seapagan

Sorry I have to disagree dude. Not everyone uses XP, not everyone wants to wait a few days/weeks for a new RyanVM pack release after patch day, and some don't use English. HFSLIP does it all: 2K, XP, 2003 (all languages too). Nlite can't do "all" of 2k. I'd like to script this into HFSLIP, but I don't have the mental capacity to do it.... or the time. Not really sure what your point is here - this topic is about a hotfix downloader for XP. My point was that we dont really need another tool to integrate these. Sorry for using Ryan's packs as an example instead of your tool I also stated that I would like to see this tool be able to install the missing hotfixes for you. None of the tools you mention, including yours, have that functionality. Besides, 'waiting a few days or weeks' is a trivial excuse - use the windows update! Not everyone reinstalls windows every time microsoft releases a patch (sorta defeats the purpose of hotfixes hmm?). And before anyone says it, if you are in a corporate enviroment and are not using some form of server-based update then have a word with your IT dept.... SP

Glad to be of .. service Yes, you can run sc multiple times in a batch file. run sc without any cmmand line to get a list of possible options - there are a lot! SP

Excellent and detailed guide RogueSpear, bookmarked for when I get time to play Thanks for this. SP

Strange. I have installed both from the silent and 7z files on 5 machines here over the past few days, and so none of the problems you have with the add remove and shortcuts - all are installed properly. How are you installing? I have tried both to a running system and using RunOnceEx during XP install and see no problems. The iTunes msi problem I have finally seen also - but then I have also seen the problem with other repackaged apps here too. I *think* it may be to so with that fact that no local installation cache is created (the original iTunes installer does not do this, they are relying on the winrar to create it instead). What I may do is to make the 7z installer create this local cache and see if that helps (ie, not unpack to a temp dir, but to the place that the uninstaller is expecting). Leave it with me and I'll post back when it's tested. You're welcome SP

You can use this : sc stop "service" sc config "service" start= disabled Where service is the name of the service you want to stop (ie: "Automatic Updates"). Note that you must have the quotes, and that there is a space before disabled, that must be there. You can get the service names from the services control panel, enter them exactly as they are listed. SP

You dont automatically get invites, it may take a few days ... relax SP

True, but if I bothered to run upx on it, it comes out at 21Kb nircmd is a good tool, but I wanted something quick, simple and without a plethora of command lines. Only took me about 20mins to write so I didn't waste my life on it! Maybe I'll rewrite it in asm, see how small I can get it Thanks for the feedback SP

Update: I have just completed a full reinstall of XP on one of my machines, using this tool in a few silent installers run from SVCPACK and RunOnceEx with no problems. It also works from cmdlines.txt SP

Perfect! All 37 updates downloaded with no errors Thanks again. Allright, I can live with that! SP

Thanks At the moment this cannot be used on com files, because I deliberately restricted it to only bat or cmd in the code (try it, it will tell you its not a batch file). There is no reason why the code should not work for com files though (even exe files I guess). I'll take a look later and try. As long as the com (or console exe) requires no user input I dont see a problem with it working. SP

I also use CDBurnerXP Pro. Does everything I could need in one tiny (free) package. SP

Hey, I knocked together a quick program a few days ago, and posting it here in case anyone else would find it useful. What it basically does is to enable you to run any batchfile (without modification) but have nothing appear on the screen, ie no CMD window will be visible. I use this for creating my silent application installs, it removes the need to use 'cmdow' or similar. Many silent installers run using batchfiles to install the app, add registry entries, copy extra files etc, and this usually means having a CMD window visible on the screen, or using cmdow to hide it (which still flashes briefly). Otherwise, if you use a batch compiler you run the risk that it wont work properly on other peoples machines. Usage is simple : Just replace the part of your silent (7z or rar) installer that normally calls <batchfile> with : batchrunner <batchfile> There is also one command line option - /s - which will hide any errors that may occur so that if you are using this from runonceex your installation wil not pause to wait for you to press ok. Eg: batchrunner install.cmd /s One final thing, the batchfile name is optional - if one is not specified it will try to run 'install.cmd'. It always looks for the specified batch in the same directory as it is located, so works ok for silent installers when the archive is extracted to a temp directory. I have tried this with several of my own silent installers, from RunOnceEx & SVCPACK, and it works perfectly The program will wait until the batch has completed before exiting, so works well from RunOnceEx. Program is totally standalone, just copy the .exe file into the same folder as the rest of the files for your silent installer before you archive the lot up. I would recommend not using the /s switch until you are 100% sure that your installer works - just so you can see any error messages. Likewise, make sure your batch file is working properly before using batchrunner! You will see no console window to aid troubleshooting. Please let me know how it works for you, any errors, and any suggestions for improvements. SP BatchRunner.7z

True, but Ryan's pack is usually pretty up to date - recently he had major problems with hard drives, hence the delay in the latest release. The slack was picked up by siginet with his addon for the missing updates. Microsoft generally only releases patches once a month remember. I have no problems installing a couple of updates direct from MS Update after installation. Exactly. nLite already incorporates hotfixes. Just pump them in from the download directory created by this tool. And personally, I have no problems to use more than one tool to get the job done if seperate tools do a better job. I already use siginets integrator, BTS's driverpacks and nLite on my CD's anyway. Actually, you may have convinced me of something that I never thought of! We get a lot of clients who come onboard with their laptops (and employee's) that may not be totally up to date. A usefull function for me would be if this tool could check which hotfixes have not been installed on the computer, then install them on request ... that would be so cool! This way I could carry around one CD containing the hotfixes and this tool, to make all my systems up to date. This doesn't mean that I'm backing down on my objection to source integration options though ;P This would also add a lot of extra work for Ryan & jcarle - how to determine which hotfixes have already been incorporated by ryan's packs so duplicates are not installed by this tool? Personally, I am really enthusiastic about this tool, but (again my opinion) believe that doing one 'step' only is better than trying to do things that are covered by other tools. I would use this to maintain a library of post SP2 hotfixes, so that I can install them on any computer that needs them. Also, it depends on what jcarle wants to put in Works good jcarle. I like the progress window, looks cleaner and more functional. The program is much more responsive generally also. I tested the destination folder option, works fine. Still get the same problem with the windows installer download, though it's now a standard 'windows has encountered a problem ...' instead on the .net error. This seems to happen at the very end, after the hotfix has downloaded so dont think it is anything to do with WGA or similar. Edit: I would still like to see the function where if the download directory already contains a hotfix, that the corresponding checkbox in the list is unchecked by default. This would make it easier when new hotfixes come out - just run the tool and get the new ones. SP

Yup, they would just beat you around the head and body until you gave them the password. A lot quicker than trying to decrypt it. Sure, some of the simple ones can be 'brute' cracked, but for any reasonable encryption algo it would take so long (and so much computer power) to brute that whatever information was found would be useless, and it's owner probably died of old age Hence the restrictions the US put on the export of 'strong' encryption - it is actually classed with explosives for export use. The faith (paranoia) people have in the skills of their government and related agencies never fails to amaze me. Discount by 95% most if the things you see in shows like 'Alias' SP

One option is to disallow opening the 'Internet Options' dialog in the first place. I know that Spybot can do this as one of it's options, I believe it's a registry entry, but not sure which one. Google may help. Edit : Check out this website : WinGuides SP

And ****, but they are some cute little beasties - I want one! /me heads out into the woods with a net... BTW, the 'RedFox' nick in the screen shots seems familiar ... dont suppose you used to hang around the zoo with that nick? SP

If you want to keep the IE history for longer, just go to Tools -> Internet Options, and there is a box at the bottom to choose how long to keep history (max 999 days). Most of the history or MRU's in XP can have a time limit set on them. SP

It's an option, however personally I saw this prog as something you set running then come back to a directory full of hotfixes which can then be used as PC's require them. To be honest, the slipstreaming of hotfixes is pretty well covered by RyanVM's packs, and I dont see the need to add another tool into the mix. Integrating with nLite would be superfluous for the same reasons, and just add more to the 'nLite doesn't work cos I cant be bothered to read the instructions' posts that litter that forum. Similar I would thumbs down on your tool integrating the hotfixes into the XP source also. The best tool does one thing really well, not everything badly ;P Just my thoughts. SP

Thanks for the heads-up on the new version. Not used XMpeg for years, it was very unstable last time I tried (but that was in version 1.x or something a way back then), I may give it another try. Am I correct that this was originally based on the FlaskMPG code? I seem to remember something like that.SP

I Generally convert them to xVid avi's using Gordian Knot rippack 0.35.0, which you can get from www.doom9.org. It's a little complicated to setup at first, but there are plenty of good guides there to help. I can generally get very good quality (indestinguishable from the DVD when viewed on my computer) with a file size of less than 1Gb per movie. Standard sizes are about 700 Mb, so would even fit on a CD. Doom9 has a gaggle of tools and utilities that will do what you want, and is a must-visit site for anything like this. Edit: Another option is to actually decrease the quality that to rip them with in DVDShrink, though you said you did not want to do that. I have knocked 8Gb DVD's down to fit on a single DVD without any visible loss of quality, even when viewed on a 32" screen. Remember you can decrease the quality of menu's etc to the min value (or replace with stills) and it will not affect your movie. Ditching the 'extras' can usually save you a heap of space too. SP

Thanks Kel ... I forgot that tool existed. Bookmarked now SP

If you run the runonceex.cmd from cmdlines.txt it will install the reg entries at T12, then the computer has to reboot anyway to complete the installation, so your RunOnceEx will activate then. If you are trying to use the runonceex after windows has completed installing, just add the shutdown command from cleanup.cmd to the end of your runonceex.cmd. Otherwise, there is a way of getting the RunOnceEx to activate without rebooting but I cant remember off the top of my head - search the forums for this. SP

You can use PEid to tell you what type the file is, or just get used to identifying installers by their UI or which files they contain. IIRC, the Unnatended CD / DVD guide contains a list of the usual switches for each installer type, or google for them. SP

Still works fine for me using the link at the top of the page. Just got 3.5.1 from there, and the auto update is good.If you cant connect, check your system ... one of the first things certain virii / spyware does is block access to the sites of AV companies.... SP

Not sure that integrating into OEM dir is required - there are many tools avaliable for that. I think this proggie is better (imho) to stay exactly what it is - download tool for the hotfixes. Regarding helptips, it already has mouseover tooltips that briefly describe the hotfix, but perhaps making each a clickable link to the relevant KB page would be useful?Other suggestions: - Detect what has already been downloaded (check versions for those that keep the same KB number over updatse), and dont offer to download them the next time. - put updates in an ini file so when new ones come out we only have to download that to get the latest ones. - yes, add a cancel button! - needs a bit of work on the 'idle' processing, as it seems to be locked at times when it is processing (gui does not update) Thanks for this tool jcarle SP