Windows XP Post-SP2 Update Pack (SP2)

Topic

New Reply

What do you folks think of (the concept behind) RyanVM’s Windows XP Post-SP2 Update Pack?
I’ve only ever used web update myself, but this seems like a good idea to me.

Alan

Reply | Quote

Replies

It is really a problem with Microsoft Updates: you need to install about 100 updates and reboot a couple of times on fresh WinXP SP-2 installation!

However, I tried several previous RyanVM’s post-SP2 Update Packs, some of them crash an installation. The problem is that Update Packs include all hotfixes, even not required for most used installations (ie Windows with Office and without SQL Server and other specific programs). On the other hand, these Update Packs not include some frequently used and required updates (Microsoft .Net Framework v.1.1, 2 and 3, Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media Player v.10 and/or v.11 and so on), and even many hotfixes (KB892130 – Windows Genuine Advantage Setup and so on).

Be very careful applying it on your computer!

Reply | Quote

Maybe I am being paranoid but I have heard a few of the regulars grumble that we get hot fixes and security patches from Microsoft and they do not even have the decency to tell us what we are installing and do it by trust. However, I feel happier that I am downloading from the Microsoft site as I can vouch for the authenticity and have some kind of fall back if things go awry (post 632,758 ).

Questions that seem to be bubbling to the surface of my conscience are:

1) Why is this guy doing this? What is in it for him?
2) What fall back do I have if it all goes wrong?
3) How can I vouch for this software, what is to say the applications have been adapted and I am getting a back door trojan instead?

KaplinB seems to have had a bad time with crashes. Personally I would leave it alone.

Reply | Quote

What has worked for me and many others around the world is to slipstrem SP2 into your CD and use AutoPatcher for everything else. AutoPatcher contains all updates (critical and optional) as-well-as numerous optional tweaks and add-ins. Figure about one hour to select and install all your updates.

Reply | Quote

I won’t use a roll-up package that comes from anywhere but the mothership. That’s not to say that Microsoft has never screwed up a service release (I’ve never forgiven them for the nightmare that was NT4 Service Pack 3) but it’s the safest option. I just don’t see how one person has the resources to test this thoroughly.

I think the guy is wasting his time in an effort to be helpful. Autopatcher and its cousin Autostreamer accomplish the same goal in a much better way, not the least of which is giving you some control.

Reply | Quote

Thanks for the input guys. If I ever have the inclination to do this, I’ll certainly use the Auto patch/streamer option, now that I know it’s available.

Alan

Reply | Quote

Alan,

There is another problem: if you’ll try to embed all post-SP2 security patches into WinXP SP-2 CD image (or a folder), it wouldn’t fit a regular CD anymore! Even if you compress all files in i386 folder!
You can create a bootable installation DVD, or – just a second CD with post-SP2 patches (what Ryan did – somebody asked what was a purpose of that pack).

More, you couldn’t embed IE7 in WinXP Installation package (doesn’t matter is it on CD or DVD – you can only create a “run once” pack implemented after installation), and because of it, a fresh WinXP installation requires one more reboot after IE7 installation (you cannot apply IE7 security updates after IE7 installation without reboot). That means, a CD with post-SP2 patches must contain two packs: one with IE7 and the other with IE7 updates – you cannot install all updates in one shot.

Reply | Quote

I’ve used the RyanVM resource a couple of times when building or updating bespoke unattended XP installation CDs using nLite. This is an app that not only allows you to create a slipstreamed installation CD with all post-XP Service Packs, patches and updates, (either en-masse or selectively) but also lets you tweak the installation by removing components, (e.g. Games, MSPaint etc), selectively changing the default status of Services, allowing the creation of the Documents & Settings folder on another drive, (and also the Programs Folder, should you want to), etc. etc. It explains the dependencies of various components on each other so that you don’t inadvertently cripple something you actually want to use.

There’s a forum for discussion of the nLite application, ( http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showforum=89%5B/url%5D), that has several very active posts discussing the use of, as well as manual alternatives to, RyanVM’s Update Pack. I studied the forum for a while and initially chose the manual approach to finding and downloading all of the patches before slipstreaming. After the breadth and range of discussion of RyanVM’s offering, however, I concluded that, if it was flawed or booby-trapped in any way, it would come out fairly quickly during the discussions.

The forum has some theories about incorporating IE7 and WMP11 in the mix but I’ve concluded that they need to be installed by themselves after the initial XP installation has completed. It is another couple of reboots but using the slipstreamed install CD saves so much time that I don’t think it’s an issue. (You also don’t waste acres of hard drive space on Security Patch uninstall files).

Only last week I created a slipstreamed install CD that was current to the end of January 2007, included the MSI install packages for IE7 and WMP11 and it still a comfortable fit on a single CD.

The sister tool, vLite, for customising Vista installs, is in Beta at the moment and I’m following the discusions with interest before I decide to plunge in…

Reply | Quote