How can I download Microsoft Updates and save them for future use?

[techwanabe]

I need to "grab" and save Microsoft Updates (Critical Updates and Service Packs etc) and save them for future use on computers I don't have a connection to the internet with. (like computers on dial-up or servers in a DMZ).

Does anyone have a link to downloadable Updates? (rather than the automated site which updates computers live)

 

[Twista]

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp?corporate=true
It will save all the updates to a folder on C: drive and you have to manually .exe them/

 

[techwanabe]

Thanks Twista!

 

[13black]

If your wondering how Twista did that have a look at this.

Enabling the Windows Update Catalog as follows:
At the Windows Update page, click Personalize Windows Update at the left,
and then Enable the Windows Update Catalog. Save your settings.
This adds the Windows Update Catalog link in the left box.
Click this link, then click Find updates for Microsoft Windows systems.
Pick Windows (your version here) in the drop-down list, click Search, take Recommended Updates.

 

[techwanabe]

This is great,

Essentially I was able to download whatever updates I needed to disk for future use. Good.

Now, here is another question... there are quite a few updates available. Say I pick all the options I think I may need, and on some machines which there can be quite a few needed. It appears I need to manually go in and install the updates one at a time. Windows automated update feature will allow you to pick a bunch of updates and install them at the same time. But here you gotta go through them separately.

Is there a automated installer which can be downloaded and can pick from all the choices downloaded?

 

[bonkers325]

yes there is a way to do it

write a batch file to execute each file 1 at a time after another with the following extension after it /z /n

 

[THUGSROOK]

how to download ie6sp1 setup (complete) to hd

 

[Budman]

This should get a sticky, or at least be incorporated in the AT FAQ's.

 

[13black]

If anybody is looking for older versions of IE you can get them here Browser collection

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: 13black
If anybody is looking for older versions of IE you can get them here Browser collection

Just to state the obvious: doing so would be a violation of Microsoft's license, since Microsoft does not include redistribution rights with their software.

Not that anyone cares about this, but I felt compelled to state this.

 

[13black]

Originally posted by: NogginBoink

Originally posted by: 13black
If anybody is looking for older versions of IE you can get them here Browser collection

Just to state the obvious: doing so would be a violation of Microsoft's license, since Microsoft does not include redistribution rights with their software.

Not that anyone cares about this, but I felt compelled to state this.

Ok I never thought about that way. I have several magazine cd's with at least one version of IE on each one, the full version not just the installer. So that would be hundreds of thousands of CD's with IE on them being distributed daily. I didn't think it was a big deal. I'm sure a mod will delete the link if need be.

 

[Tab]

Originally posted by: Budman
This should get a sticky, or at least be incorporated in the AT FAQ's.

HELL YEA!

 

[MajinWade]

Yes, I think this is very good information. I bet most of us know at least one person who doesn't update due to 56k, but would like to have the updates.

 

[imported_Phil]

Here's how I make all the updates run without much intervention:

Get the updates into a folder, say c:\wucabs. Open a Command Prompt to that folder, and type dir /B >c:\runme.bat. Edit runme.bat, Find & Replace all instances of ".exe" and replace with ".exe <switches you want to use here". Run the batch file
This doesn't work with all updates as some need different switches, but it's useful nonetheless.

 

[sygyzy]

What if the computer you want to update is not the one you are on. Example: the computer I have for my dad at home (on dialup) really needs updates. It doesn't even have SP1. I don't have any access to broadband (friend or otherwise). Could I download all the updates released onto cd, from my computer in another town, and bring it home to install?

 

[13black]

Originally posted by: sygyzy
What if the computer you want to update is not the one you are on. Example: the computer I have for my dad at home (on dialup) really needs updates. It doesn't even have SP1. I don't have any access to broadband (friend or otherwise). Could I download all the updates released onto cd, from my computer in another town, and bring it home to install?

Yes, you could download on yours and run them on his. Using the "windows update catalog" instead of running "windows update" downloads all the updates for that OS. So you don't even have to have windows 98 on your PC to download the windows 98 updates. The tricky part is trying to figure out which updates to run from the list.

 

[GhettoFob]

I basically did this for computers at work. You can check what switches a update can take by running the file with /? following it. Then you can put all of those commands into a batch file. The last command should be qchain.exe (located on MS's site). With qchain, you can do all of the patches without rebooting your computer.