Can I put Vista Updates & SP2 on optical disks?

[JorgeA]

Hello,

Last week I purchased, on clearance from a major retailer, a tower machine that came preloaded with Windows XP and included a set of both XP and Vista Business x86 DVDs. (Yes, the purchase of a Vista machine did take place in May 2012!!)

After getting the factory XP installation all caught up with updates and security software, I created a new partition to install Vista. That went well, but as you can imagine there were a ton of updates, including Service Pack 2.

We discovered last year that Microsoft doesn't keep previous updates for retired versions of Windows available forever, as we can no longer access Windows Update for Windows 98. The time will come when Microsoft pulls this same plug on Vista, and then new Vista installations won't be able to get SP2 and all the other updates that came out since the DVDs were published.

So, my question is: Now that these updates have been installed, is there some way to tease their files out of the system in order to put them on their own CD or DVD, so that years down the road, if necessary I can add them to a fresh Vista installation even after Microsoft stops offering the updates?

I suppose that one way around this would be to image the drive after the bulk of the updates are done, but of course we're still getting five more years' worth of security fixes. Should I simply keep reimaging the Vista drive, or is there some not-too-difficult way to add these files to an optical disk (or a thumb drive) as they arrive? I'm just not sure if they're too far integrated with Vista now to retrieve as independent files anymore.

Thanks for any ideas or suggestions.

--JorgeA

[submix8c]

After getting the factory XP installation all caught up with updates and security software, I created a new partition to install Vista. That went well, but as you can imagine there were a ton of updates, including Service Pack 2.

<snip>

So, my question is: Now that these updates have been installed, is there some way to tease their files out of the system in order to put them on their own CD or DVD, so that years down the road, if necessary I can add them to a fresh Vista installation even after Microsoft stops offering the updates?

?The usual "Download the Full EXE" files from MS??? Sorry, don't understand the question...

Also, you can afterward vLite it???

edit - and keep it up-to-date until the bitter end on Patch Tuesday, checking the Add/RemovePgms+ShowAll to make sure you have them all.

...and AutoPatcherDOTcom (so far) still keeps the Vista x86 post-SP2 list (relatively) up-to-date (currently as-of April 10, 2012). Just checked with the APUP program. (NOTE: not totally dependable - sometimes not always correct.)

Edited May 13, 2012 by submix8c

[JorgeA]

submix8c,

OK, here's how I'm looking at it.

We're still getting updates for Vista automatically via Windows Updates. But as soon as they're downloaded, they get installed (integrated) into Vista. What I would like to know is if (after installation) these downloaded files continue to exist as separate files somewhere in the folder structure, so that I can copy them to a DVD or thumb drive.

If the way Microsoft handled it with Windows 98 is a guide, then we can predict that as of April 2022 (five years after the end of extended support in April 2017), Microsoft will start erasing Vista updates from their website, just as today you can no longer access the Windows Updates page for Windows 98. Therefore I'd like to have a DVD or thumb drive containing all of these updates, so that if I ever need to reinstall Vista from the factory DVD, I can still install SP2 and all other updates.

Hope this makes my question clearer.

I'd never heard of Autopatcher.com, I'll look into it, thanks.

--JorgeA

Edited May 13, 2012 by JorgeA

[submix8c]

AFAIK (IF the same as XP/2K3) the Updates first come to SoftwareDistribution Folder, are -UNPACKED- to a SubFolder (now you DON'T have the Original EXE), and the UPDATE program is run. Then, the Update places the OLD files into another subfolder in the Windows directory for the purpose of "rollback".

So... you need the ORIGINAL EXE/MSP/(whatever) from MS. AutoPatcherDOTcom may be expedient, but bear in mind they use their OWN "download" routines and the Dates of the files are the CURRENT date of Download, so don't depend on "sorting" them by Date. USUALLY (but not always), the KB# will help, but don't depend on that.

...and I note that there's no "Vista Update List" topic (unless I missed it?)... so feel free to create one for both x86 and x64 (if there truly isn't one).

edit - read this (ARGGG! RyanVM - "Last edited by trippinferret on Mon Nov 21, 2011 6:53 pm")

edit2 - found this. You can use a Downloader if you wish to retain the original Date (e.g. FlashGet) by CANCELING when download screen pops up then using the "direct link" given (right-click, "Download using FlashGet") or just save the Link and use a "wget" command inside a CMD file (much like -X- does with XP post-SP3).

Edited May 13, 2012 by submix8c

[MagicAndre1981]

At the time the support for Windows Vista ends in 2017, install a VM with Vista Sp2 and go to Windows Update and scan for updates. Now open the WindowsUpdate.log and get the downloadlinks to all MSU updates and download them. Burn those updates to a CD/DVD.

[JorgeA]

@submix8c

@MagicAndre

Thanks a bunch! You've given me very good ideas to work with, and some homework to do.

Much appreciated.

--JorgeA

[hydraulik]

Why don't just use "WSUS offline"? AFAIK it automatically downloads updates and create an ISO if you want to.

You can specify the language for your updates and also include office updates. Service Packs for both (Office and Windows) are also possible.

After you are finished, you will have an ISO containing Service Pack and Updates for Windows and Office, combined with an installer which will allow you to install them in a few clicks only.

But: I won't recommend to include Offifce 2010 updates since you are able to slipstream them to Office setup easily.

Hope I could help you.

Edit: Forgot the link ... http://www.wsusoffline.net/

Edited May 25, 2012 by hydraulik

[JorgeA]

hydraulik,

That looks very interesting -- it does seem to include MS Office updates.

Thank you.

With all these alternatives, I've got plenty of work cut out for me...

--JorgeA

Edited May 26, 2012 by JorgeA