XPCREATE using SUS server downloads

[ArfNar]

Hello,

Xpcreate newbie here. I am trying to populate the xpcreate file structure (service packs

and hotfixes, etc). Since I have a SUS server, and ALL of the patches, service packs, hotfixes are already downloaded, can I just use those? Would I use the same file structure? Are the updates packaged differently for SUS and Windows Automatic Updates? Since they are all exes can I just put them all in "SVC-EXE" directory?

Thanks in advance!

[GreenMachine]

Welcome, ArfNar, to XPCREATE.

I have no hands on experience with SUS servers, but my understanding is that they basically work as a local Windows Update Site. In any event, you will still need the files listed on the Current Hotfixes Page. See the XPCREATE Web Site. You can compare file names and sizes on the list with those from your SUS server.

Good Luck!

[utln]

You should be able to use your SUS updates. You will need to put them into the correct folders however. Since SUS only downloads critical updates, you'll need to download any of the recommended updates (Movie Maker 2, Media Player 9, etc...) that you want to update.

[ArfNar]

Thanks, that is good to know. I am mostly concerned about building workstations that are pre-patched

with critical updates. I don't want to wait for SUS to patch a fresh install. It's a jungle out there!

Thanks again,

-arf

[frankiboy_01]

You definitely can use the downloaded hotfixes from your SUS-server.

These hotfixes do NOT differ from those you can download via Windows Update or via Windows Catalogue or via Microsoft Downloads page. - They are all the same.

If you look into your SUS server cache you will find a lot of files (according to your operating system and languagues selections) in a single folder. The file names are somewhat long and cryptical, but there is a system!

1) The name mentioned on GreenMachines hotfix list (on his webpage) can be found as part of the file name

2) If there are more than one file containing the name you can find details by using the HTTP-access to yout SUS server and going to "approve Updates" (or so) and search there again for the name and click on "details" (or "more")

3) If you are fit in writing/understanding batch scripts, you can modify the downloader script from http://hfs.littlenikita.biz I think (not 100% sure) the "cryptical part" (indeed it's a GUID) of the file names in the SUS cache can be found in his script. So if you modify the script to copy from your SUS cache you can rename and put the files in the correct place.

I myself will have a look on the third possibility (if I had time...) and if I have a working script set up I will post. - If you succeed in doing this earlier - feel free to post it!

I hope I helped you.

Greetings

Frank.

[ArfNar]

Thanks, all good ideas. I like option 3 the best. I took a look at the script(s) at http://hfs.littlenikita.biz/. They look real straight forward... but the question that comes to mind is, "How do you know what goes where?" And how on earth did you find the correct path to the correct updates? Surely you didn't just web suck download.microsoft.com? Did ya?

-arf

[frankiboy_01]

Me, too! (Favourite option 3)

Unfortunately I don't have access to the SUS server right now (as I'm not in office). So anything I can do is estimating... BUT I'll give it a try:

The interesting script from http://hfs.littlenikita.biz/ is *.cmd (either WIN2K or WINXP - according to your OS).

Looking at this file (I took WINXP.cmd) you see

[...]

:Q322011IF EXIST SVC-HF1\Q322011.exe GOTO Q327979downloader.exe -download http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/a/3/ea3b0e47-8142-4a8e-847c-f0d6d836d3c3/Q322011_WXP_SP2_x86_ENU.exe SVC-HF1\Q322011.exe
:Q327979IF EXIST SVC-HF1\Q327979.EXE GOTO Q810243downloader.exe -download http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Patch/Q327979/WXP/EN-US/Q327979_WXP_SP2_x86_ENU.exe SVC-HF1\Q327979.EXE

[...]

My intention was:

Parse this cmd-script and modify it (create a new .cmd file) to use your SUS cache as file source instead of downloading from the internet. I figured out the following steps in a first look / thought (maybe do this using a little C proggy?):

1) replace the download.exe (and it's switches) with the copy (or xcopy) command

2) the download URL contains the GUID (######-####-####-####-############) also used by SUS server to distinguish the files [i assume!]

So the name of the file in the SUS cache should be (for the above example)

Q322011_WXP_SP2_x86_ENU_ea3b0e47-8142-4a8e-847c-f0d6d836d3c3.exe

Where the GUID is missing there should only be one file in your SUS cache [i assume!]

3) the last parameter of the line is the location where to put it. Here you find the folder name of the XPCreate folder structure (and even the short name)

http://hfs.littlenikita.biz/ to know where to put the files in XPCreate's file tree (as I'm a newbie to XPCreate, too).

4) Maybe a little "try and error" phase is to be taken to get the correct use of wildcards to find the correct files in your SUS cache.

Feel free to ask, if I explained not deep enough...

Greetings

Frank

[ArfNar]

Oh, yes, that is all quite straight forward. I am still curious how y'all figured out what is a hotfix type 1 -vs- hotfix type 2? I've been fighting with this for years. My assessment was that no two service packs, or hot fixes were alike, as far as installing. Which, I found typical of Microsoft. Over the years, I have written a cludge of cheesy install scripts to remotely add files and force updates to the registry, even HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.

Modifying the script looks trivial. It's just the authoritative, or master list of ALL critical updates and how they're applied that's a mystery to me. I would prefer to write a perl script that parses the header of each file to determine what type of install, and which OS it belongs, and from that determine which update goes into which XPCREATE directory (SPACKS, SVC-XXX).

So, I guess I would prefer to write a script that copies the files from the SUS downloads and places them in the correct XPCREATE directory by reading what is there, as oppossed to modify someone elses script that hardcoded what the updates are. That would make the script much more dynamic, in that it would figure out what goes where based on what is actually in the SUS download directory.

Thanks,

-arf

[GreenMachine]

Almost all of the time, I tell the Hotfix Type by looking at the icon ... Other than that I take them apart and look at the files. True, it is a pain in the neck, but considering that it is 10 - 15 times a year, I can live with that. I also prefer to personally examine each hotfix that I apply, so I can have some idea of the possible consequences, as well as making my own decisions as to which to apply or not to apply. System Administration is not a simple job, and is usually paid accordingly. A couple of hours a month is a lot better than blindly trusting all your park to some freeware script found on the Internet ...

But the truth of it all, is that it is not feasible to construct a logic of this type, whilst having no control over the future hotfix versions.

on the other hand, if you have your own network, and are using SUS, your needs of every single, up to date hotfix are less critical. Apply the base set, set Automatic Updates on, and fahget about it. that is what the SUS server is for, no?

[GrimSage]

the updates I ahve found that are on the SUS server are as follows for XP at least...(This is only current with jono's update script which hasnt been updated since the 15th)

Q811114

Q815021

Q828026

KB810217

KB823182

KB824105

KB824141

KB825119

KB826939

KB828035

Q832894

Q837009

Q831167

Q832483

I found these but they dont have the -express in the filename but they do have the same filesize

KB837001

KB828741

KB835732

I agree having every single hotfix is less critical but when doing an new install of the OS it saves time to have them integrated.

WINXPsus.cmd

WINXPsus.cmd