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Windows 2000 "Hotstream" Project


Gurgelmeyer

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OK - just to clarify a bit:

I have also written a large app named Hotstream, which automatically analyzes any amount of Type 1 fixes and creates a new Type1 hotfix that truely combines them all.

1 - Using Hotstream I combine all known Type 1 fixes for W2K into ONE - an Unofficial Post-Service Pack 4 Update x (seen in the screenshots)

2 - I'm working on an Option Pack which will contain all the components usually downloaded from WU (MDAC,MSXML,IE6,WMP etc etc). It will be a single Type 1 hotfix too, and install all components with their latest updates in one operation.

The Post-SP4 Update can be installed AND safely uninstalled on any W2K machine running SP4 - it doesn't have to be a clean install. It can also be manually slipstreamed - but I'll probably write a slipstreamer utility, or make /integrate work.

The Option Pack will require SP3 only and may also be installed and safely uninstalled on any W2K machine. And slipstreamed.

Both the Post-SP4 update and the Option Pack uses Microsoft's own hotfix installer to get the job done right. Another thing - and I'm a bit proud of this - is, that neither the Post SP-4 update nor the Option Pack will break ANY security catalog from Microsoft, nor do they mess with the system file protection. I use the File Signature Verification Utility to verify this. :)

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Thanx, prathapml :)

So far things are going well - but if anyone are good (and I mean *really* good) at reading/creating .inf files I could definately use a little help to speed up things with the option pack. All the setup .inf's for each component need to be manually rewritten to fit the servicepack-like layout expected by update.exe. This takes time. MDAC 2.7 SP1a has no less than 6 .inf's.... :rolleyes:

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Hmm....

I know that RyanVM is very good with INFs. And I also know that he is being asked to make his XPSP2 update pack manually installable (which your installer could do). Probably the two of you could join efforts? Dunno.... Let's hope he reads this thread.

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Update - the Option Pack is coming along fine. I've been in COM Hell for a few days now, but things are clearing up. I now have MDAC ready for the Option Pack and it uninstalls perfectly too - unlike Microsoft's own MDAC package, which cannot uninstall at all. B)

Also got a few more server fixes for the Update Pack. :)

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Thanks, Shadow_Fi :)

It's hard to get the Themes service running in 2k. Often thought about it thoug. Maybe I'll make a "Power Pack" too with stuff from XP.

Update: I just received the last missing hotfixes for 2K. Now I have ALL hotfixes for 2000 Pro + Server + Adv Server + Dtc Server + Windows Powered (rare edition of 2K).

I'll get on with the Option Pack now. Got a few hotfixes for MDAC and XML3 SP5 + XML4 SP2 to add, and I also need to handle MDAC 2.6 upgrades. B)

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SFXCAB packaging is not documented by Microsoft, and there is absolutely no information available from Microsoft about it. I had to find out how to build SFXCAB's all by myself. It was not uncomplicated, and required some of the rather obscure information provided on CAB's in a document from 1997 - part of the CABSDK.

I can tell you this much:

1 - The SFXCAB.EXE - the executable hotfix container/expander - is part of every Type 1 hotfix you download from Microsoft

2 - The big difference between SFXCAB (Type 1) and WExtract (aka IExpress) (Type 2) packages is, that in an SFXCAB the actual file cabinet (.CAB) is stored within the PE image itself, and in a WExtract the file cabinet and other information is stored as resources attached to the executable.

3 - The file cabinets - in both SFXCAB and WExtract - are compressed with LZX 21 compression. You can create such a cabinet file with the CABARC.EXE tool. Look here.

Generally SFXCAB's are only useful if you know how UPDATE.EXE works, and if you know about cryptography. Also, you will need some programming skills to help UPDATE.EXE overcome some of its limitations B)

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Generally SFXCAB's are only useful if you know how UPDATE.EXE works, and if you know about cryptography.  Also, you will need some programming skills to help UPDATE.EXE overcome some of its limitations    B)

It's not a problem if my SFX is not digitally signed. I don't edit the inf file and neither break the digital signature. What i want to achieve is just extracting 30x Windows2000-KB<number>-x86-<language>-express.exe, keep the needed files in ROOT (empty.cat spmsg.dll spuninst.exe) and in UPDATE folder (eula.txt spcustom.dll update.exe) of the extracted HotFix and build a single SFX which i can extract where i want. then i will write a batch file which take each update.inf update.ver and KB<number>.cat files from the HotFixes, copy the three files in UPDATE folder and launch UPDATE.EXE /Q /U /O /N /Z

I have already checked this method to install HotFixes from SVCPACK using extrac32.exe and cab files with a batch, just having to deal with some delay between each command.

but i would like to use a "Microsoft" SFX for the first part of the process.

It can help me saving space because it 's stupid to:

having 30x SFX containing the same 6 files + 3 different files and launching 30x SFX to install HotFix

If we can extract the 6 files one time from a single SFX, and then issuing a command (batch file) that put the 3 files from each Hotfix in UPDATE folder, launch UPDATE.EXE, then delete the 3 files, put the 3 next, and so on...

I already know the GreenMachine method with cabarc.exe and looks as an alternative if i can't find another solution.

If you can put me in the right direction to create such single SFXCAB...

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So, as i understood, no one will even try to make uxtheme.dll for Win2000? :} Anyways, can you Gurgelmeyer, think about how to make all Win2000 icons look antialiased? Then, it would be pretty fun if with your pack would install shell32.dll with WinXP icons, or something like that. Then would be cool, if some one would make small util, that would came with your pack.. I mean something like TuneXP, coz there is very handy option, " ultra fast booting ". Would be cool to have this function in Windows. Just ideas :D

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