Windows File Protection and Windows Updates

I've got a venerable machine built from an original W2K CD. It's
completely patched.


Today I was screwing around with demo software and at some point I for
the Windows File Protection message, asking me for my W2K cd. I had
it, no problem, but it occurs to me to ask what happens if the file
being restored was one that had been updated in some huge service
pack or critical update?

Does Windows Update check version info at the file level?

What should I do after I recover from a Windows File Protection message ?









--
a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m

Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.

Based on what I have seen, Windows Update does well in checking the version numbers of individual update-files. If your system has the latest version, it will not overwrite it (for example, in the case of running an old update).

Hoping you wrote down the name of the file(s) your system had complained about.

If your Win2K CD is old (and by now it is. Anything before Win2000 service pack 4), then you should consider doing a run at Windows Update.

--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----


Al Dykes wrote:
> I've got a venerable machine built from an original W2K CD. It's
> completely patched.
>
>
> Today I was screwing around with demo software and at some point I for
> the Windows File Protection message, asking me for my W2K cd. I had
> it, no problem, but it occurs to me to ask what happens if the file
> being restored was one that had been updated in some huge service
> pack or critical update?
>
> Does Windows Update check version info at the file level?
>
> What should I do after I recover from a Windows File Protection
> message ?

If a Service Pack has been installed, there is a file "ServicePackFiles"
that will be accessed for the appropriate updated files.
Other updates are also safe since Windows keeps track of the version as you
thought

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"Al Dykes" <> wrote in message
news:dtj6gn$lib$...
>
> I've got a venerable machine built from an original W2K CD. It's
> completely patched.
>
>
> Today I was screwing around with demo software and at some point I for
> the Windows File Protection message, asking me for my W2K cd. I had
> it, no problem, but it occurs to me to ask what happens if the file
> being restored was one that had been updated in some huge service
> pack or critical update?
>
> Does Windows Update check version info at the file level?
>
> What should I do after I recover from a Windows File Protection message ?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m
>
> Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.

In article <#>,
Maurice N ~ MVP <> wrote:
>Based on what I have seen, Windows Update does well in checking the =
>version numbers of individual update-files. If your system has the =
>latest version, it will not overwrite it (for example, in the case of =
>running an old update).
>
>Hoping you wrote down the name of the file(s) your system had complained =
>about.

The Microsft message didn't name any files. PITA.

>
>If your Win2K CD is old (and by now it is. Anything before Win2000 =
>service pack 4), then you should consider doing a run at Windows Update.
>

We'll see. Thanks.

--
a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m

Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.

In article <>,
Jupiter Jones [MVP] <> wrote:
>If a Service Pack has been installed, there is a file "ServicePackFiles"
>that will be accessed for the appropriate updated files.
>Other updates are also safe since Windows keeps track of the version as you
>thought
>

Then why did it ask for my original CD?

What happens if I've deleted thise files? They can get huge, and on my laptop
I have to blow them away.



--
a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m

Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.

Al;
Only the updated files are in that folder, everything else is in the CD.
Both are needed.
ServicePackFiles should not be deleted.
But the uninstall files can be safely deleted:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm
Are you confusing ServicePackFiles with the uninstall files?

If you did delete ServicePackFiles, you may need to perform a Repair
Installation instead of the quicker fix which otherwise would be available.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"Al Dykes" <> wrote in message
news:dtj9j9$kvt$...
> Then why did it ask for my original CD?
>
> What happens if I've deleted thise files? They can get huge, and on my
> laptop
> I have to blow them away.
>
>
>
> --
> a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m
>
> Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.

Al Dykes wrote:

> In article <#>,
> Maurice N ~ MVP <> wrote:
>
>>Based on what I have seen, Windows Update does well in checking the =
>>version numbers of individual update-files. If your system has the =
>>latest version, it will not overwrite it (for example, in the case of =
>>running an old update).
>>
>>Hoping you wrote down the name of the file(s) your system had complained =
>>about.
>
>
> The Microsft message didn't name any files. PITA.
Hi,

You will find an entry in the "Application" event log (or maybe
"System, I don't remember) for this happening, and it will contain
the file name involved.

Right click on "My Computer" and select "Manage", and then open the
"Event Viewer" entry.


--
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

Al:

You are both correct in a way. When an upate installs, it also updates a
copy in the DLLCACHE directory, which is the first place that Windows File
Protection looks. If it doesn't find a copy there, then it gets a copy from
your CD which as you suspect may not be the current version. However, if
you have Automatic Updates turned on, or if you visit the Windows Update web
site, if there is a newer version in any of the security updates, the
security update will be re-installed.


"Jupiter Jones [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:%...
> Al;
> Only the updated files are in that folder, everything else is in the CD.
> Both are needed.
> ServicePackFiles should not be deleted.
> But the uninstall files can be safely deleted:
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm
> Are you confusing ServicePackFiles with the uninstall files?
>
> If you did delete ServicePackFiles, you may need to perform a Repair
> Installation instead of the quicker fix which otherwise would be
> available.
>
> --
> Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
> http://www.dts-l.org
>
>
> "Al Dykes" <> wrote in message
> news:dtj9j9$kvt$...
>> Then why did it ask for my original CD?
>>
>> What happens if I've deleted thise files? They can get huge, and on my
>> laptop
>> I have to blow them away.
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m
>>
>> Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.
>
>

John,
I did not realize that WFP looked at the DLLCACHE first. Learned something new. Thanks for pointing that out.

As to Al & the CD, I want to suggest that he make a slipstream CD for his Win2000. (create a new CD with w2k+latest service pack).
Here is one good reference
Windows 2000/XP SP Slipstreaming by Daniel Petri
http://www.petri.co.il/windows_2000_...pstreaming.htm

The examples are for Win2000, as well as Win XP.

Al: Use the slipstream CD (in lieu of older) in case there's a future need for your Windows CD.

HTH
--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----


John [MSFT] wrote:
> Al:
>
> You are both correct in a way. When an upate installs, it also
> updates a copy in the DLLCACHE directory, which is the first place
> that Windows File Protection looks. If it doesn't find a copy there,
> then it gets a copy from your CD which as you suspect may not be the
> current version. However, if you have Automatic Updates turned on,
> or if you visit the Windows Update web site, if there is a newer
> version in any of the security updates, the security update will be
> re-installed.
>

In article <>,
John [MSFT] <> wrote:
>Al:
>
>You are both correct in a way. When an upate installs, it also updates a
>copy in the DLLCACHE directory, which is the first place that Windows File
>Protection looks. If it doesn't find a copy there, then it gets a copy from
>your CD which as you suspect may not be the current version. However, if
>you have Automatic Updates turned on, or if you visit the Windows Update web
>site, if there is a newer version in any of the security updates, the
>security update will be re-installed.
>
>



Thanks to someone for pointing out the Event Viewer entry for a WFP
event. Live and learn.

FWIW; the file in question was riched32.dll and some googleing finds a
KB tech note that says there are 3 !!! versions in distrubution with
the exact same version #. Thank you Microsoft!.





--
a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m

Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.