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First, if you can reassemble a functional Autopatcher for xp sp2 it would be
much cleaner and nicer, and more reliable than any batch script. I think you
can with a little time and help. I'm guessing you have never seen the GUI
but only the command prompt pop-up when using Autopatcher? It is a real
nice working environment for updating your OS, clean and simple.
Can you get a complete Autopatcher for xp sp2 with all the needed updates
from your IT Dept., as originaly was downloaded, with apm files and all? You
will need the folder structure, as well the associated apm files for each
update to have "autopatcher.exe" be of any use?
To answer your overall question of how many times can Autopatcher be used
on a single machine or on many new machines - the answer is OVER and OVER
and OVER! That is why most of us use it, it is mobile and reusable.
Example1:
You build 30 systems, install windows xp sp2 on all of them (and if you
were here in June to get the last available Autopatcher for xp sp2) then
run Autopatcher, you could update all 30 systems to June of 2008 without
having to connect to the internet.
Example2:
Lets say your Autopatcher has 50 updates, 30 Critical, 10 Recommended,
and 10 Component. You only want to install the 30 critical and 10 component.
When you run Autopatcher and get to the main window, AP will show 50 updates
are available. They all should be checked by default. You will uncheck the 10 you
don't want, proceed to install the 40 you do. When your updates are installed
and your system reboots, run Autopatcher for a second time. It should now show
for your system 10 available updates and the 40 you installed should now be
unchecked and blue in color. This is how Autopatcher generally works.
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About "apup.exe" -> look at "apup.exe" as the Autopatcher Management Tool.
The scripts that apup references change regularly to keep Autopatcher Up To
Date. Apup downloads, overwrites, creates, and needs the internet to connect
primarily to Microsoft as well autopatcher.com to get the latest scripts and updates.
You could still run apup.exe on a xp_sp2 folder, I do, but I always uncheck xp_sp3
first - the OS box. I use it to update Office 2003, DirectX, AddOns etc that are part
of my xp_sp2 folder.
I apologize if this is nothing new for you but I read this thread 2 or 3 times and it
seemed to me you are a little unsure of how to use Autopatcher!
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If you should want to try and reassemble a xp_sp2 Autopatcher, as long as it isn't
breaking any rules, since you already have the updates, I would be willing to email
you all the "APM" files for the associated updates. About all you would have to do
is create the proper subfolder categories in the modules directory and follow the
naming convention Cristiano has spelled out for you. You will also want to verify
hashes but it really is an easy job. The hard part is the scripting and that is already
done.
executable----->KB938464-x86-ENU.exe
apm file-------->KB938464_xp_x86_enu.apm
update folder--->KB938464_xp_x86_enu.apm_folder
Hope this long diatribe was of some help!
Mike
