[HD Video]How to quickly install Windows Updates (Not Autopatcher)

[+Warwagon MVC]

How to quickly install Windows Updates (Not Autopatcher)

works best with XP

Shortened Version 8:34 mins

Due to the time limitation on youtube the video had to be shortened.

Directors Cut Edition 11:03 mins

Located in the new Computer Enthusiast Group just created on Facebook

Every day I?m downloading and installing updates on Windows XP machines, either in my office or in people?s homes. I didn?t mind having to download 3,4 or even 10 updates. It?s all the updates after a clean install of windows (70+ update) that I wanted to make go faster. I had previously used Autopatcher for XP but it felt like the install time of installing the updates was much slower than if I was using the windows update website.

The process I came up with is pretty simplistic and is the method I?ve been using for installing updates in my office and off site.

Step 1.

Use a clean install of Windows XP SP3 with no updates. You could use an actual PC but a VM which lets you take snapshots works much better so you can do this all over again the next month.

Step 2

Run windows updates. Let it download all of the updates and start to install them. Once it finishes installing the updates, copy the contents of C:\windows\softwaredistribution\download to a location of your choice.

Step 3

Compress the files you just copied into a self extracting exe that when executed, prompts you to extract the contents of the archive into the c:\windows\softwaredistribution\download folder. Make sure that when you compress the files that when extracted, you end up with files and not a directory called download. (Example This is what you don't want softwaredistirbution\download\download)

Note: If i'm doing a clean install of Windows XP Sp3 I prefer to install Internet Explorer 8 off a usb stick first before running windows update.

That?s pretty much it. Now when you go to a customer?s house to install updates or if they bring the computer to your office just extract the self extracting zip. Then when you run Windows update it doesn?t have download any files because they are already on the machine. It just says ?Done? and goes to the next one. The entire process of downloading the 72 updates now takes just a minute or so.

Note: The .net framework and the malicious software removal tool still downloads from the internet regardless if they are in the archive. Only 2 files that it happens with.

Enjoy!

[ilev]

Why not just download the Monthly ISO ?

[amon91]

I think you can simplify the process even further by having the self-extracting archive run a batch script that installs all updates silently one by one, then reboots. Should be pretty easy to do.

[farmeunit]

There is also this->http://www.vulnerabilityassessment.co.uk/ctupdate.htm

[Colin-uk Veteran]

or just interegrate the updates into the install CD.

:p

[+Warwagon MVC]

or just interegrate the updates into the install CD.

:p

Everytime I try to do something like that I get the "original system file modified message, please insert cd"

[farmeunit]

Everytime I try to do something like that I get the "original system file modified message, please insert cd"

Do you use nLite?

[+Warwagon MVC]

Do you use nLite?

Yes

[farmeunit]

I've never had that issue with nLite. I've never tried a fully update version though. I plan on it soon. I've only done SP3 on SP2 disc with some programs.

[Raa]

Don't use nLite. I manually integrate my CDs with no issues.

The other option you might have greater success with is using a WSUS server at home/office. This won't work in the field obviously, but I do this in the office when I have computers to update on the desk. Works a charm, and never had any issues. Works on all supported versions of Microsoft software.

There's various methods for tackling it, depends what you're comfortable doing. :)

[+DKAngel Subscriber²]

hrmm would this work for 7?

[+Warwagon MVC]

Updated with with new videos

[Panacik]

Wow... Your still on this after all this time? I remember writing a script for you a while back!

[ron963]

What about www.wsusoffline.net?