Can installed XP updates be retrieved from system?

XP Home with SP2.

I’ve found the folders created on the system by Windows auto updates. They seem to contain an install .exe as well as an uninstall one. I’ve tried to run this in a clone of the same XP install that’s on another partition, but it gives the error ‘Setup could not find the update.inf file needed to update your system.’ The clone has never been connected to Windows update, but I did download and install the latest WindowsInstaller 3.1(v2)

Does anyone know if it’s possible to take updates out of one OS so you can install them again in an other?

 

McTavish,
I believe the files you are refering to are the UN-install files, those are there in case you want to uninstall previous updates.
You can download updates for Windows HERE .

B

 

That makes sense that they are only the uninstall items Mr.B. I was just looking for an easier way than finding a couple of dozen separate downloads at MS. You’d think there would be a way of saving them to use again.

Ideally I want to set systems up so that any new updates that get installed are automatically saved to a common data partition so that once booted into another clone they are easily at hand.

 

If you download the updates from MS, you can save them like any other downloaded file (burn them to CD/DVD if you want) and you will have them available if you need to install them again.

B

 

Thanks Mr B, but I understand that. I’m trying to find a simpler and easier solution for the other people I set up multiboot machines for. They are not going to do that and I can’t set all the clones on auto-update. I want to have only one install set to get the updates and then just one folder for them to look in to find what’s needed in the others.

 

If you burn the downloaded files to CD they can be moved to any machine that has a CD drive. (or make a copy of the CD for each computer)
If the computers are networked... set up a 'shared' folder with the files.
Am I missing something?

B

 

It’s for stand alone home PCs and I’m not going to be around to keep the machines updated when new Windows patches come out. I’m trying to make it simple so that all they have to do is let one clone auto update itself, then use the already downloaded patches in the other installs. Getting them to look in one folder and use what is already there is going to be much more successful than having them search the MS website for downloads.

 

McTavish--You can find Updates for download (so you can load on more than one PC) here
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/catalog/en/default.asp
However, that is for an attended installation on several PC's but using only one download.
If you want to have the home PC's automatically download and install Updates then you should set each XP PC up to do so. Control Panel|Security Center|Automatic Updates.

 

Sorry guys but you’re missing the point. I know I can download updates to install on multiple installs, or set those installs to auto-update. That’s not what I want to do.

I’m talking one PC with several clones of the same XP install. At the moment one clone is set auto-update, I then look at the KB numbers of the patches that have been installed on the system automatically by MS, then go to the website and download the .exe version of the patch to use in the other clones.

I want to know if the auto-updates leave the install program somewhere on the system, or if you can set XP to keep it somewhere, so that it does not have to be download again.

 

McTavish--Wonder if this article will help
http://www.theeldergeek.com/automatic_updates.htm
As you can see one of the options in Control Panel|Security Center|Automatic Updates is to Download the Update but not install it. I have never done that. (I use the notification-only part of Automatic Update and then go to Windows Update manually and Run the Update.) If you do allow automatic download, I assume there must be some indication (or setting you make) as to where the download goes.
I know at least some downloaded Update files end with "enu.exe ". However, in spite of all the Updates I have installed, a search on my PC for *enu.exe produces few such files. So I wonder if they are consumed in the installation process. Or perhaps, if you Run directly as I do, perhaps they are not downloaded at all, but rather installed from the web.
I know where the Uninstall files for Updates live
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1747237,00.asp
but do not know the answer as to where the install files are.
Tell us when you find out.

 

Thanks Jim, I spent several hours on this today and I need to get it out of my head for a while before I tackle it again. I'll check your idea out and let you know.

Cheers
McT.

 

Thanks Tony, I was beginning to suspect that what I wanted to do was not going to be straightforward or even possible.

I was looking at that server update option Arie and it’s something I might pursue for myself, but it would be way to much for the friends and family I set up multiboot machines for.

I don’t know much about Windows Updates as I’ve never personally used them. I take care of my own security rather than trusting MS to do it. Besides, with multiple identical clones it makes individual OSes disposable.

 

TonyT--

That does not seem right. One of the Windows Update options in Automatic Updates provides for downloading for later installation. There must be a reasonably clearly marked file to which these downloads are directed.

 

McTavish

A question..

Are the multiboot pc's set up to be = 1 main install of XP and a copy of the main install for the other choise ?,

or say XP and 98se ?

 

Well thanks for all the ideas and suggestion guys, mission accomplished! Like everything with Windows it’s easy when you know how.

In the end I simply searched the entire computer for the installed updates by KB number and I found them in C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution/Downloads. Each update has a folder in there and inside each is an Update folder with the update.exe inside that.

Copied the whole Download folder to replace the one in a clone and then ran each update.exe separately and everything installed as it should. All the uninstall folders and Add/Remove Programs entries present and correct. Even tried uninstalling a few and reinstalling and all ok. Then took the clone to the Windows Update site and it checked the system and declared all updates were already installed.

In another clone I tried installing the updates from the data partition and even from a USB Flash Drive and again no problems, so they don’t even have to be placed in the Downloads folder, but probably best to keep them there just so you can keep track of what is already installed in that clone.

I then tried them in one of my fully configured XP clones that has loads stripped out with XPlite and all possible services disabled and again they installed no problems. So you don’t even need the AutoUpdate and Cryptographic services etc running that are essential for auto update to work online.

Out of curiosity Arie I tried several of them in an XP Pro box and they even installed there with no complaints. Not going to rely on them of course, but when I’ve got some time I’ll check this out further.

Result!!!
Thanks all.
McT.

Purplemtn…..Just one original install of XP with the rest being clones. Who wants to install Windows more times that necessary, besides separate installs would violate the EULA. Always have 98se as well because I still use this as my main OS.