Software Distribution

[The Razor's Edge]

Dear Windows 7 Forum Users

Follow up to WAT 2.2.6.1

I have been running with a broken Spanish version of Windows 7 and have not
been able to authenticate it even though I have the Product Keys for Windows
Vista and Windows 7. However, today I received my Windows 7 English DVD to
install and authenticate.

My question has to do with the Software Distribution folder in the Windows
folder, where all the downloaded updates are stored. As this folder now
contains over a gigabyte of updates that took me a couple of months (little
by little each day) to download, it would be a pity to have to download them
all over again. I live in Cuba and connect to the internet via a 56K dialup
(yes gag with with a rubber spoon).

I wonder if anyone has any insight as to whether this folder can be copied
to the new install folder of the same name and when Windows Update goes to
check on the available updates it will note that it already has that file
and install it. I am assuming here that each update download has it's own
static Product Id number and will be the same for all downloads by all
computers.

Thanks in advance

Giovanni

 

[Tony]

I'm not a big fan of updates, if the DVD has service pack 1 that should be good
enough. Anything else is overkill. I posted what you needed all you had to do
was download it and use it.

Dear Windows 7 Forum Users

Follow up to WAT 2.2.6.1

I have been running with a broken Spanish version of Windows 7 and have not
been able to authenticate it even though I have the Product Keys for Windows
Vista and Windows 7. However, today I received my Windows 7 English DVD to
install and authenticate.

My question has to do with the Software Distribution folder in the Windows
folder, where all the downloaded updates are stored. As this folder now
contains over a gigabyte of updates that took me a couple of months (little
by little each day) to download, it would be a pity to have to download them
all over again. I live in Cuba and connect to the internet via a 56K dialup
(yes gag with with a rubber spoon).

I wonder if anyone has any insight as to whether this folder can be copied
to the new install folder of the same name and when Windows Update goes to
check on the available updates it will note that it already has that file
and install it. I am assuming here that each update download has it's own
static Product Id number and will be the same for all downloads by all
computers.

Thanks in advance

Giovanni

--
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Using my technical prowess and computer abilities to answer questions beyond the
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This sig file was compiled via my journeys through usenet

 

[The Razor's Edge]

Well Tony, I do things like honest people do. I only needed to remove the
authentication to allow me to use my machine while I waited for my purchased
copy of Windows 7 to arrive in Cuba. That is a process that took nearly two
months. Now I have my copy that arrived yesterday. I have since formatted my
disk and installed and authenticated my windows 7. My legal copy of Windows
7 upgrade cost me $225.00 Canadian.

My question of course has not been answered but the good folks here, such as
yourself will surely have an answer.

Thanks Tony for your help.

 

[Paul]

Well Tony, I do things like honest people do. I only needed to remove the
authentication to allow me to use my machine while I waited for my purchased
copy of Windows 7 to arrive in Cuba. That is a process that took nearly two
months. Now I have my copy that arrived yesterday. I have since formatted my
disk and installed and authenticated my windows 7. My legal copy of Windows
7 upgrade cost me $225.00 Canadian.

My question of course has not been answered but the good folks here, such as
yourself will surely have an answer.

Thanks Tony for your help.

There are a couple options.

"Autopatcher" is a program that could be run on a friends computer.
It would download a set of updates for a given OS. You'd transfer
the folder full of downloads, plus the apup application, on a CD,
down to Cuba.

That would allow the machine to be patched, after a fresh install.

*******

WSUS is something IT departments use, but I doubt that
would be practical for you. It's another way to serve updates.
Any organization that runs a WSUS server near you, could
function as a patch source for your fresh install.

*******

The other option, is to equip your setup with a proxy server.
The proxy server "remembers" everything you download. If, in the
process of asking for a download, the file needed has the same
date or other identifying info, your download comes from the proxy.
You would ideally have two computers for that, and the dialup
modem would be connected to the proxy computer. The proxy computer
would run ICS or internet connection sharing. And the proxy server
could be set to not age out its cache (as the machine used likely
has a large enough hard drive, to save all your future downloads).

dialup --- proxy machine --- Ethernet cable --- laptop thinks it is
running ICS on a LAN

Using a proxy server won't solve every download problem, because
there will be cases where the proxy can't tell if its copy is
stale or not.

And in this case, you'd have needed the proxy set up, before
downloading all those updates.

Of the things mentioned so far, I'd try Autopatcher, or have
a friend with broadband do it for you, then send you the CD.

Autopatcher is only as good as the volunteers who maintain
the database for it. When I needed the Win2K version of
Autopatcher, it was out of date, making it useless. So if
the people working on it, neglect it for a while, it's no
longer a useful option.

The files used by Autopatcher, come straight from Microsoft,
so the updates are obtained the same way they normally would
be. They're not "stored on an Autopatcher server" or anything.
So the person making the CD for you, would be getting those
files from a microsoft.com address.

Paul