Now that support for Win2k is ovef
_def_x_
29 Aug 2010
OK, I put a very basic script together that will create a basis from which to work. The 'readme' makes setup sound difficult, it isn't. I built from scratch, ran the local script - everything in less than 5 minutes. In the future there will be fewer steps but, because we are doing this by hand we will continue to extract a few zip files by hand - seconds to do 
.
Look at the 2 images - 2kquickstart.png 1 & 2 first - then skim the 'read me' and revisit the images, the process of building our release is simple.
One you get the local script part down, test your shortcuts, one to (apup.exe) to download only 'AutoPatcher Updater' & 'AutoPatcher Engine' (don't forget to use 'Options' - 'Remember Selections' - no other releases) / and one shortcut to (apup1006.exe) set to find a local script and run it. Both will have logging. Look at your log file - notice the information written when you run the local script. Btw, this will download 4 files only, don't bother trying to install them, it's simply to test - the test release should be Official when done.
I would like some feedback on the structure of the release, I was thinking that all OS updates (Critical and NonCritical) will go in the main folder but labeled accordingly, and then if we try and add specific categories they would be in their own folder, something like this (also look at how the .apm files are named in the updates folder)...
C:\2kcustom\modules
..............................\Windows 2000 SP4
..............................\Internet Explorer 6
..............................\MDAC 2.8
..............................\.Net Framework
but, if someone goes ahead and mixes this release with another script from autopatcher.com - this could create trouble - remember, we will need to extract the .apm files by hand, I want it to be simple, easy to do, not buiried 2 or 3 folders deep.
The final test script will remove the files and folders from '\windows 2000 sp4' and '2ksp40827.rti', the user will extract a new .rti file (2ksp4xxxx.rti) to the root to make it Official - then the building of the beta script for real. Feedback!!!!!
NOTE: The user will need to remove the old local script, add the new script and edit the shortcut everytime a new script is used - only seconds to do - too much effort? I don't know of another way! I don't think it's smart to use the same name for everything, this can get confusing, the last 4 digits will be all that changes -> 2ksp40827.script / 2ksp40910.script, 2ksp40827.rti / 2ksp40910.rti - a user could always edit out the date when they move the new script in place but this could cause trouble if a mistake is made.
Either way an edit will be needed, simply change the last 4 digits in the shortcut 'Target'. (right-click shortcut - click 'Properties' - 'edit' Target, click 'Apply')
Target: C:\2kcustom\apup1006.exe /log /localscript:C:\2ksp40827.script
...to (what ever the new script date is)
Target: C:\2kcustom\apup1006.exe /log /localscript:C:\2ksp40910.script
Once again, it has taken 5 times longer to write than to do
I'll be busy for a few days, my teacher is moving fast, 86 pages in 2 days yuk. If this sounds too complicated to do please speak up, I have no problem halting the project.
File: 2ksp4files0827.zip
MD5: c82c1b641d4fad8e529db8c3b7e6ce8d
Size: 387410
I've scanned the .zip with Avast and Malwarebytes.
.Look at the 2 images - 2kquickstart.png 1 & 2 first - then skim the 'read me' and revisit the images, the process of building our release is simple.
One you get the local script part down, test your shortcuts, one to (apup.exe) to download only 'AutoPatcher Updater' & 'AutoPatcher Engine' (don't forget to use 'Options' - 'Remember Selections' - no other releases) / and one shortcut to (apup1006.exe) set to find a local script and run it. Both will have logging. Look at your log file - notice the information written when you run the local script. Btw, this will download 4 files only, don't bother trying to install them, it's simply to test - the test release should be Official when done.
I would like some feedback on the structure of the release, I was thinking that all OS updates (Critical and NonCritical) will go in the main folder but labeled accordingly, and then if we try and add specific categories they would be in their own folder, something like this (also look at how the .apm files are named in the updates folder)...
C:\2kcustom\modules
..............................\Windows 2000 SP4
..............................\Internet Explorer 6
..............................\MDAC 2.8
..............................\.Net Framework
but, if someone goes ahead and mixes this release with another script from autopatcher.com - this could create trouble - remember, we will need to extract the .apm files by hand, I want it to be simple, easy to do, not buiried 2 or 3 folders deep.
The final test script will remove the files and folders from '\windows 2000 sp4' and '2ksp40827.rti', the user will extract a new .rti file (2ksp4xxxx.rti) to the root to make it Official - then the building of the beta script for real. Feedback!!!!!
NOTE: The user will need to remove the old local script, add the new script and edit the shortcut everytime a new script is used - only seconds to do - too much effort? I don't know of another way! I don't think it's smart to use the same name for everything, this can get confusing, the last 4 digits will be all that changes -> 2ksp40827.script / 2ksp40910.script, 2ksp40827.rti / 2ksp40910.rti - a user could always edit out the date when they move the new script in place but this could cause trouble if a mistake is made.
Either way an edit will be needed, simply change the last 4 digits in the shortcut 'Target'. (right-click shortcut - click 'Properties' - 'edit' Target, click 'Apply')
Target: C:\2kcustom\apup1006.exe /log /localscript:C:\2ksp40827.script
...to (what ever the new script date is)
Target: C:\2kcustom\apup1006.exe /log /localscript:C:\2ksp40910.script
Once again, it has taken 5 times longer to write than to do
I'll be busy for a few days, my teacher is moving fast, 86 pages in 2 days yuk. If this sounds too complicated to do please speak up, I have no problem halting the project.
File: 2ksp4files0827.zip
MD5: c82c1b641d4fad8e529db8c3b7e6ce8d
Size: 387410
I've scanned the .zip with Avast and Malwarebytes.
_def_x_
04 Sep 2010
Well, I left the test zip up for a week and only 2 downloads, (one of them was me), maybe it was the idea or the layout. No problem, I simply don't have time to do this right now so after waiting to see if anyone was interested - the answer is pretty clear - no. I deleted the zip to free my upload space.
I gave it a good ole college try
I gave it a good ole college try
tiresias
09 Sep 2010
gUiTaR_mIkE, on 04 September 2010 - 07:43 PM, said:
Well, I left the test zip up for a week and only 2 downloads
Sorry, I've not been on the forum since 19 Aug so had missed all of the recent developments, and your download which is now no longer available. I would have been glad to give it a try if I had been here.
I'm not familiar with how Autopatcher works beyond clicking a couple of buttons, so hopefully the instructions would have been easy to follow.
Was the download fairly small, or did it contain lots of large update files? If it was fairly small, is there a prospect of making it available again?
_def_x_
09 Sep 2010
tiresias said:
Was the download fairly small, or did it contain lots of large update files?
The test runs were designed (had they actually been done) to see how the user reacted to doing a few things by hand, the local script, extracting a few files. I also wanted reaction about the different layout - all the updates (Critical, Recommended) would now be in one folder \modules\win_2k_sp4\ - to make extracting the .apm files easy, 1 folder. IE6, MDAC, etc were going to get their own folders as well, again, to make the extraction of the .apm files easy.
As an example, if you saw a new zip file - 'apms_mdac_0909' - this file would extract to what else - \modules\mdac_28\, the zip file named 'apms_win2ksp4_0909' would go in '\modules\win_2k_sp4\'. This was only going to be done until 2K_SP4_Custom was updated to June 2010, with 2 Patch Tuesday bulletins per new script.
The whole point was to (1.) create a custom one-time 2K release, and (2.) avoid interfering with the ongoing scripts, not hosting the 2K script at AutoPatcher, thus the need to run the script locally and do a few things on our own. I tried to sell the idea, stating once done a few times it is only seconds to perform, really
I think it would have been a disaster now that I have had time to ponder, the average AutoPatcher user likes AutoPatcher precisely because it is easy to use, this was going to require (in my opinion) too much work.
It is sad but it has happened more than once here and that is, a few users express interest in the project, ususally a script they want / need but once you ask them to do a few things, offer ideas or provide feedback - they get a sort of amnesia 
, they forget they even had an interest.
tiresias
10 Sep 2010
gUiTaR_mIkE, on 09 September 2010 - 11:07 PM, said:
It is sad but it has happened more than once here and that is, a few users express interest in the project, ususally a script they want / need but once you ask them to do a few things, offer ideas or provide feedback - they get a sort of amnesia , they forget they even had an interest.
, they forget they even had an interest.I know what you mean.
Oh well...
It's a pity that Microsoft didn't just parcel up all of the patches into a single download, but I guess end-of-support means just that.
Edited by tiresias, 10 September 2010 - 12:45 PM.
_def_x_
10 Sep 2010
What I might do is go ahead and put together a release the way I like, update the script to September 2009 (2 Patch Tuesdays) and post it. Either a user will be OK doing a few things by hand and running the script locally or not.
I will try to offer assistance, if it falls flat (or no downloads) I wont bother with another update or post another script - Windows 2K will be a closed topic from then on, I will simply ignore any more talk of Windows 2K.
The only reason I need feedback is I don't have 2K installed, I will be guessing with the detections (not totally but mostly) - this is not good - I need feedback from users who have 2K SP4 installed (or a virtual install) so they can verify the patches are being detected properly.
I will try to offer assistance, if it falls flat (or no downloads) I wont bother with another update or post another script - Windows 2K will be a closed topic from then on, I will simply ignore any more talk of Windows 2K.
The only reason I need feedback is I don't have 2K installed, I will be guessing with the detections (not totally but mostly) - this is not good - I need feedback from users who have 2K SP4 installed (or a virtual install) so they can verify the patches are being detected properly.
tiresias
11 Sep 2010
OK. I'll keep a watch on this thread.
> update the script to September 2009
Do you mean 2010 ?
> update the script to September 2009
Do you mean 2010 ?
_def_x_
12 Sep 2010
Quote
> update the script to September 2009...Do you mean 2010 ?
If you've read the conversation about 2K it hasn't been updated since July 2009 except for a rootcert update I think, that means it's behind about 13 Patch Tuesdays or 13 months. Now, if someone could come up with a definitive list of updates with links to said updates we could build a script that way. This would be easier. Instead, I have to look back to the August bulletin and go over each new update (add it) and see if it replaced an old update (and remove it) - this is done for every monthly security bulletin. I have looked at August and September of 2009 so far.
For someone who is in 'the know' as they say or more technically savvy probably has a better way, maybe take a fresh Win2KSP4 machine and let Microsoft Update spit out a list of needed patches to bring the machine 'up-to-snuff' - I can't do this so I have to rely on the bulletins - add and remove updates for each month, adjust the script and see how it goes.
Of course, there is always 'borrowing' from another's hard work, using their links from their update tools, I'm not sure I like this idea.
The more reliable feedback given with regard to needed patches, links to patches, the detections the better the release will be, as it stands now the more I think about doing this without any assistance the more I don't want to do it. Like I said, I will see if I can get the script updated to September 2009 and play it by ear.
Cristiano
12 Sep 2010
an hint, from win2k10 ita:
#Microsoft ha terminato il supporto a Windows 2000 a luglio 2010. La release
#continuerà ad essere aggiornata per tutto il 2010 esclusivamente per quanto
#riguarda lo Strumento di Rimozione del Malware
i was a child last time that i've spoke italian, but lets see:
microsoft has ended the support for win 2k at July 2010. the script will keep being updated until the end of 2010 regarding only to ms malicious removal tool
[]s
Edited by Cristiano, 12 September 2010 - 02:11 AM.
#Microsoft ha terminato il supporto a Windows 2000 a luglio 2010. La release
#continuerà ad essere aggiornata per tutto il 2010 esclusivamente per quanto
#riguarda lo Strumento di Rimozione del Malware
i was a child last time that i've spoke italian, but lets see:
microsoft has ended the support for win 2k at July 2010. the script will keep being updated until the end of 2010 regarding only to ms malicious removal tool
[]s
Edited by Cristiano, 12 September 2010 - 02:11 AM.
_def_x_
12 Sep 2010
Quote
microsoft has ended the support for win 2k at July 2010
Items like rootcerts, mrt etc the user can get on their own. The project (the way I see it ) is an Unofficial SP5 One-Time deal, a collection of updates, based off the Microsoft Security Bulletin listings, thru July 2010. Then the user can use the updates and a third party tool to slipstream a new install disc or use AutoPatcher to install them on a Win2K SP4 system.
Btw, I had planned on removing the "Removal" and "Slipstream" commands out of the .apm - my reasoning, if you need to remove the update use Add/Remove Programs.
If you want to slipstream the updates there are better tools - nLite for one. nLite can handle a service pack and updates fine, it is when people start trying to do too much or strip too much from the install disc things go south. nLite, when you put all the updates in one folder will display them and install them based off their date internally - very easy process. nLite works well with 2K and XP based projects.
Cristiano
12 Sep 2010
> there are better tools
finally. i've once said that and i was forced to migrate every single module to have those options that never was fully developed. at that time, update slow machines doing backup of everything to allow the removal toke me a lot of extra time in my job and that made me forget about run official versions, because every single month, i had to edit the modules to add the nobackup option
[]s
finally. i've once said that and i was forced to migrate every single module to have those options that never was fully developed. at that time, update slow machines doing backup of everything to allow the removal toke me a lot of extra time in my job and that made me forget about run official versions, because every single month, i had to edit the modules to add the nobackup option
[]s
tiresias
12 Sep 2010
Quote
maybe take a fresh Win2KSP4 machine and let Microsoft Update spit out a list of needed patches to bring the machine 'up-to-snuff'
I could install Win2KSP4 on a spare parition, and then let Windows Update do its stuff. I guess it would have a huge amount of data to download to bring it up to July 2010 though, so I'm not sure if this is practical to do in one go.
Having done that, I guess you would just need a list of whatever Windows Update had downloaded, and the corresponding URL links to the files that were downloaded. I don't know where I would find that info on the resulting fully updated PC, but if someone can tell me where to find it ... ?
_def_x_
12 Sep 2010
Quote
I could install Win2KSP4 on a spare parition, and then let Windows Update do its stuff.
Quote
and the corresponding URL links to the files that were downloaded.
Cristiano
12 Sep 2010
> there was / is a 'windowsupdate.log' file created
that's true. this is the log for windows update even for seven. it is located under windir\WindowsUpdate.log
[]s
that's true. this is the log for windows update even for seven. it is located under windir\WindowsUpdate.log
[]s
tiresias
13 Sep 2010
Quote
I did think MU/WU offered a list that could be printed that has the KB number and description of the update - this would be nice.
To be honest I can't remember what W2K's Windows update provides - I'd always used Autopatcher to do the updating on my W2K machine.
It's not too much trouble to install W2KSP4 on a spare partition (I think I made a slipstream of this ages ago - I hope I can still find the CD), so I'll do that and see what Windows Update does without it actually downloading the updates. I just hope it doesn't start downloading all the updates automatically. If anyone knows of a setting I would have to set to just allow it to "offer" a list without it actually downloading please let me know.
If I have time tomorrow I'll do the install.
tiresias
14 Sep 2010
OK I found my W2K-SP4 slipstream CD. According to the note I wrote on it, I had also included the "rollup 1" - but I'm not sure that was actually noticed during install because it was later offered by Window Update.
Anyway I selected the Windows Update option that just notified me about updates but did not download them.
Then I waited...
After a couple of minutes I got a notification that updates were available, but only 2 were listed:
- Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1
- Update for Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) 2.0 and WinHTTP 5.1 (KB842773)
Figuring I had to allow the 3.1 installer to be installed before I could get any further, I allowed both of the above to install, and then rebooted as requested.
After reboot I got another Windows Update notification which this time contained quite a long list (including the "rollup 1" update). The final entry on the list was "Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - June 2010 (KB890830)" so I guess the list is up-to-date.
Had a look in the WINNT folder and found log files for KB893803v2.log and KB842773.log. A quick Google showed these must have been the installation logs for the initial 2 updates that I allowed to install.
The "Automatic Updates" dialog box that contained the list of updates did not seem to have a way of copying the list to the clipboard or exporting or printing. I did however find a large WindowsUpdate.log file in the WINNT folder which mentions "Found 94 updates" a couple of times, and then finally "Found 92 updates". These might correspond to the entries displayed in the dialog box, so I've pasted below the last few lines from the file - I can provide the whole file if needed. Notice that the log file just seems to contain UIDs, and not the user-friendly names of each update that appears in the Automatic Updates dialog box list.
Does any of this help?
EDIT: Just noticed that you can set a registry entry to enable "Verbose" logging - don't know it that would provide any more useful info.
Edited by Cristiano, 14 September 2010 - 07:49 PM.
Reason for edit:: spoiler
Anyway I selected the Windows Update option that just notified me about updates but did not download them.
Then I waited...
After a couple of minutes I got a notification that updates were available, but only 2 were listed:
- Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1
- Update for Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) 2.0 and WinHTTP 5.1 (KB842773)
Figuring I had to allow the 3.1 installer to be installed before I could get any further, I allowed both of the above to install, and then rebooted as requested.
After reboot I got another Windows Update notification which this time contained quite a long list (including the "rollup 1" update). The final entry on the list was "Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - June 2010 (KB890830)" so I guess the list is up-to-date.
Had a look in the WINNT folder and found log files for KB893803v2.log and KB842773.log. A quick Google showed these must have been the installation logs for the initial 2 updates that I allowed to install.
The "Automatic Updates" dialog box that contained the list of updates did not seem to have a way of copying the list to the clipboard or exporting or printing. I did however find a large WindowsUpdate.log file in the WINNT folder which mentions "Found 94 updates" a couple of times, and then finally "Found 92 updates". These might correspond to the entries displayed in the dialog box, so I've pasted below the last few lines from the file - I can provide the whole file if needed. Notice that the log file just seems to contain UIDs, and not the user-friendly names of each update that appears in the Automatic Updates dialog box list.
Does any of this help?
EDIT: Just noticed that you can set a registry entry to enable "Verbose" logging - don't know it that would provide any more useful info.
Spoiler
Edited by Cristiano, 14 September 2010 - 07:49 PM.
Reason for edit:: spoiler
_def_x_
14 Sep 2010
The log file doesn't offer any detail, no KB numbers or links, not sure exactly how to know what the missing updates are. I wouldn't bother for now.
Here's an example of an update list a user provided for XP x64, I think this is 'Microsoft Update'. You can see the details - XP x64 update list
Let's play this by ear, I have a project to complete and a test coming up. Hopefully we can get a Win2K script going soon, at least you can offer feedback with update detections since you have 2K installed, even a virtual machine will work so no need to create a dual boot situation.
Here's an example of an update list a user provided for XP x64, I think this is 'Microsoft Update'. You can see the details - XP x64 update list
Let's play this by ear, I have a project to complete and a test coming up. Hopefully we can get a Win2K script going soon, at least you can offer feedback with update detections since you have 2K installed, even a virtual machine will work so no need to create a dual boot situation.
Jan Erik
15 Sep 2010
[quote name='gUiTaR_mIkE' date='28 August 2010 - 07:26 AM' timestamp='1282976763' post='12888']
I have an idea. There is an Autopatcher for Win2k in Italian that may be assumed to be complete.
I suppose that it can "simply" be translated to English, translating texts and changing URLs to those valid for the ENU updates.
I have an idea. There is an Autopatcher for Win2k in Italian that may be assumed to be complete.
I suppose that it can "simply" be translated to English, translating texts and changing URLs to those valid for the ENU updates.
_def_x_
15 Sep 2010
Jan Erik said:
I have an idea. There is an Autopatcher for Win2k in Italian that may be assumed to be complete.
I suppose that it can "simply" be translated to English, translating texts and changing URLs to those valid for the ENU updates.
I suppose that it can "simply" be translated to English, translating texts and changing URLs to those valid for the ENU updates.
One option may be to assume the Ita script and updates are Win2K neutral not the Ita language and simply find the English versions of each KB number. I figured this would be as time consuming as going over each monthly bulletin adding and subtracting updates, testing the script etc.
If you could Jan Erik, read post #21, I'm interested in getting feedback regarding 1. Running the script locally, does this seem too difficult or too much trouble, and 2. The layout, the Critical and Recommended updates would be in one folder, I may add additional folders - see the basic diagram I layed out, does this work?
I posted a small zip with instructions and a mock test to give an idea of the process - only one download, no feedback - where were you
I may try and upload part of it again and post the images at KwikPiks so my upload amount is less. The reason for the slight change in layout is due to the script running locally, we will need to extract a few zip files - the folder locations need to be as simple to find as possible.
I really do want to get these simple things decided, it is much easier than I'm making it sound but some explanation is important. Unless someone tries to run a mock test I may very well be wasting time, you guys may think this is far too troublesome for a Win2K release.
Read post #21 closely, I'll try to get something uploaded by the weekend, give it a go. If we are all on the same page then I will contemplate looking at getting the Win2K July 2009 script updated to September 2009 - that's 2 Patch Tuesday collections, this is a start.
I may post links to the 2 images that I refer to as a 'quick start guide' for the update process and creating shortcuts to the apup executables, if I do save the images as a reference, ask questions about anyting that is confusing - I haven't tried to edit them, there may be a better way to explain a step - feedback please.
Cristiano
15 Sep 2010
> hoped most of the links in the Ita script was for language neutral updates
in fact, just a few are neutral. long ago, when we had translation packs, all the translators had the same problem. but one hint: isn't really required download everything again. if already there's an downloaded version, it's possible download only the .apm files from an template, made an list and compare it by kb number. to that, an simple dir /b /s *.apm >list.txt may do the trick. then, open it with an excel-like software or any software that you like and make the comparison. matching booth lists, you will have an list of missing updates and also an obsolete list, making the job a lot easier
[]s
in fact, just a few are neutral. long ago, when we had translation packs, all the translators had the same problem. but one hint: isn't really required download everything again. if already there's an downloaded version, it's possible download only the .apm files from an template, made an list and compare it by kb number. to that, an simple dir /b /s *.apm >list.txt may do the trick. then, open it with an excel-like software or any software that you like and make the comparison. matching booth lists, you will have an list of missing updates and also an obsolete list, making the job a lot easier
[]s
