17 replies to this topic

[Cristiano]

> can james or you cristiano update vista 64
no, because we don't have any version of windows vista

> i think you can do it without testing
is not so simple. there's the detection issue. without the OS, we will be unable to cath proper detections. also, without the OS, we may be unable to cath proper install strings. basically, we can't do that. in 2 months (top) i will build another machine. i know that i have at least 2 more windows xp licences stored in some place, but i'm looking for it since a couple of months and i was unable to find it, so, i probably have loose it (expensive thing to loose, isn't?). i will not buy any windows vista, maybe seven, but i'm looking forward to build my first machine running only linux and seven will not be on stores before 2 months. so, probably i will not run any windows when those machines that i already have die

really, we are needing volunteers

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[Cristiano]

> but i have to learn how to do it
isn't hard to do, basically, it only takes time to learn how to. some time ago, i had some free time and wrote an beta version for the new format for autopatcher, that you can find in here. it's plain html, so, you can open it with any browser. please, take a good look at that. we can help in many ways

thanks

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[Cristiano]

well, first of all, the module needs to be build. that's the tricky part, because:
- you need write it from scratch or made an copy of other module of the same kind and made the proper modifications;
- you need take the detections;
- you need take the proper install strings.

the easiest way that i know is just copy an existing module of the same kind and make the proper modifications, also described in AutoPatcher Documentation - APM Format.html

the script himself is more easy to do. also you can read at apup_developer_docs.html, that is basically take the download links, size and md5 for the files, but this task can be done after you be sure that the module that you have done really works. and that is the tricky part too, because very often, you need more than one machine or at least an virtual machine in order to test. really, it's far more easy do than explain the stuff, but the basics for all this is on that docs. the best advice that i can give to anyone that is willing to build his own modules is this: read carefully all those docs. fast reading doesn't work for this, because there's thinks in there that you only will know that are missing when you got an error because of that

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[Cristiano]

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[Cristiano]

> how can i search for aditional updates that are not shown on windows update (windows catalog)
you can do that in here: http://www.microsoft...ty/Current.aspx . they have an search by product, but you must remember check "Show only bulletins that contain updates that have not been replaced by a more recent update" before do your search, or you may waste your time with obsolete stuff

> as i think you cant do script if i tell which patches to include and which has to be removed
yes and no. takes time to take the download links and the md5 for the updates. i can try, but i don't us to have a lot of free time. just to give you a hint, today is sunday and i already have 3 machines to fix, but i can try anyway

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[Cristiano]

> tell me how to add those 3 patches
that it's the easy part. the folders where the updates will be must have the exact name of the module (including the .apm) plus _files. knowing that, you need have at the script something like this:

Item=windowsmedia11-kb929773-x86-intl.exe

DetectFile=autopatcher:\modules\NonCritical\KB929773_xp_wmp11_x86.apm_files\windowsmedia11-kb929773-x86-intl.exe
DetectHash=56900E172A6939A8D35D46568B34049E
DownloadFrom=http://download.microsoft.com/download/a/0/3/a03a5929-f689-4fcb-abdc-84dfb970ce87/windowsmedia11-kb929773-x86-intl.exe
DownloadTo=autopatcher:\modules\NonCritical\KB929773_xp_wmp11_x86.apm_files\windowsmedia11-kb929773-x86-intl.exe
ExpectedSize=958800
ExpectedHash=56900E172A6939A8D35D46568B34049E

where item is the file to be downloaded and the DetectFile= is the file to be checked if is already downloaded. the DetectHash= is the expected md5 file for the file that will be checked. the DownloadFrom= is the full download location for the file, that you can grab like is described in the docs that you have. the DownloadTo= is the location for the download (again, the full path). the ExpectedSize= is the file size (not the size in disk, the file size for true) in bytes. you can take that with an simple right-click, properties. just remove any . or , that you may see, leaving just the numbers and the ExpectedHash= is the md5 for the file that will be downloaded (usually, it is the same than the one for the first detection, but it isn't true for all updates).

to remove an obsolete file you just need add this at the begin of the script file:
PreAction=del "autopatcher:\modules\Critical\KB890830_files\windows-kb890830-v2.5.exe"

in this case, this command will remove only windows-kb890830-v2.5.exe, leaving the folder alone. if you wish remove an folder and also all his content, you must do like this:
PreAction=rmdir /S /Q "autopatcher:\modules\Components\KB943729_x86_files"

don't forget: if you remove an update, you must remove the .apm file too

> looks too complicated
that it's the easy part, it just look complicated

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[Cristiano]

> how could i and where upload modules that i made
please, send those to my mail that i will add it into that script later.

by the way: do you wanna join the beta team?

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[Cristiano]

i've added you onto beta team group. this will allow you access an restricted area of this forum and where questions about building modules etc can be made. also, in that area, some members do tests with scripts before it goes public

about scripts, an common mistake that releasers do is think that because you have plendy of time today, it will be that way forever. that is not true. because of that, sometimes people start do some modules and soon they quit. the safest thing to do is do like if you are learning how to walk or drive an bike. do it slowly, one step at a time, until you feel that you are secure about what you are doing and then go to the road. but that is just an advice

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Edited by James, 10 February 2009 - 04:37 PM.
Off topic question and reply in two posts removed from this topic and moved to BetaTeam forum