Download Windows Updates Separately

[owainjones]

I work in a small computing shop where we do OEM pre-installs from a server using the OEM Pre-Install kit.

Just want to be able to download all the windows updates separately so we install them automatically during the install process as it takes almost 1 hour to perform Windows update afterwards which is a bit of a hassle!

Is there a list somewhere where I can download each one separate?

Thanks

[Tokai]

Do what I do...

On some machines and depending on the updates and Operating Systems updates that you are downloading - the download facility will make a temporay folder on your harddrive (you may have one there now) called WUP (Windows Update). I say temporary as Windows sometimes removes it after downloading - sometimes not.

MS downloads the updates to this folder before it installs them - and after installation of the updates MS will clear the folder (delete the archived updates). The trick is to catch the files before MS deletes them - you will usually get a clue watching the download bar - first it says 'downloading updates' and then 'installing updates'. Catch it before it installs by opening explorer and creating another folder just above (of course it's probably better doing this before you start downloading) C:\WUP - something like C:\WUO, take a copy of the files from C:\WUP and put them into the new folder for writing to cd later.

If you cannot find the temporary folder that MS creates - then make one called C:\WUP - you'll find that the files will go into it before installing (I rather suspect MS looks for the folder - and if it isn't there it creates it) - you can't always guarantee that the folder MS creates will be housed in the root.

The other method is to simply download all the Critical Updates from the MS website and write them to disk.

A point to remember - especially with MS System Updates, is they are actually showing you updates for the particular PC that you are updating - this is after MS has inspected your PC. Some of the updates may not apply to a different PC (different motherboard etc).

Like I said - I have a CD full of MS updates inc SP2 that I update regularly - when new MS updates are released. It does save a lot of time when building new systems.

[owainjones]

Thanks for that. Any chance you can make an ISO of that CD you have so I can download it in one go?

Cheers

Originally Posted by Tokai

Do what I do...

On some machines and depending on the updates and Operating Systems updates that you are downloading - the download facility will make a temporay folder on your harddrive (you may have one there now) called WUP (Windows Update). I say temporary as Windows sometimes removes it after downloading - sometimes not.

MS downloads the updates to this folder before it installs them - and after installation of the updates MS will clear the folder (delete the archived updates). The trick is to catch the files before MS deletes them - you will usually get a clue watching the download bar - first it says 'downloading updates' and then 'installing updates'. Catch it before it installs by opening explorer and creating another folder just above (of course it's probably better doing this before you start downloading) C:\WUP - something like C:\WUO, take a copy of the files from C:\WUP and put them into the new folder for writing to cd later.

If you cannot find the temporary folder that MS creates - then make one called C:\WUP - you'll find that the files will go into it before installing (I rather suspect MS looks for the folder - and if it isn't there it creates it) - you can't always guarantee that the folder MS creates will be housed in the root.

The other method is to simply download all the Critical Updates from the MS website and write them to disk.

A point to remember - especially with MS System Updates, is they are actually showing you updates for the particular PC that you are updating - this is after MS has inspected your PC. Some of the updates may not apply to a different PC (different motherboard etc).

Like I said - I have a CD full of MS updates inc SP2 that I update regularly - when new MS updates are released. It does save a lot of time when building new systems.