While using a proggie called Process Mate (a freeware task manager), I found out that it can give the path of the running processes as well as the parameters used to start them.

I used WindowsUpdate to check my Windows 2000 SP4 IE6 SP1 install, and found I needed about 4 updates. Using Process Mate I noticed that the hotfixes were called using the following parameters:

-q /Z -ER -PA

for example:

WINDOWS2000-KB837001-X86-ENU-express.EXE -q /Z -ER -PAWINDOWS2000-KB828741-X86-ENU-express.EXE -q /Z -ER -PAWINDOWS2000-KB835732-X86-ENU-express.EXE -q /Z -ER -PA

I know what the -q and /Z parameters do... but does anyone know what those other two parameters (-ER -PA) do?

I tried running the hotfix files (found under the C:\WUTemp folder) directly at the command prompt using /? to check the parameters, but those parameters are not listed in the parameters help window.

can you give us a link to this process mate. i did a search on google for it and didnt see it. maybe i didnt look hard enough though.

ProcessMate v1.87 coded by Weird

ProcessMate lists all active processes and resolve their unique IDs, paths and number of threads.

Haven't used it yet myself, but here is the link to the authors website:

http://www.weird173.net/apps/pmmate.html

(Found via Google after removing the space in the name!)

Glenn Fincher

I'm been using PM to monitor my unattended installs and to obtain the command-line parameters that MS uses to install certain things. Now I've hit a rock in the road with those 2 parameters that seem to be undocumented.

Haven't found anything on those on google or MS Knowledge base.

Can someone please clarify what -ER -PA does?

Over 200 views and still no answers!

-ER : Enables extended return codes

-PA : Passive Mode

Wow! Thanks alanoll

Where can I get the docs that explain those options further?

I mean, the docs/readme where you got that.

I would really like to explore the extended return codes. Can they be used in a batch/cmd script?

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...t/winupdte.mspx

enjoy

Thanks Alanoll For that link it was an intresting read

I still haven't read the whole thing......I only got to the part about the switches and stopped. Too boring