service Packs for each
> OS with the original OS CD . Here's a site that offers some info :
> http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?act...showarticle=49
>
> And, another one : http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm
>
> HTH,
> MowGreen [MVP]
> ===============
> *-343-* FDNY
> Never Forgotten
> ===============

Undoubtedly such an "update server for the LAN" would end up requiring a
Windows Server edition of some kind, which leaves out users like myself.
But it would be fantastic for corporate networks to roll out updates
across their environment instead of telling their users (dozens,
hundreds, even thousands of them per environment) to all go to Windows
Update and just hope that they all listen. (Unless there's a similar
tool already available in Windows Server... I wouldn't know.)

But amn's question "where does windowsupdate store the downloaded
files," if answered, could be the key to this thread. Especially if
these files are executable or can be passed as arguments to an
executable, allowing for the creation of a very simple script to install
them all.


Regards,
David P. Donahue




amn wrote:

> What you suggest is fine for major updates (SPs), but what about the
> continious stream of patches
> that trickle almost daily from Redmond? That is what I am and (I believe)
> Dave is looking for. I've
> even suggested the idea of making it possible to designate one Windows
> machine to be an update
> server for the LAN. It will download and store updates from MS and other
> machines will be pointed
> to it for updates. Imagine the bandwidth saved everyday if such an idea is
> implemented.
>
> Anyway, where does windowsupdate store the downloaded files? and does it
> erase them after
> they are installed?
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> "MowGreen [MVP]" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>
>>David,
>>
>>It would be much more efficient to slipstream the Service Packs for each
>>OS with the original OS CD . Here's a site that offers some info :
>>http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?act...showarticle=49
>>
>>And, another one : http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm
>>
>>HTH,
>>MowGreen [MVP]
>>===============
>> *-343-* FDNY
>>Never Forgotten
>>===============
>
>
>

"David P. Donahue" <> wrote in message news:<>...

> But amn's question "where does windowsupdate store the downloaded
> files," if answered, could be the key to this thread. Especially if
> these files are executable or can be passed as arguments to an
> executable, allowing for the creation of a very simple script to install
> them all.

It appears to download them to the folder
%windir%\SoftwareDistribution\Download. The file has a name consisting
of a meaningless jumble of letters and numbers, and no extension, but
if you right-click it and look at the properties, you get the same
version information you do with executable files, including extra
stuff like the KB article it refers to.

If you allow WU to install the update, it is copied to an Install
subfolder with the regular meaningful name like
"WindowsXP-KB834707-x86-enu.exe" for the duration of the update, and
then deleted afterwards. If the update requires a reboot, it's easy to
copy the file at this point, but a small patch that didn't require a
reboot might disappear before you get a chance to copy it.

Note that I'm figuring this out for myself, the hard way, so it might
not be gospel. But I know there are a lot of home users and small
businesses on dial-up who would like to know how to do this, because
it just isn't practical to have even two or three computers trying to
download multi-megabyte patches using a 56K modem.

Julian Moss
Tech-Pro Limited
http://www.tech-pro.net/

Good observation. I just tested this with a single update (KB834707) by
doing the following:

1) Install through Windows Update
2) During installation, copy the file from the Install folder you noticed
3) Uninstall update
4) Re-install from copied file

Looks like the file was a perfectly legitimate installer and it worked
fine. So if any MVP's are reading this, can the reliability of this
process be confirmed/denied?


Regards,
David P. Donahue




Julian wrote:
> "David P. Donahue" <> wrote in message news:<>...
>
>
>>But amn's question "where does windowsupdate store the downloaded
>>files," if answered, could be the key to this thread. Especially if
>>these files are executable or can be passed as arguments to an
>>executable, allowing for the creation of a very simple script to install
>>them all.
>
>
> It appears to download them to the folder
> %windir%\SoftwareDistribution\Download. The file has a name consisting
> of a meaningless jumble of letters and numbers, and no extension, but
> if you right-click it and look at the properties, you get the same
> version information you do with executable files, including extra
> stuff like the KB article it refers to.
>
> If you allow WU to install the update, it is copied to an Install
> subfolder with the regular meaningful name like
> "WindowsXP-KB834707-x86-enu.exe" for the duration of the update, and
> then deleted afterwards. If the update requires a reboot, it's easy to
> copy the file at this point, but a small patch that didn't require a
> reboot might disappear before you get a chance to copy it.
>
> Note that I'm figuring this out for myself, the hard way, so it might
> not be gospel. But I know there are a lot of home users and small
> businesses on dial-up who would like to know how to do this, because
> it just isn't practical to have even two or three computers trying to
> download multi-megabyte patches using a 56K modem.
>
> Julian Moss
> Tech-Pro Limited
> http://www.tech-pro.net/

David P. Donahue wrote:

> Good observation. I just tested this with a single update (KB834707) by
> doing the following:
>
> 1) Install through Windows Update
> 2) During installation, copy the file from the Install folder you noticed
> 3) Uninstall update
> 4) Re-install from copied file
>
> Looks like the file was a perfectly legitimate installer and it worked
> fine. So if any MVP's are reading this, can the reliability of this
> process be confirmed/denied?
Hi

It will work for many installations, but not all I think. Some WU
installs are delta-installs, and WU will download only the bits that
is needed for the exact configuration of the computer that you
download to, and will not work on another computer unless it has
*exactly* the same configuration needed for this update (very
unlikely). Also, you risk that this installation will not work later
on even on the same computer if some configuration have changed since
the download.

I suggest you download the individual updates from the Windows
Update Catalog instead:

Windows Update Catalog
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=8973

HOW TO: Download Windows Updates and Drivers from the Windows
Update Catalog
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=323166

You might want to sign up for Microsoft Security Update e-mail alerts
as well, click on the "E-mail Updates icon" here (then you can download
the updates from the Security Bulletins when they are released):

http://www.microsoft.com/security/bu...s/default.mspx



Some links that might be of interest for you:

------------------------------------------------------------------

A)
AutoPatcher, all-in-one updater for Windows XP
http://www.autopatcher.com/

------------------------------------------------------------------

B)
Unattended, A Windows deployment system
http://unattended.sourceforge.net/

See "How to install hotfixes and applications" under "What next?"

------------------------------------------------------------------

C)
In the link below you will find a description of a hotfix installation
system by Rob Dunn:

Visual Basic Script Hotfix Installation System:
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...TNGP11.phx.gbl

------------------------------------------------------------------

D)
If you want to script the installs yourself, combine the information
at the sites referred to in B) and C) with the information in the
following links:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...3Dusers.sf.net

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...99%40hydro.com

How to Install Multiple Windows Updates or Hotfixes with Only One Reboot
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=296861

Command-Line Switches For Windows Software Update Packages (1)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=262841

Command-Line Switches for Microsoft Software Update Packages (2)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=824687

New File Naming Schema for Microsoft Windows Software Update Packages
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=816915

------------------------------------------------------------------



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