XP Update CD

[evilvoice]

This will be more like a guide so I branched it from the Post SP2 Update CD thread (no im not gonna put a link like some people suggest, get over it LOL). I have taken the network download of SP2 and am doing some changes to it so that it will integrate with the newest RyanVM pack along with any hotfix stuff you would like to install during windows setup (for instance, I install dotnetfx, wmp, wmc, and jvm in svcpack.inf). But the main focus of this is to be able to update an already installed windows with sp2 and any hotfixes that have come out recently (this utilizes ryans updatepack).

I am working on making this universal no matter what service pack is out. This means it could possibly be used when service pack 3 comes out. I would post what I have done so far, but I feel without finishing and testing, a lot of people would try it anyways and end up with a useless version. So, please be patient and bear with me while I try to finish this up. So far it only consists of copying files and updating an inf.

As far as integrating goes, that works flawlessly, I just havent tested it as a standalone updater yet. I do know it should only add 60mb to an unattended xp install cd. Not bad for a cd that can both install and update windows also considering that sp2 by itself is a 273mb compressed file. So please wait until I have finished all my tests.

I will post the inf file when finished so that people can update to their liking.

(since ryanvm wants to yell at me for how I post, here is his version. I personally like mine better but whatever LOL. Yes, his name is lowercase for a reason )

Edited July 4, 2005 by evilvoice

[RyanVM]

It's RyanVM, not ryanvm

(hmm, I think I should go old school and go back to my first MSFN title - Grammar Nazi)

[evilvoice]

just messing...thanx ryan

Edited July 4, 2005 by evilvoice

[RyanVM]

But seriously, good luck to you on this project. Here's to hoping it turns out alright .

[evilvoice]

Ok, i figured I would give an update. It seems that this is a huge process for even getting everything to integrate properly, but I have found an easy way to do things, so it should not take much longer.

This is what I want the end result to accomplish:

1. the ability to integrate sp2 with all updates and driverpacks that get put in the i386 folder

2. the ability to update an installed windows sans sp2 with sp2, all updates, and newest drivers.

So far, everything integrates properly, I just need to add a few finishing touches, and that portion will be done. Then it is off to test it as an update cd. Depending on what problems arise, I should be able to fix them and come out with a working version soon...this is all depending on what RyanVM and Bashrat come out with during this time as I may need to update some things.

Some notes:

This will be a one-time only release, I will not post future versions. This is not to punish anyone or anything like that, but when I do finish, I will post the steps I did to make it. Then you can make your own version and so forth. The reason for this is because my version will more than likely differ from everyone else. For now, I am not trying to add my custom items to this.

Also, you will need to download sp2, ryanvm's pack, and bashrats packs as I will not be offering those for download with this. They are already on fast servers. It should also be noted that you DO NOT have to use the driverpacks right now as they are only used for integrating. If I am able to add them to update a windows install, then you will have to use them. You MUST use ryanvm's pack though as this was the point for the entire thing. I use the full english version and am unsure how other versions of his pack will work. Obviously, testers are welcome and if a bug is found, please report it and I will update the file accordingly and post a new version.

For now, it uses UpdatePack 1.2.2b and DriverBase 5.07.3...again, if those change in the course of me working out the kinks, then obviously I will include the newest, but once I am done with the integrate and update portions, I will no longer update according to new versions of the updatepack or driverpacks.

[bilemke]

This might be kinda cool....

Offtopic:

Been a while since I seen the name evilvoice in my day to day browing of the web. What happen to the cheerful yellow smiley for the avatar?

[Achdine]

This seems like a poor time to be trying to do this...both RyanVM and BTS seem to be doing major overhauls on their integration scripts/packages.

[evilvoice]

@bilemke...first, what do you mean? Im here all the time. As for the big happy face, I found a better avatar On a side note, if you google the name evilvoice, it shows up TONS of places. Some places I have been, but some I have not. Do people not know this is MY name? I am seriously thinking about sending out cease and desist letters LOL j/k.

@Achdine...you obviously did not read what I wrote...hopefully you are not one of those people that SKIM what someone writes and decides to type something back without reading the entire post...not knowing if you are that type of person, I will ask you to read my post one more time and maybe this time you wont respond with something that was already answered.

[Achdine]

Evilvoice, what I said was merely a comment, pointing out that by doing this now you are making it harder on yourself and more likely to be buggy/incompatible with future versions. Since it wasn't a question, it couldn't have already been answered. Also, you said yourself that you may have to update things, and you also said that it would be a "one-time" release. Sounds like if there is a problem with a future version, you don't plan on fixing it.

There is no reason to flame me for posting an entirely valid comment in an open topic, and perhaps you should read other people's posts more carefully in the future.

[evilvoice]

Obviously, testers are welcome and if a bug is found, please report it and I will update the file accordingly and post a new version.

For now, it uses UpdatePack 1.2.2b and DriverBase 5.07.3...again, if those change in the course of me working out the kinks, then obviously I will include the newest

Bashrats driverpacks may change significantly, but unless RyanVM does something real weird and decides to not have his files overwrite the ones in the i386 directory, it will not change that much from what I have

I understand what you are saying, but without seeing what I am working on, you cant honestly know how complicated or buggy it will be. I can assure you that it will not be that hard to update in the future as I am looking ahead in the event that a new service pack comes out, or new versions of the program come out.

Now, if Ryan starts putting numbers at the end of the filenames, then yes, it will be much more difficult, but I do not see him doing that as almost his entire pack replaces files in i386 and most exist in the sp2 download.

Bashrats driverpacks are gonna be easy no matter what he does to them. I will go ahead and say that what I do does not take away from their initial instructions. For the driverpacks, you still have to execute the files Bashrat tells you to and in the order he tells you. I will include instructions on how to make a "mock" folder so that the drivers are slipstreamed correctly and do not cause conflicts.

There will still be user input as I am not looking at making this unattended in the making. The end result of the update cd will be unattended after you double click update.exe and integrating you will still have to run update.exe with the correct switches, but I never said anything about the making portion being unattended.

All I can say is to wait, bear with me, while I finish this up and then make comments and such. I do understand your concern for me and the possibility that I may not know a change is coming in the packs, and I appreciate it, but sometimes I do know a change is coming. Also, this started out as "just for me" but in seeing how many people want an update cd, I thought I would be nice and offer what I am working on.

Edited July 12, 2005 by evilvoice

[evilvoice]

well, im at a stopping point now...basically what happened is because I edited the update.inf file, sp2 installer complains that the integrity is broken. So I really cant do anything else right now...I figured I would offer an update even though its not the one I wanted to leave. I believe the problem is with update.ver since it contains info about every file in source...I know the first part is the uncompressed filename and the part after is the md5 hash, the portion after that, I have no idea, then its sp2rtm (usually, didnt look through whole file) so thats easy to figure out, then after that is something else. it doesnt match any of the hashes I have, and its not crc-32. If anyone wants to look at the file and see if they can figure out what the portions are that I dont know, by all means, any help is appreciated. After about a week, I will start on changing all the md5 hashes of the file and see what that does, but I feel that it will result in the same problem.