Forum open!
Posted by Antonis Kaladis on October 31st, 2007 |
Well, it was bound to happen. Frankly, comments in blog-like style (Wordpress) just don't work when you need proper discussion.
And, since that's what we need right now, we have (finally) set up a forum where you can talk all you want, ask questions, report bugs or suggest new features. In case you missed the link in the previous sentence, you can use the button on the top-right corner of the page.
Go ahead, register, and let the discussions begin! :)
We would like to thank Neowin for their support for the past 4 years. It was great working with them. Farewell and good luck.
Antonis Kaladis
October 31st, 2007 at 10:29 am
Glad to see them open again. :)
October 31st, 2007 at 11:49 am
Cool beans … now all it needs are some posts :)
October 31st, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Excellent.
October 31st, 2007 at 6:05 pm
That’s a great idea… looking forward to some discussion on the future of autopatcher.
October 31st, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Yes !
November 1st, 2007 at 1:03 am
coool !!! ill definitely b supportin
November 1st, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Awesome!
Thanks for not giving up on AutoPatcher.
November 2nd, 2007 at 6:12 am
Isn’t all this pointless?
Isn’t autopatcher dead?
What is left to talk about? The good old days?
CD Baric
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:54 am
What about a post of some pseudo code?
I just found this site, and I need something to update my images a little better…
Currently I am placing all the KBxxxxxx.exe files in a network folder and am running them from a long batch file… I add a few more every month… Everytime I image a new machine, or reimage an old machine, this saves a lot of time over runing windows updates and downloading 80+ updates from microsoft, but it is not very efficient…
I never got to use your application, but I am sad to hear that it may be gone for good…
November 2nd, 2007 at 7:06 pm
CD Baric, I don’t think Autopatcher is dead, its just changed from providing all patches, hotfixes and updates with the software to making you download them on your own by connecting to Microsoft when you run the program. But, we will have to wait for a stable release to see the new features in action.
November 3rd, 2007 at 10:23 pm
II posted this in the other comment section, as number 380. Since this list is shorter, I’ll try again, with updates…
I’ve been using AutoPatcher for about three years. When I went to download the August updates, about mid September, and found the news about Microsoft, I was appalled. I work for a computer repair company and AutoPatcher is a wonderfully useful tool. I wrote a long nasty email to a friend of mine at Microsoft regarding their stance on this project. Alas, it had as much effect as everyone else’s protests - nil.
In a search to find even a half-baked solution to the demise of the original AutoPatcher, I came across a review of a product called “Do it yourself Service Pack”, or ctupdate from Heise Security.
I’ve downloaded and am currently experimenting with the new APUP, but for those of you clamoring to try something apparently akin to what Antonis and crew are working on, you can try http://www.heise-security.co.uk/articles/80682
This is a patch system using AutoIT scripts to download the latest patches from Microsoft, using MS’s own catalog files. It then compiles the downloads into ISO files that can be burned to CD/DVD. The project covers Win2000 through Vista, and Office 2000 through Office 2007. A multitude of languages are supported. From the URL above, go to the last page of the article and click on the link for the “Project Page” to get the latest version.
The original AutoPatcher beat this effort by a long shot. AutoPatcher doesn’t require reboots in the middle, and it fixed numerous niggling issues along the way. I can only hope that the new project, when stable, will be as efficient as the old one.
Keep up the good work Antonis and crew. I haven’t found anything yet that beats your original project for functionality and usefulness, in a multitude of different situations!!!
Also, for those that still want them, the last versions of the original AutoPatcher files are still available on Softpedia (and other sites). Use the RO link instead of the US link, at least for the English versions. They download at full line speed.
November 5th, 2007 at 11:10 am
[...] 5th, 2007 | Announcements Antonis over at Autopatcher.com just announced that he has opened up forums for discussion about the future of the Autopatcher [...]
November 6th, 2007 at 6:06 am
Good news. Autopatcher forum created.
November 8th, 2007 at 1:27 am
Dear everyone,
I just noticed the since the autopatcher forums have been set up, that the other other help forums have disappeared.
Any word on when they’ll be back?
Cnon
November 12th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
To Renato Ribeiro.
I downloaded all the updates from M$. How can I incorporate all the updt’s in AP?
November 13th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
Please post technical support questions to the AP Forum:
http://www.autopatcher.com/forums/
November 17th, 2007 at 3:59 am
*sniffs* Alas, poor Autopatcher. Thou shalt be missed.
Another one bites the dust, eh? Ave atque vale.
November 17th, 2007 at 9:14 am
it,s all rubbish and only idiots listen to microsoft……
if we will start obeying microsoft like chicks then this world would stop working…………(about half of the OS in the world is pirated)
it would be better to uploadc further releases through torrents link we will be thankful to u………….
November 20th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
I dont think here is a place to post such thougths about M$ and Uncle Bill’s crew.
In fact these forum is not working
November 21st, 2007 at 4:18 am
^ Why do you keep saying the forums are not working? Can you point your topic so that i can check?
November 21st, 2007 at 5:42 am
Hey, I am placing the old updates for all the old 9X OS in the Autopatcher 5.1 release after editing the modules with the included module editor. When finished I will post in the forum for all who are interested. And by the way, Bill Gates can go to hell!
November 21st, 2007 at 5:44 am
By the way, is it possible to make Autopatcher XP bootable, like placing it as a plugin with UBCD4Win or as a batch/com addon in ERD Commander? Just currious
November 21st, 2007 at 5:13 pm
November 2007 Security Releases ISO Image - Updates for Microsoft 2000/2003/XP. Iso file from Microsoft containing updates for windows 2000/2003/XP
link
November 21st, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Selecters Link doesn’t seem to open.
Possibly due to posting it !
Animesh raises a good point.
If we all just used MS update we wouldn’t need these sites
But originally these sites were made, so Windows users would be able to get all releases in one go, to use on many computers (instaed of multiple restarts on multiple computers).
But now it seems MS are overseeing Autopatcher (and its posts) and a new tool APUP has been devised to download updates individually again - to one package - put together by its users, to run on multiple computers (obviously the new presently allowed loophole)
Therefore putting pirated Windows users out of the picture. Well there goes 50 % of the members. And 25 % are going to Windows update now. And the last 25 % (which includes me) are hanging on.
November 22nd, 2007 at 7:59 pm
camell85 Says:
November 12th, 2007 at 6:14 pm
To Renato Ribeiro.
I downloaded all the updates from M$. How can I incorporate all the updt’s in AP?
… and any response …
a lot of people talking about freaks and creeks bah bah bah … about the use of AP on illegal windows … bah bah bah …
and you really think this forum is really working?
I’ve made a simple question and was acompletely ignored
Only when wrote that this forum is not working I receive an answer and someone tells me something …
Is that a technical forum or a gossip forum?
November 23rd, 2007 at 5:55 am
Did you went to the right forum? http://www.autopatcher.com/forums
We are answering real questions there, not gossips or whatever.
About your question, if you’re using the English version of AutoPatcher XP, in the forum you’ll see that we have already a beta version of the November release.
November 23rd, 2007 at 7:04 am
Don’t you think the BUGs section should be “free4all” instead of being restricted only to registered users?
Why shud I have to register just to report a BUG?
BUG in the “autopatcher_xp_x86_enu_nov07.script” file:
Item=WindowsXP-KB933360-x86-ENU.exe
DetectFile=autopatcher:\modules\NonCritical\KB933360_xp_x86_enu.apm_files\WindowsXP-KB933360-x86-ENU.exe
DetectHash=12CEC6227243831CC1679BE3CF2E287A
DownloadFrom=http://download.microsoft.com/download/8/4/d/84dca75b-3e91-4c7a-adcd-1777e6661c9c/WindowsXP-KB933360-x86-ENU.exe
DownloadTo=autopatcher:\modules\NonCritical\KB924867_xp_x86_enu.apm_files\WindowsXP-KB933360-x86-ENU.exe
ExpectedSize=519560
ExpectedHash=12CEC6227243831CC1679BE3CF2E287A
“KB924867_xp_x86_enu.apm_files” for the “KB933360″
November 23rd, 2007 at 8:05 am
Thanks, it’s fixed now.
Like in Neowin, you had to register to use the forums. My opinion is that we need to have users registered so that we can have some control of how things work in our forum.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:30 am
wow! finally an answer!
I am using AP in my language PTB. That’s why I am questioning about how to add the new updates in last version of AP to my language. The last version was for jul/2007
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:41 am
And couldn’t you said that before? i’m not in charge of the PTB release, the best way to do it is download the ENU release and make the necessary changes to the modules, so that they work in PTB.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:10 am
I’m spiking only for this section of the forum:
http://www.autopatcher.com/forums/index.php?showforum=20
Also few more bugs:
Date (can’t you set the field to the current user character set? or to use some standard type of date instead of the localized one):
http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/9465/bugbe0.jpg
“Run-time error ‘0′” it happens whenever I select one of the 2 office updates, the content is the one from the wast version update. It also happens if I move the downloaded office update files to another folder:
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/9475/bug1st4.jpg
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/89/bug2eo6.jpg
The only possible reason I can see is that the office script files are using the unix/linux text format. If I remember correctly LF instead of CRLF.
November 23rd, 2007 at 2:00 pm
I have asked you before about this and get no answer!
November 29th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
camell85, he already said he WAS NOT the one in charge.
December 2nd, 2007 at 7:24 am
Was there an expected date of release of a fully operation program? As in not alpha/beta?
Keep up the great work guys, everyone owes you.
December 2nd, 2007 at 7:30 pm
I believe the talk before was after the new year when this question was asked. A lot of the others are dealing with the holidays and real life so this date is still in the air.
No worries though. We will definately get there =)
December 6th, 2007 at 6:43 am
I was a little late getting theword on this but it would appear that MS is really trying to push Vista even though Vista is not friendly toward a lot of older computers and electrical systems.
I can understand wanting validation and all that but unfortunately you can buy a refurbished computer and have MS tell you the copy of XP on it is illegal even though you have the reload disk.
The other problem is all the information MS sends to the government after it reads your system — looks like Linux may be a better option before long.
December 12th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
I am starting to move some of my clients over to Ubuntu Linux.
I am amazed at how far Linux has come to being user friendly and easy to install - it is sure better than XP which needs over 400 MBytes of patches just to install. I have installed Ubuntu on about a dozen computers to date including a couple laptops and haven’t had to go looking for a driver yet. The only problems are with some obscure winmodems and other really dumb hardware.
Ubuntu Linux also has an equivalent to Windows update that works pretty well. You don’t even have to reboot after updates.
Here is the best part, Ubuntu is free and comes with a repository of 1000’s of free programs for anything from audio/video/picture editing to excellent multimedia playback (mplayer/smplayer is better than anything that Microsoft has got).
If Microsoft wants to force you to stop using XP and move on to Vista and buy new hardware for the purpose, give Ubuntu a try. Excellent help forums as well if you do get stuck.
CD Baric
December 13th, 2007 at 3:18 am
the downloads link leads to a 404 page
December 13th, 2007 at 4:15 am
“the downloads link leads to a 404 page”
Yes, Microsoft shut the service down.
Microsoft doesn’t want anybody to support XP while they are trying to flog Vista.
As a matter of fact, Microsoft talks trash about XP now that Vista is being found to suck so much.
Maybe you should try Ubuntu Linux - it’s free and rocks. More stable and secure than XP. Tons of free applications that are just a couple mouse clicks away.
CD Baric
December 13th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
not interested in becoming a linux fanboy nor a member of the cult of mac - XP works great.
December 13th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
If you look in the forms, there is a link to the new tool for ap called apup.exe
December 13th, 2007 at 11:55 pm
“not interested in becoming a linux fanboy”
Well, then I guess you deserve everything Microsoft does to you.
I am wondering what you are going to do as Microsoft starts poisoning the well of XP support - take it like a man I am guessing.
8^)
CD Baric
December 14th, 2007 at 6:55 am
@CD Baric
“More stable and secure than XP. Tons of free applications that are just a couple mouse clicks away.”
Stable and secure, indeed.
When it has become the mainstream OS, we’ll see about being “stable & secure”.
And when people said Linux kernel is too often updated every now & then, breaking up compiled drivers (needs recompiling), they’d reply with, “That means there’s an active community fixing Linux to create the most stable & secure OS.”, while when Windows has some patches to be applied every month, they’d comment, “See? Windows is so unstable & insecure it needs lots of patches.”.
Get a grip.
Besides, if AP has been reduced by Microsoft into this form, then it’s no different from downloading RPMs or DEBs to update a Linux system.
And to think updating OpenOffice (to a new version, not patches) needs a user to download hundreds of MBs doesn’t make a Linux system that lite in terms of downloading updates.
Also, maybe this is one point that you need to consider : that 400+ MBs of patches that you mentioned is accumulated from SP2, which is many years ago.
Anyway, I’m no Linux hater; I use dual boot to both XP and Mandriva.
XP for gaming, watching MKVs PROPERLY (not with the retarded VLC), and fb2k.
Mandriva for my freelancing projects (mainly dealing with websites and databases), and a bit of fb2k via Wine (which still stutters no matter what when getting busy with another apps).
Amarok? It can’t (and probably will never) read TAK files and can’t read music files straight from archive files like fb2k do.
Every OS has its uses for every users.
What I’m trying to tell is stop b!tching about each other’s OS of choice.
Just use what you’re comfortable with and help reducing the global warming by lessening the amount of flames from “My OS is better than yours!” stupid debates.
December 14th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
Okay guys, this is enough. Please take this conversation else ware and not in our forums
December 15th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
“Stable and secure, indeed.”
Yes, that’s what I said. I run Slackware 12 and haven’t rebooted this laptop in over a month - try that with XP. I don’t bother much with the updates because they are rarely a problem.
As for secure, I run Linux exclusively, that means I write my letters and calculate my invoices with Open Office. I rip my DVDs with mencoder and my CDs with lame.
I DON’T use VLC and wonder why you do - I run MPlayer/SMPlayer which reads EVERYTHING using less resources and never locks up. Oh, when I say EVERYTHING, I mean I can feed SMPlayer a DVD iso or a DVD filesystem on my HD and it plays it - try that with XP Media Player. MKVs + SWFs play effortlessly as well.
I don’t need fb2k, I have lots of options:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Linux_media_players
Check it out for yourself.
I use K3b to burn CD/DVDs. I publish my website with Apache+PHP+MySQL, I serve my DNS with bind and I use sendmail as my mail server and squirrelmail as my web frontend and an imap server.
And the reason I say Microsoft XP is insecure is because IT IS INSECURE compared to Linux. I can’t count the number of Windows owners I have coming into my shop every month with systems filled with viruses, trojans, spyware, bots or simply just jammed up and running like a dead turtle.
I have NEVER had a Linux client bring their machine in with any security issues - their biggest problem is hardware failures or more space for their media files.
The XP victims always need a complete reinstall, scrape it down to the wood and start over again - and most of them do not have their install CDs so need to use a pirated copy to get straight even though they bought their computer with XP installed. That is where autopatcher came in handy - it allowed people to bring their pirated copy of XP up to date without too much effort.
When I install Ubuntu on a client’s computer, I know they won’t be having any problems with Genuine Advantage, or rights sucking EULAs, or viruses no matter what website they visit or what email they open.
If the client must play games, I tell them to by a game consol - it will be worlds cheaper than reinstalling XP every year.
If the client absolutely must have Windows XP, a reinstall with fresh legitimate media is $300 - that’s the hidden cost of Microsoft.
Microsoft Windows is for suckers.
CD ‘Bar’ Baric
December 15th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
“Okay guys, this is enough.”
Are you kidding Eric, this forum is DEAD!
My post stimulated more dialog than any or your vague suggestions about some new product sometime in the new year.
Microsoft stabbed you guys in the gut and will very likely do it again if you come up with some new method of making updating XP easier.
Microsoft doesn’t want XP circulating around - they think it is killing their Vista sales. They can’t admit that Vesta sucks like Electrolux, even to themselves.
CD ‘Bar’ Baric
December 17th, 2007 at 12:04 am
First of all, sorry in advance for continuing this stupid “debate”, Erik.
“Yes, that’s what I said. I run Slackware 12 and haven’t rebooted this laptop in over a month - try that with XP. I don’t bother much with the updates because they are rarely a problem.”
With a WinXP laptop, I’ve experienced a reboot after some three months or so.
I was using it as a server w/ lighttpd and it was rebooted because I’ve been postponing the reboot that Windows Update asked me for as long as that laptop is turned on.
But of course you won’t believe me.
With a WinXP desktop, it almost fried my VGA because two of my case’s fan died running it almost 6 months non-stop, with the occasional switch to Mandriva every now and then.
The only thing I had to reboot wasn’t because it hanged or crashed; you know some updates do need reboots.
But of course you won’t believe me.
And of course you’d tell me you don’t know Ubuntu’s behavior towards hard drives that’s shortening the h/d’s life span.
“As for secure, I run Linux exclusively, that means I write my letters and calculate my invoices with Open Office. I rip my DVDs with mencoder and my CDs with lame.”
I also ran WinXP exclusively on my laptop, so it must also be secure (whatever).
I also use OpenOffice on WinXP, rip DVDs with DVDDecrypter and AutoGK, CDs with EAC and a bunch of other codecs other than LAME like Nero’s AAC or the hot, new lossless codec named TAK.
…and the point is?
“I DON’T use VLC and wonder why you do”
Because it’s the default “alternative” player on Ubuntu or Mandriva?
I mean, from the casual user’s perspective, of course.
“I run MPlayer/SMPlayer which reads EVERYTHING using less resources and never locks up. Oh, when I say EVERYTHING, I mean I can feed SMPlayer a DVD iso or a DVD filesystem on my HD and it plays it - try that with XP Media Player. MKVs + SWFs play effortlessly as well.”
I use Media Player Classic and CCCP, and that’s it.
It plays everything too, with less resources and never locks up.
DVD images?
Well, I have to admit I had the help of DAEMON Tools… *shrugs*
…and the point is?
“I don’t need fb2k, I have lots of options:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Linux_media_players
Check it out for yourself.”
Ah, no thanks.
fb2k is the reason why I’d rather have no other options.
I mean, my system isn’t Linux only and the Linux part is something I won’t use for my media files management.
…and the point is?
“I use K3b to burn CD/DVDs. I publish my website with Apache+PHP+MySQL, I serve my DNS with bind and I use sendmail as my mail server and squirrelmail as my web frontend and an imap server.”
I use CDBurnerXP (if you want a good free one) to burn CD and DVDs.
I “publish” my websites with XAMPP, which also includes a mail server.
…and the point is?
The next thing you’d debate about is probably the text editor wars…
“And the reason I say Microsoft XP is insecure is because IT IS INSECURE compared to Linux. I can’t count the number of Windows owners I have coming into my shop every month with systems filled with viruses, trojans, spyware, bots or simply just jammed up and running like a dead turtle.”
Because those casual users probably never bothered to update (or even install) the antivirus, anti-spyware and whatnots.
Never had any kinds of that “jammed like a turtle” problem with any WinXP boxes I’ve ever maintained.
Any WinXP boxes I’ve cleaned from viruses and trojans have rarely been reported back to me because I warned the users to update the antivirus and/or anti-spyware at least once a week.
Well, many admins could take the easy road by installing Linux, of course.
…wait, why is there ClamAV on Linux? I wonder…
“The XP victims always need a complete reinstall, scrape it down to the wood and start over again - and most of them do not have their install CDs so need to use a pirated copy to get straight even though they bought their computer with XP installed. That is where autopatcher came in handy - it allowed people to bring their pirated copy of XP up to date without too much effort.”
Poor you. =)
I usually take out the h/d, and then clean it using an uninfected, secure system (like a WinXP with an antivirus that’s up-to-date; and I’m not talking about the Norton trash).
Also a bit of manual registry cleaning for the finishing touches.
I have to admit I’m a bit adventurous when it comes to virus cleaning; at least I never had to resort to reinstalling WinXP.
“When I install Ubuntu on a client’s computer, I know they won’t be having any problems with Genuine Advantage, or rights sucking EULAs, or viruses no matter what website they visit or what email they open.”
And what would you do when they asked you how to play their games?
Not all clients are exactly office workers…at least on my cases.
I admit, it’s easier handling corporate clients since the users won’t exactly play games at their computer.
Home users that play games, however, is another story.
“If the client must play games, I tell them to by a game consol - it will be worlds cheaper than reinstalling XP every year.”
Of course, if it cost them so much to ask for a tech savvy to fix their computer problems.
On the other hand, I never had to reinstall WinXP unless the drive’s burnt to death due to dying case fans.
“If the client absolutely must have Windows XP, a reinstall with fresh legitimate media is $300 - that’s the hidden cost of Microsoft.”
Now that’s news to me.
I mean, I never had to reinstall so I don’t really know about that.
“Microsoft Windows is for suckers.”
Oh, woe is me. Boo-hoo. =)
Y’see, I never thought Linux is bad.
As far as I’m concerned, there are things that I need on Windows, there are things I need on Linux.
So you actually don’t have to be that defensive since I never attacked Linux as an OS.
I play on both worlds, while you seem to take evasive actions toward Windows because you probably don’t know what to do aside from reinstalling WinXP every now and then (which is also “the easy way around” as some of my friends said).
I guess now you have more time flaming Windows since you’ve installed your customers’ systems Ubuntu, eh? =b
Anyway…
“My post stimulated more dialog than any or your vague suggestions about some new product sometime in the new year.”
At least he’s working on something and fixing it every now and then.
You should sometimes visit the forum; he’s one of the hardworking guys in the AP team.
“Microsoft stabbed you guys in the gut and will very likely do it again if you come up with some new method of making updating XP easier.”
And what?
You’re actually concerned about us Windows users? =)
“Microsoft doesn’t want XP circulating around - they think it is killing their Vista sales. They can’t admit that Vesta sucks like Electrolux, even to themselves.”
They won’t admit that Vista sucks, granted.
But they’ve extended the sale period of WinXP up to Q2 next year, IIRC.
I wonder why…
December 17th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Lets start at the beginning:
Windows XP is insecure because it continues to be a viable target for viruses, trojans, compromises (converting to bots) and numerous other vulns..
A couple weeks ago an associate was installing a fresh copy of XP when he was presented with a window stating that there was a problem with the registry and he should visit a particular website for an evaluation. He followed the link and was presented with a ’scanner’ which authoritatively stated a repair was required immediately. The website was willing to sell him the fix for $39.95 and what was his credit card please.
He rebooted and the same error message was presented. He examined the registry looking for the onces and startups but no joy - just the usual suspects. He located the source of the error message and deleted the file and rebooted. The same message and a new source file name.
He immediately suspected the media was corrupted but a close examination of the box and disc suggested it was brand new and legitimate. He tried calling Redmond but gave up after being routed around.
He reinstalled XP with different media and BANGO - same error message. He reinstalled a third time this time making sure that the network cable was unplugged. XP installed but was unable to download latest updates or antivirus software updates because he wasn’t going to install a fourth time - PERIOD. Oh, and this was behind a secured router - go figure.
This is a true and recent story.
One final word on security - we all know that anti-virus and anti-spyware products only work if the vector and signature are known. New viruses or new vectors can always get past the AV products until it is analyzed and the software updated.
We all know what ZERO DAY vulns are, don’t we.
And the latest word from Microsoft is that it is often safer and easier to scrape the HD down to the wood and re-install than to try and find the offending vuln. Maybe you should let them know your secret.
Quite frankly, it is the desktop that is infinitely more vulnerable than a server so I am not impressed about your server laptop story. I have Linux servers running 2.4 kernels that have been up for over a year - they don’t need protecting because they are inherently secure by design and setup. No telnet, no root ssh access, no ports open that are not required. Locked tight but still serving the same function they are designed for (sendmail/dns/gateway/firewall/etc). The only reason they go down is bad hardware or bad power. In the event of bad power they come right back up and resume where they left off (journaled file system, don’t you know)
And YES - rebooting because of an update counts against uptime - Linux rarely if ever requires a reboot - only patching/updating a kernel requires a reboot. Slackware Linux is like the Energizer Rabbit - it just keeps going and going etc.
As for your statement that you have never had to reinstall XP - I just don’t believe you. Why don’t you tell me how you clean out an encrypted boot sector virus - that should be interesting.
As for your story about pulling the HD and installing on a different machine, all I can say is you are a brute for punishment. Firing up an infected HD could pass a virus to your healthy file system - I have seen it happen first hand! It’s a Windows thing.
I always rescue data and personal files from an infected HD by firing up Slax Live Linux on the CD drive or USB drive (BIOS permitting) and digging in. If I can correct the problem with a little registry tweaking and cleanup I will but most of the time it is collect everything of value and save it on the Linux file server.
As for the hidden cost of Windows, I have spoken to Microsoft reps at length on the subject and they are adamant - a re-install of XP, even on a machine with the Windows sticker, must be from verifiable XP media. No substitutions will be accepted and here is the list price.
Just so you know, I started dealing with Microsoft when they were calling themselves Micro Soft - that was before the IBM PC and DOS. I was a Microsoft consultant full time until 1995 when out of total frustration with a WinDOS faxserver (thanks WinFAX) that would not run for more than an hour at a time drove me to try Linux as a last resort (I had called Redmond and begged for help but none was forthcoming).
I dragged the server home on a Friday along with a phone book thick book & CD all about Linux bought fresh because there was a chapter about creating a faxserver. I learned to install Linux, set up the network, setup the faxserver and created a little app that would accept faxes as PS files from the Windows 95 desktops.
I installed it on my clients thin-net TCP/IP network the following Tuesday morning and connected the two Intel SatisFAXtion external modems and started fine tuning. By noon 8 salespeople were sending a near continuous stream of faxes to the 486/33 Linux faxserver and it was sending when it could get through and cuing them up when busy or no answer. Over the next week I finetuned the system so some faxes would have higher priority and disabled all the systems that weren’t required - the box only had 4 megs of memory.
Over the next couple months I naively boasted about my success with Linux to my colleagues and Microsoft connections. I was then requested to take a meeting with a visiting Microsoftie visiting from Redmond. Over lunch I was asked about the faxserver so I explained in great detail exactly the circumstances leading up to the introduction of Linux into the mix.
I was asked how much it cost and I stated I had already billed several thousand dollars for the failed WinFAX DOS/Win solution, not including what it cost for the server. I just charged the client for the Linux book and disk ($60) and wrote much of my time off as a learning experience.
I was asked how hard it would be to replace it with a new NT4 server with a built in faxserver function. I was floored - I asked why I wasn’t told about this when I called last month. Here is what they wanted me to do: rip out the fully functioning Linux system and purchase and install NT4 instead.
Long story short, I took home a trial copy of NT4 ($95 of my favorite dollars) and tried to get it to function as a faxserver - after several hundred dollars of long distance calls to Redmond absolutely No Joy - it was garbage. The Linux system had been up and running now for almost three months without a problem or reboot - that was unheard in the day. It would just churn out faxes long after the office was closed and sent undeliverable faxes to a shared directory for the morning.
When asked about the faxserver issue I was blunt about how disappointed I was with NT4 in that it would frequently freeze all on it’s own without any input from me and the faxserver function was useless. In the end I was threatened and I dug my heals in. The rat-bastards actually had the nerve to try and send a different consultant in to my clients claiming I had been replaced (I was an independent). I was out of the Microsoft loop after that so I narrowed my profession to network services for Windows desktops and have been personally Windows free since 2001.
That system functioned for over four years with very little intervention on my part. I later updated the system with a new HD and converted to HylaFAX on Linux in order to communicate better with W98.
If I am not up to date on the very latest of Windows follies I apologize. I have friends in the business and their recommended solution is often re-installation. Perhaps I should ask then to get in touch with you to learn your sekret.
I am now moving many of my small clients to Ubuntu 7.10 because it is almost idiot and vuln proof. My clients can play their media - all of it, can write their letters, read/write their email, visit their favorite naughty porn sites, update their Facebook/Myspace pages, browse the web, play some games, p2p/torrent their files, Skype around the world, video chat, IRC, touch up photos, read/post their news (usenet) and rss feeds, scan documents, connect wirelessly and all without fear. No more Microsoft for them unless they buy an XBox (I recommend either Playstation or Ninetendo because of poor quality hardware issues with the xbox).
I can do anything you can do as regards creating music/video media. I could but why would I choose some obscure lossless codec if I want to playback my tunes and books on all my mp3 players?
Here is one of your snotty questions I haven’ dealt with yet:
“…wait, why is there ClamAV on Linux? I wonder…”
Don’t you know? It is so a Linux/Unix mailserver can scan all the messages for viruses before sending them along to all you Windows Pussies.
You didn’t seriously think Linux users needed it did you?
Bwahahahahahahahaha… what a silly person are you.
Even Microsoft’s main website hides behind a curtain of Linux proxy servers because they just plum got tired of being violated all the time.
“But they’ve extended the sale period of WinXP up to Q2 next year, IIRC. I wonder why…”
It’s because Microsoft is afraid of Linux on the desktop. If forced, people will move, even if reluctantly. Vista is just plain BAD!
And what is with Boo Hoo? You sound like an idiot.
CD ‘Bar’ Baric
December 19th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
CD Baric: Shut up.
Nobody cares about your life story and your Windows bashing. A poorly updated box is an insecure box. It doesn’t matter whether you’re runing Windows, Linux, OS X, Be OS, OS/2… whatever. Don’t believe otherwise.
This website is about AutoPatcher, if you don’t care about Windowsand don’t want to use AutoPatcher or contribute to its development that please, just leave. I think I speak for all of us when I say we don’t want people like you trolling up the news comments. Hell, this thread was about the new AutoPatcher forums. Where the fuck does Linux come in to that? Nowhere. Go home.
December 19th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Hi All,
Well it just seems to me that the whole forum has degenerated into a rabble and Autopatcher is dead and buried and nobody gives a stuff except to whinge about it.
Just one question can Autopatcher be revived without Microsoft killing it off?
If the answer is yes lets do something about if no just finish up and be done with it.
Innkeeper
December 19th, 2007 at 5:08 pm
I read the takedown email notice that was sent to you on behalf of Microsoft. It doesn’t appear that it’s a valid takedown order, for several reasons. The first and foremost of which, is that it claims you are hosting the software products themselves (the OS and Office), and not merely updates of them. There is no legal grounds on which to issue a takedown for updates, which are licensed as being freely redistributable. Since you weren’t hosting non-distributable copyrighted works, or anything that was even mentioned in that email, you are not required to take any action.
The people who send out those takedown notices (just like those working for the MPAA and RIAA) are not well trained and don’t have any idea what they are actually looking at, they just used canned emails and whois data.
If you contact Microsoft (not the person who sent the notice, as they usually aren’t an employee but a contracted agent) and explain the situation, provide a copy of the notice, plus a listing of what is actually included in AutoPatcher, I think it will be pretty apparent to anybody with half a brain that none of the items listed in the takedown are included in Autopatcher.
Also, you should get legal representation and run this all by them as soon as financially possible.
This definitely doesn’t look like a legitimate takedown, and I don’t think Microsoft has had, or will have in the future, any issues with the contents and purpose of Autopatcher.
December 20th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Very good :)
Last version of AP i will do mirror at http://www.geisha-escort.com
December 20th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Forget Post SP2 updates. Check out Win XP SP3 RC1
http://download.microsoft.com/download/a/e/4/ae43e777-d69b-4b96-b554-d1a2a0f40fac/windowsxp-kb936929-sp3-x86-enu.exe
December 21st, 2007 at 6:30 pm
why bother service pack 3 almost here
December 22nd, 2007 at 7:51 am
Official Report
SP3 for Windows XP is currently planned for 1H CY2008. This date is preliminary.
Lots of users are confused about this
SP3 has Not officially been released.
It is called release candidate, a term that means beta without any major updates to be made (and that is the clearest simplest answer)
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:16 am
Roy Dean: *this* isn’t a forum. The forum is http://autopatcher.com/forum
Tristor: Microsoft proper are standing behind the takedown
victor windus: We carried on when SP2 was released, and we’ll do the same for SP3 (and vista SP1)
December 28th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
where can I download a version of apup with updates in portuguese brasil
December 30th, 2007 at 9:25 am
This “News” title: Forum open!
Was posted 2 months ago !
This is old news, is there any new news ?
What’s the holdup ?
AutoPatcher has degenerated from speedy (daily) updates to a chat line it seems.
Thanks MS you really helped here - Not
January 3rd, 2008 at 3:58 am
Dear Antony and all the staff,
I found this software that maybe could be useful for you purposes:
http://www.heise.de/ct/projekte/offlineupdate/
check it..maybe you could use it in your apup.
I found it for a chance…but I’m afraid that it is similare to WUD (Windows Update Downloader).
What do you think?
Marco Ferra (Italy)
January 5th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
has anyone had trouble with autopatcher mucking up windows list of hardware all the drivers they have dissapeared it happened in vista after using autopatcher (june, july and aug 07 ) hope i can get them back because of laptop has vista preloaded in it. (rented)
now its doing it to a PC with win xp (installed xp autopatcher version)
has anyone got a way to get my driver lists back with the drivers?
where have they gone?
January 7th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
to those who want to change to linux xp with service pack 2 will leave any linux for dead linux ok to play with but not an option for real world if i never got another update from microsoft with aug autopatcher i ll just go on regardless if autopatcher becomes viable again good if not sp3 if not i still got a good operation platform
January 8th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Any more progress on the new platform?
January 14th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Man, it sucks that MS had to go and screw this project up. No updates in 2 months is not a good sign. I miss the good old days when I could update all the PCs around here without waiting for Windows Updates to download and install em…ah the bliss…
January 14th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Hey guys! I don’t have the access to update this main thread but if you sign into the forums, there is a working downloader called APUP that downloads everything to the most curent release. APUP, autopatcher updater, is still VERY buggy but it’ does get the job done.
February 9th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Excellent news ! Good to the team back again . Glad you guys have stuck in there .
Microsoft should not only applaud you - they should pay you !
Chris Antingham-Holdsworth
February 28th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Well, I just tried apup 1.03 and it tossed out an error message at the end of the download stating one of the downloaded files failed it’s integrity test.
So that’s it, is it?
I find it unbelievable the amount of abuse you people put up with, coders and end users alike.
Bar
March 1st, 2008 at 11:45 pm
When is the next autopatcher getting released ?