Slipstreaming - Please Read and Reply

[Spheris]

Aarons thread, I'm going to expand on a bit

In a slipstreamed disc, the files are hard coded with the fixes detailed. But as an integrated install it will appear to Update as any normal SP1 disc for the same reason SP1 shows as it does.

The markers in the registry that are used to ID updates and hotfixes aren't there because they are not needed and no mechanism provided at install time - that is why the opk method includes the instruction to slipstream and force the hotfix installers to enter those entries and use the mechanism that allows qcheck and WU to see the hotfixes.

I'm going to throw a question out before we go further with this

If the idea is to make a slipstreamed disc or to create a hotfix enabled streamline of their installs as separate entities.

either can be done, neither have any benefit functionally over the other. But both require different approaches and Aaron/medic and I will do our best to accomodate the general concensus on how to approach it

but we need a clear answer.

so the answers on this thread should go as:

1: Slipstream compacted (updated files and cats only) no hotfix accompanying them

2: Mixed approach (same as above but with the hotfix packs to enable qcheck and WU to tell you what you already know is there)

3: Any reasonable alternate, you would like researched. Or to propose

I want this thred kept clear and clean, we can start discussions and debates over ideas in following threads. But lets keep this one to answers only on direction, so we can get a clear view and get on with making it happen.

Fair enough?

[webmedic]

I cant speak for others but the current method I use is two but I do believe that methosd 1 is best for space savings.

It would also be easier to do.

[Paul 365]

Method one would be the best - But as i said in the other thread Windows Update Must be aware of them.

I don't mind the hotfix checking tools failing but not WU.

[GreenMachine]

For reasons stated HERE, my vote is for #2, the Standard and Documented Microsoft way, regardless of whether this is done manually, or in a batch/script routine.

[Bachus]

Method one would be best if we can get at least Windows Update to recognize that the updates are installed.

[Bark]

I don't see why we can't have 2 guides or 3 (batch file (who knows, it may be what someone needs to use)/slipstream/Mixed(MS way)) and list of pros and cons for each process vs the other.

I haven't decided which process I like better yet.

If we HAVE to have only one guide...

Which way is makes a faster install? That's what I want. I don't care about space, I care about time. As I said before, though, WU must be aware the hotfixes are installed - no compromises on that one.

[Aaron]

Yeah, looks like I will do 3 guides on this, numbers 1 and 2 shown above, and number 3 the guirunonce batch/inf/registry way

[neophyte]

I personally want a pure slipstreamed CD.

However, I also think its high time Microsoft developed a hotfix installer that catered for slipstreaming hotfixes into the CD, and creating appropriate markers so that Windows Update would recognize the appropriate updates.

This would be a universal installer, that would work for Windows and Internet Explorer critical updates, as well as for programs such as Media Player, Direct X, and Messenger.

[RyanVM]

Like I posted in AaronXP's thread, I'm pretty sure that the registry key which controls what's listed as installed is found in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Updates. Exporting those keys from a "good" install and importing them into a fresh install should take care of that issue.

And yes, I'm all in favor of a "clean" install with the files updated from the start.

[GreenMachine]

It's the "pretty sure" and "should" that worry me ... If a problem should arise, you are at a handicap from the start in determining the cause, and I am not a fan of debugging Windows.

Windows Update has also been known to rely on the HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall key do determine if a certain hotfix is present.

I am not trying to belittle anyone's ideas, but as neither Windows nor their HotFixes are known to be the most stable, and I have no desire to increase that instability.

[RyanVM]

I dunno, I always remove the Add/Remove entries from Uninstall and WindowsUpdate never prompts me to reinstall the update. And as for "should', that's why we have VirtualPC

[Traveling_Ninja]

I personally prefer a pure slipstream as well.

I don't like unattended installs. I just want the updates to automatically install, absolutely positively nothing more. I tried manipulating the hotfixes's update.exe but it didn't work..

[GreenMachine]

@RyanVM: For Q823980, the original Blaster Patch, this was the case. (Thread Here) It's only one example, but one is enough for me. I, too, remove all remaining uninstall keys. Note that the above example has been superceeded with another, so it is no longer "active", but I am no longer silly enough to believe I won't see this again. Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me.

[RyanVM]

@RyanVM: For Q823980, the original Blaster Patch, this was the case. (Thread Here) It's only one example, but one is enough for me. I, too, remove all remaining uninstall keys. Note that the above example has been superceeded with another, so it is no longer "active", but I am no longer silly enough to believe I won't see this again. Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me.

You know, that explains some activity I was having a hard time explaining

If worse comes to worse, it could always be handled on a case by case basis (although that would be just a tad time consuming...).