Windows XP Updates Downloader

[dziubek]

@all

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=&sho...ndpost&p=451227

Multi-lingual interfaces and downloads will be available in the future.

@TommyP

See on this post:

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=&sho...ndpost&p=451437

[tommyp]

I saw that utility the other day. I like Nuhi's idea of using that mssecure.cab. I'm afraid I won't be able to script it in. It's beyond my knowledge base. However, I do accept tested "plugins" for those who generate them. By tested, I mean code that is tested so I can drop it into HFLSIP. If someone submits a script, I would prefer something that does not need tons of plug-ins. My goal is to keep HFSLIP as lean and mean as possible.

[jcarle]

However, I do accept tested "plugins" for those who generate them. By tested, I mean code that is tested so I can drop it into HFLSIP. If someone submits a script, I would prefer something that does not need tons of plug-ins.

Having never used HFSLIP, I don't quite follow. What exactly do you mean by "code you can drop into HFSLIP"? I'd love to extend support to all willing parties.

[tommyp]

jcarle - In simplest terms, HFSLIP is a commandline utility to rip apart the hotfixes and slipstream them into an installable source. If you generate a commandline (cmd) file that does something that HFSLIP doesn't currently do, I can add that into HFSLIP. Or, another possibility is for HFSLIP to call on an EXE so the EXE can do its magic silently (i.e. no clicking or minimal clicking required). Your hotfix downloader seems really promising (and pretty cool I must add). I kind of prefer to have everything pretty much silent so the user would run HFSLIP answer a few Q's and come back 10 or 15 minutes later for the slipstreaming to complete. Here's some ideas to throw out there. Constructive criticism is appreciated.

HFSLIP call XPDOWN (your utility; an exe file) with commandline switches

(switches could be to optionally delete old hotfixes, update new hotfixes from HF folder, redownload all fixes, etc)

HFSLIP or XPDOWN to see if an internet connection is available

XPDOWN does its magic (if it sees an internet connection it will automatically update the files)

Once XPDOWN is complete, it exits silently

HFSLIP resumes dissecting and slipstreaming the hotfixes into the source.

If XPDOWN can support 2k, xpsp1, xpsp2, 2003 and 20003sp1 it would be really cool. For 2k there are plenty of variations... IE5 or IE6; DX9C. I haven't tested your utility, but who is the "keeper" of the overall latest and greatest hotfix list?

[jcarle]

Well, I used this thread as a starting point for the XP critical updates. I'm currently taking about the XML structure that's used by the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer since it downloads an XML file containing every hotfix ever published for every microsoft products all the way back to Windows 98 Gold. If I can make head or heels from the contents, then I'll be able to include hotfixes for Windows NT, 2000 and 2003 with ease.

I did take note of the command line options you suggested. Seeing as you don't need direct integration, I just need to make the command line options diverse enough to give the HFSLIP crowd the options they need.

[tommyp]

Thanks dude and thanks from the HFSLIP folks. I'll stay in tune with your other thread for any updates. We also have hotfix lists that are stickied on this subforum if it helps.

Keep up the good work.

[tzeentch]

Hello everyone.

I've just come across this and one other topic about automatically downloading latest updates from MS.

I don't know if you're interested but I've written a tool that actually does that silently. It's actually a script. You just have to edit it at the top to specify where the downloaded hotfixes are to be put and maybe few other things (ie. if you use proxy etc). The script then downloads the list of updates from the topic on this forum (YOUR ONE STOP POST FOR WINDOWS CRITICAL UPDATES) and parses it using some regexp hacks (with sed and grep) and then downloads each hotfix from MS. It is quite mature, I use it myself to refresh my repository once in a while in my company.

I think it could fit your needs if I understood them correctly.

Anyway, let me know, if you're interested and I'll post it here. Everything the script uses is included (wget, grep, sed).

[Siginet]

I'm interested. Thx.

[zartrix]

Hello everyone.

I've just come across this and one other topic about automatically downloading latest updates from MS.

I don't know if you're interested but I've written a tool that actually does that silently. It's actually a script. You just have to edit it at the top to specify where the downloaded hotfixes are to be put and maybe few other things (ie. if you use proxy etc). The script then downloads the list of updates from the topic on this forum (YOUR ONE STOP POST FOR WINDOWS CRITICAL UPDATES) and parses it using some regexp hacks (with sed and grep) and then downloads each hotfix from MS. It is quite mature, I use it myself to refresh my repository once in a while in my company.

I think it could fit your needs if I understood them correctly.

Anyway, let me know, if you're interested and I'll post it here. Everything the script uses is included (wget, grep, sed).

I´m interested Too.. please post it!

Thanks in advance!

zartrix

[Kiki Burgh]

looks like HFSLIP will be made more powerful due to interests ... let's raise the bar looking forward to this ...

[tzeentch]

Hmm, there seems to be a small problem though. I don't know if it's intentional or by mistake but it seems that now you have to be logged on to read anything on this forum. In which case the script cannot really download the updates list

All it's getting when trying to access the page is something like "Sorry, but you do not have permission to use this feature. If you are not logged in, you may do so using the form below if available."

Do you know anything about that? I've sent an email to the forum admin but haven't got any response yet.

Or maybe you know of any alternative online location that hosts a current list of updates?

[Kiki Burgh]

indeed they need to be logged in so they can view our forum ... specifically HFSLIP under Other Member Contributed Projects ... HFSLIP doesn't even show up when not logged in

[Camarade_Tux]

See this topic : http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=78928

[Super-Magician]

Hmm, there seems to be a small problem though. I don't know if it's intentional or by mistake but it seems that now you have to be logged on to read anything on this forum. In which case the script cannot really download the updates list

All it's getting when trying to access the page is something like "Sorry, but you do not have permission to use this feature. If you are not logged in, you may do so using the form below if available."

Do you know anything about that? I've sent an email to the forum admin but haven't got any response yet.

Or maybe you know of any alternative online location that hosts a current list of updates?

Tomcat76 has a list that is hosted on his own server. You might want to ask him about it. The links are in his signature.

[tzeentch]

OK, it's bad. Microsoft has just made some changes to their hotfix download pages which break the script badly. It seems more and more hotfixes now require validation (genuine advantage or whatever you call it). I was looking into it today and I must say it seems pointless parsing the pages the way I've been doing until now.

Although I've found another way. Microsoft released this thingie they call Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer. It actually contains the code from a tool called Hfnetchk (also by Microsoft). And this tool is used for what? Yes, yes it can check which hotfixes you have, which you don't have and offers you a way to download them and install. So I thought, hmm, I wonder what way MS goes about checking these things and finding download locations for the hotfixes. And it turned out that this tool actually uses an XML file (packed in a cab, the XML itself weights around ~3MB) which contains information regarding every hotfix for every product ever released by MS (may be wrong, but I even noticed W95 in there ).

I'm gonna take a good look at this file and see what can I do with it. I already noticed what way is it structured, and how would a program need to look to get the download location and I think it can be done.

If anyone has some experience with this file let me know.

Oh by the way the file name is: mssecure.xml and it's packed inside: MSSecure_1033.cab (that's english version) and you can get it here: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18922 if you want to have a look.

Regards