Saving Windows updates on disk

[TheNiceGuy]

*This guide is written for Win98 users, but can be used for any Windows version.

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PART ONE:
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1.00. Visit Windows Update:

»v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com

1.01. Wait while the site checks your ActiveX Control version/s. When prompted, click Yes to install (possibly 2 times) (Do not click scan.)

1.02. Click "Windows Update Catalog" - left panel under 'See Also'. (I had to click "Personalize Windows Update" and then check "show Update Catalog" before the Windows Update Catalog would show in the left panel.)(Also, in my notes I have "click Microsoft Windows under the Update Catalog". But I'm not sure. You'll have to see when you're there.)

1.03. Wait until the 'Welcome to Windows Update Catalog' page opens - then click "Find Updates for Microsoft Windows operating systems" (or Driver Updates, as you choose, in this example i'll use the former)

1.04. Wait until the "Microsoft Windows systems/criteria" page opens, select your operating system (in this example, Win98) then click the 'Advanced search options' arrow

1.05. Under the 'advanced search options' select a 'Date posted to the Web' at the drop down arrow and then 'Update Types' (in this example i chose "all posted dates" and selected/checked all of the available boxes)

1.06. Click the "Search" button and wait until your search results are returned

1.07. Select/click on a Category from the list (for this example i chose Critical Updates & Service Packs which listed 48 for my system)

1.08. Note: at this point DO NOT click on "go to Download Basket" - just *wait* until the list of individual Update & Service Pack appears (this distinction can confuse and/or cause the process to fail)

1.09. Scroll down the list and choose your download selection for the download basket by clicking on the "Add" button. At any point you can scroll back and "Remove" an item

1.10. Tip: keep a pen 'n paper handy to note down the 'M$ Q-number' of each item chosen - this will be a useful reference for after the download is completed to your Hard Drive

1.11. When selection/s is completed - click "Go to Download Basket" and wait. When the Download Basket page opens you can scroll down the page for a final review of your selection/s, removing any not wanted or required

1.12. Next, click "Browse" Button - then drill down to the folder named "WUTemp" that Windows will have conveniently placed on your C: Drive. Click once on that folder to highlight, click Okay, then click the "Download Now" button.

Note: at this stage, for ease of operation and avoiding error messages, I *do* recommend using this WUTemp folder. Patches & Updates can be moved to a location of choice later, on completion (see PART FOUR, below). (Odd, but I didn't have a WUTemp folder. So I downloaded to a folder of my own choosing without any problems.)

1.13. The familiar Microsoft License Agreement box will open listing each item selected. Click "Accept"

Note - only one (1) click required for entire selection

1.14. Wait until selected download completes, which, depending on the size of files, may take some time...

1.15. When downloading is finished, a new window opens listing your Download History.

- Each item has a 'details' button with useful information that may be printed if desired

- In addition, you may keep a copy of this history by going - Edit > Select All > Edit (again) > Copy > then click on blue highlighted page. This can be posted into notepad. (Thanks to fellow lurker ?Boots? for that idea)

1.16. This completes Part One and you may close the Windows Update Site (Tip: keep your Internet connection open, see 2.02, below)

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PART TWO:
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Note: this part is not necessary - but provides a useful step for future reference

2.00. In Windows Explorer, drill down to C: > WUTemp > Software > en > com-ms.windows98 > to folder 'x86Win98' & double click to open.

Inside this folder are your Updates & patches, each in their own sub-folder named with its corresponding M$ Q-number

2.01. Open the first folder (for this example lets use "com_microsoft.javavm_3319_MIL_4275")

2.02. Click on the Internet Shortcut 'Read More' and "Security Update, March 4, 2002" (as the example) will open on the Microsoft Site

2.03. Click 'File' then 'Save As'. In the 'Save In' box, drill down to the folder (as named in this example) and double click to open. In the 'Save as Type' box use the drop down arrow and select "Web Page, HTML only, (*.htm) & (*.html)" and click 'Save'. A copy for future reference will now be included in the relevant folder

2.04. Repeat for each folder. The 'Read More' short cuts can then be deleted if you wish

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PART THREE:
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Installation of Updates & Patches

3.00. Remember to scan all the folders with your anti virus software

3.01. It is generally recommended to *only* install one Update or Patch at a time

3.02. Installation of Updates & Patches is a simple double click on their respective .exe Icon/s or, alternatively, right click & select "Open" - then follow your on-screen directions, rebooting as necessary

3.03. Some users (myself included) also choose to run Scan Disc & System File Checker - plus a reboot - between each and every install of an Update or Patch

3.04. Tip: if you have an Install Manager (such as ?InCtrl? from PC World) run this prior to step (3.02) and place a copy of the install report in the relevant folder for future reference

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PART FOUR:
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This step will be a matter of personal preference

After downloading a Patch or Update, move its folder to the Directory of your choice (see note, step 1.12., above) and delete the WUTemp Folder from C: Drive

I also rename the folder to the number of its corresponding 'MS Security Bulletin' - for example MS02-013 (using the example above) and include a copy of the Bulletin inside the folder

 

[intogamer]

:shocked:

 

[Zugzwang152]

Originally posted by: intogamer
:shocked:

 

[kparms82]

cool....:beer::shocked::beer:

 

[nqc2k]

Is there a way to make this work like the update CD microsoft sent out last year that will install all updates at once? For XP, there are a ton of updates to install 1 at a time. Thanks

 

[mechBgon]

Is there a way to make this work like the update CD microsoft sent out last year that will install all updates at once? For XP, there are a ton of updates to install 1 at a time. Thanks

For Win2000 systems or WinXP with no service pack, you can run all the updates in one fell swoop followed by qchain.exe (get from Microsoft) so it all comes out in the wash after the reboot. Of course, if you have WinXP with no Service Pack, you'd probably want to scan for spyware/adware and viruses and then just install SP2 anyway.

WinXP SP1 and later do not need qchain.exe, it'll handle that sorting-out business itself. If you have plethoras of systems to deal with, but have to patch them manually, then collect all the .exe's and make a simple batchfile that runs all of them with the /? switch. Note the command-line options you want to use for each one (silent, no reboot, overwrite OEM files without prompting, etc), make another copy of the batchfile with those switches, and plunk it into a directory with the patches. I usually shorten the names of the patches to just their patchnumber.exe first to maintain my sanity

If one of your updates is js56nen.exe, make that the first one you run or else it won't "take," it's kinda unique in that way. Also, try Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer for Win2000 or later, as a follow-up since it will check for some stuff that Windows Update doesn't.