Unattended mass downloads

Will Pittenger wrote:

> I think that Microsoft Update (MU) should provide better support for
> unattended downloads -- especially if there are many downloads to
> process. The main problem are the downloads that come with their own
> installers. I think any questions they need answered should be answered
> before the download begins. This presumably would require a CSS/XHTML
> layer acting like a dialog or a web dialog similar to the one used by
> the downloader.
>
> IE 7 in particular is a real thorn. It's installer waits on a user ...
> just so it can download more stuff. First, you don't need the user.
> Skip that. Second, why isn't the download itself already up to date?
> Can't Microsoft change it to reflect the latest patches?
>
> There should also be an option to allow MU to reboot the computer
> without user intervention. I wouldn't use it. But IT department people
> in a large company setting up many computers at once might appreciate it.


What is really needed is SP3 for Windows XP. After all, at least 60
critical and major updates have been propagated since the release of
SP2 and it is a real pain to install each of these post-SP2 updates,
even when scripted for unattended installation. FYI, Will, most of us
in IT have our own SP3 releases on CD-R; we cannot wait around for MU
and WU to do its work.

I think that Microsoft Update (MU) should provide better support for
unattended downloads -- especially if there are many downloads to
process. The main problem are the downloads that come with their own
installers. I think any questions they need answered should be answered
before the download begins. This presumably would require a CSS/XHTML
layer acting like a dialog or a web dialog similar to the one used by
the downloader.

IE 7 in particular is a real thorn. It's installer waits on a user ...
just so it can download more stuff. First, you don't need the user.
Skip that. Second, why isn't the download itself already up to date?
Can't Microsoft change it to reflect the latest patches?

There should also be an option to allow MU to reboot the computer
without user intervention. I wouldn't use it. But IT department people
in a large company setting up many computers at once might appreciate it.
------
Will Pittenger
[will dot pittenger at globespeed dot com]
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