[-X-]

Quickly done add-on creator: WindowsUpdateAgent7.6.7600.256.Add-on.Creator.zip

This post has been edited by -X-: 19 July 2012 - 07:59 AM

[tomasz86]

@submix8c

I've just got one question

Why do you use 7-Zip to extract WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe:

ECHO Extracting Windows Update Agent to WUCAB Folder...
7za x "%~dp0WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe" -o"%~dp0WUCAB" * -r -y

when it can be extracted using its integral switches:

ECHO Extracting Windows Update Agent to WUCAB Folder...
"%~dp0WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe" /X:"%~dp0WUCAB" /Q

?

[dencorso]

@tomasz86:
Yes, he could've done it.
But, then again, later on in the batch, he'd need something to unpack the cabs, anyway, but that could have been changed to use cabarc.exe...
Except that it's 7za which is used to get to cabarc.exe, in the 1st place... so there wouldn't actually be a cabarc.exe without 7za.exe in the script.
Once it has to be there, there really is no difference which means were used to extract things from among the various possibilities present, IMO.
I guess the idea behind it was to use always the same method to do analogous operations throughout the batch, so as to make easier to understand for any 3rd party studying it later.
Of course this is just my guesswork, on rereading the code of the script... only submix8c can really tell us what was in his mind when he coded it in the way he did.
Then again, when I am the one coding, I usually strive to get things working reliably, in the 1st place, and only afterwards do I revise for clarity, and that only when I think that that's really necessary, else I simply don't.

[tomasz86]

@dencorso

I wonder if there's any speed difference between the extracting switch and 7-Zip extraction. If no then of course it doesn't matter which method is used

By the way, the direct link to the 7za.exe archive is:

http://cdnetworks-kr...9.20/7za920.zip (it's one of the official mirrors used on SourceForge; it can be used with Wget)

To unpack it you can use unzip.exe from here:

http://stahlforce.co...p?tool=zipunzip (direct link available)

At the moment 7za.exe must be downloaded manually before running the script. It's possible to just use Wget to download the 7za.exe archive, unpack it by unzip.exe from command line and use later in the script. Actually I think that using 7za.exe could be avoided completely:

- all .zip files can be unpacked using unzip.exe (there are no .7z/.rar or any other archives used in the script)
- all M$ .exe files can be unpacked with switches
- all .cabs can be unpacked by using Windows' native expand.exe

This post has been edited by tomasz86: 15 July 2012 - 12:51 AM

[dencorso]

The only case i know in which using 7za is bound to fail is for MS Intra-Package Deltas Aware Packages, which can only be correctly extracted by using th /X switch. None of the packages involved in submix8c's process are of this kind, however. But I think submix8c always thought of this more as an intellectual exercise than as anything more permanent... he didn't even update the script to use split.exe (at least as an alternative). Let's wait for him to chime in, before we continue discussing how to optimize the script, OK?

[submix8c]

Bzzzzzz Bzzzzz - Busy bee...

-X- more than likely has also looked it over in his "spare time" (not yet implemented in his script). As far as 7-Zip instead, if you look at -X-'s UDC script, it does the same thing, so let's just say it's for the sake of consistency. Also, please note that -X-'s package includes 7-Zip to preclude the need to download and "un-Zip a ZIP file" (it's freeware) as is WGET. Other files need to be downloaded due to EULA's (keeping everything legal) - the exception is blah-blah (which could probably also be "built). The "target audience" was initially -X-, so again, consistency.

Also note that "my script" needs a lot of cleanup of trash stuff. As far as "split" (see post#95), that seemed to be the only "free" program that fit the bill (PARTCOPY seemed to randomly fail download - also see post#69 and surrounding posts in addition to those surrounding post#95). Therefore, SPLIT could be also included in the "package" (note the source of the program - that link is dead but another exists for the complete set of utilities). If you can find another one, please let us know.

Answered?

This post has been edited by submix8c: 16 July 2012 - 07:01 AM

[dencorso]

A command line version of this, perhaps custom made by the author, if he can be located or by one of us, might be a worthwhile addition, too. As for split, while that repository does not have it anymore, it does contain the full package, which I downloaded. However, at least for the split in the full package, two .dlls (also contained it the full package) are also required, besides split.exe, for correct functioning. Was the original split you tested stand alone?

[submix8c]

Full package containing "SPLIT" is a newer version. The Older version is the one I use from here (11-11-1999) which doesn't require the two DLL's ("UnxUtils.zip" folder="usr\local\wbin"). Looking at the SourceForge Project, you can see where the changes were made. AFAIK, the change had something to do with Unicode. "UnxUpdates" (same link) also has it (the ZIP is 859k vs 3287k) and is smaller (dated 06-20-2003). Haven't tested it yet...

I had stumbled onto the "remote zip" thingy before. Useful maybe to get the "SPLIT" program, not so much for anything else in this particular project (or the -X- package). Not sure, but I THINK I might have had this kind of thing on either a 98SE or ME OS some years (10?) ago.

This post has been edited by submix8c: 16 July 2012 - 06:17 AM

[erpdude8]

I give major props to ricktendo64 and others for making unofficial standalone WUA 7.6.7600.256(7) installers for Windows as they can save some users some headaches when updating/installing WUA fails using the normal methods (aka. install WUA 7.6.7600.256 via Automatic Updates or through visiting Windows Update site with IE, etc.) and getting error messages mentioned in these forum threads:
(Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.256 Failing on Multiple Systems)
(Windows update agent 7.6.7600.256 fails to install. Error 8007041B. WSUS server running KB2720211)

and Microsoft is still reluctant to release standalone EXE installers for WUA v7.6.7600.256 as of today.

[-X-]

I found a bug with the add-on creator. It needs a /wuforce switch to install the wuweb.dll .257 version.

Here's the new add-on creator: WindowsUpdateAgent7.6.7600.256.Add-on.Creator.zip

EDIT: Oops. I had made it a cab file instead of zip and forgot to name it add-on creator. Re-uploaded.

This post has been edited by -X-: 19 July 2012 - 07:57 AM

[-X-]

I finally incorporated it into my UDC script. Phew! Had to take out the wildcards and hard code the .cab filenames.

Special thanks to submix8c!

As always, you can download the UDC script @ http://xdot.tk/updates.html

[erpdude8]

looks like ricktendo64 reverted his WUA packages back to 7.6.7600.256 about a week ago.

a recent Wincert forum user named RicaNeaga is having problems with WUA v7.6.7600.256 on his XP computer.

I don't have the problems he's having on my XP machine and WUA 7.6.7600.256(7) installed. the BITS service is working fine here and I've just installed some XP updates through Windows Update.
can anyone else reproduce the problem that person was experiencing?

This post has been edited by erpdude8: 01 August 2012 - 11:25 PM

[ricktendo]

Its probably the way he nlited his disk and yes, I removed the 257 wuweb.dll to prevent any errors due to version mismatch

This post has been edited by ricktendo64: 01 August 2012 - 11:52 PM

[dencorso]

I'm using both wuweb.dll and muweb.dll v. 257, without any issues, to this day...

[submix8c]

YOINKS!!! I just recently used the WU-MU package (Ricktendo64's) with "wuforce" manually (via a CMD) installed to a fresh WinXP and it works fine. The solution is to (IF you want v257) is to ADD it after (rather than Direct Slipstream) by actually running it. Otherwise, just use the v2.56 package, and for JUST WU use the EXE program from MS ( link also found on -X-'s website/inside the UDC BAT).

Seriously, I see no problem with it. The ONLY thing that happened was IE8 asked if I wanted to run an ActiveX (say "yes").

[tomasz86]

submix8c, on 26 June 2012 - 01:03 PM, said:

@-X-

Not sure if this would "fix" it...

1 - Download this instead (it's GNU Unix Port to Windows of "split.exe" so it's distributable). Put in the folder.
2 - Remove these PARTCOPY references

:: KEEP THIS ZIP FILE!!! MAY BE HARD TO GET AGAIN!!!
:: if exist pcopy02.zip del pcopy02.zip
if exist partcopy.exe del partcopy.exe

if exist pcopy02.zip goto GOTSPLIT
ECHO Downloading PARTCOPY from Web Archive...
:: --- UNDEPENDABLE!
:: wget -nc "http://web.archive.org/web/20010116021600/http://users.erols.com/johnfine/pcopy02.zip"
:: --- Use this instead...
wget -nc "http://www.brokenthorn.com/Resources/Programs/pcopy02.zip"
:: --- OR this instead...
:: wget -nc "http://geezer.osdevbrasil.net/johnfine/pcopy02.zip"
:GOTSPLIT
7za.exe e "%~dp0pcopy02.zip" -o"%~dp0" partcopy.exe -y

3 - Replace PARTCOPY code

::  NOTE! This MUST use 8.3... I DID NOT prefix filenames with "%~dp0"...
partcopy WUAEXE.EXE 0 8A00 WUSFX.SFX
:: The Install is no longer needed...
del "%~dp0WUAEXE.EXE"

with SPLIT code

:: Original Hex-8A00=Dec-35328
split -b 35328 wuaexe.exe wuaexe
:: output: wuaexeaa wuaexeab etc...
ren wuaexeaa wusfx.sfx
del wuaexe*.*

"SPLIT -HELP" displays syntax.

edit - and BETTING that using the "%~dp0" code would work...

I'm not 100% sure but it seems that PARTCOPY doesn't work at all when PAE is enabled (at least in Windows 2000). Nothing happens when it's executed. No errors, just nothing. I used it in my script to create MSCF.SFX before but because of this reason I've recently switched to the split.exe recommended by submix8c since it works fine.

This post has been edited by tomasz86: 03 April 2013 - 03:39 AM