Description of the new features in the package installer for Windows software updates (832475)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition for Itanium-based Systems
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional 64-Bit Edition (Itanium) 2003
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional 64-Bit Edition (Itanium)
  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
  • Microsoft Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP4
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP4
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP4
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP4

SUMMARY

Version 6.1.22.0 and later versions of the package installer for Windows software updates (Update.exe) support the following new features and changes:
  • A new /log command-line switch to enable redirection of the log files produced by the package installer
  • A new /warnrestart command-line switch to present a dialog box with a timer at the end of an unattended installation or removal warning the user that their system will restart, if a restart is required.
  • A new /promptrestart command-line switch to present a dialog box at the end of an unattended installation or removal prompting the user to let their system restart, if a restart is required.
  • Changes to the /passive switch so that when a restart is required, a dialog box with a timer is displayed at the end of installation or removal warning the user that their system will restart.
  • Flags set in the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\UpdateExeVolatile to indicate when a restart is required after installation or removal of a software update such as a security update, critical update, or hotfix.
  • /uninstall and /listupdates command-line switches have been discontinued. See the More Information section for alternatives.
Version 5.4.15.0 and later versions of the package installer for Windows software updates (Update.exe) support the following new features:
  • A new /integrate command-line switch to integrate software updates into your Windows installation source files.
  • Changes to the /extract switch.

INTRODUCTION

Microsoft creates software update packages by using several different self-extracting file formats that automatically run a Setup program that is included in the package. This article describes the new features that you can use with software update packages that use Update.exe version 5.4.15.0 or a later version as the Setup program.

To determine whether a software update package uses Update.exe as the Setup program, and what version it uses, follow these steps:
  1. Right-click the package, and then click Properties.
  2. On the Version tab under the Other Version Information heading, select Installer Engine. The value should be update.exe.
  3. To determine the Update.exe version, select Installer Version. The value field will show the version of Update.exe used in the package.
For packages released before July 2004, follow these steps to determine whether Update.exe is used and what version of Update.exe is used:
  1. Extract the software update package to a unique temporary folder. For example, to extract the files for an update package that is named KBArticleNumber.exe to a folder that is named ExtractedPackage on drive C, type the following at a command prompt: 
    KBArticleNumber /X:C:\ExtractedPackage
  2. Open the temporary folder that contains the extracted files for the software update package. For example, open C:\ExtractedPackage.
  3. If the Update.exe file is present, continue to steps 4 and 5. If the Update.exe file is not present, this package is not a Windows software update that uses Update.exe as the Setup program.
  4. To determine the version of Update.exe, right-click the Update.exe file in the folder, and then click Properties.
  5. Click the Version tab, and then note the value on the File version line.

MORE INFORMATION

Update.exe version 6.1.22.0 and later versions support the following new features and changes:
  • A new /log command-line switch to enable redirection of the log files produced by the package installer

    You can redirect the KBnumber.log file to a location other than the default %systemdrive%\Windows directory. To install a package and redirect its log file, type the following at a command prompt:
    Packagename /log:<log path and name>
    There should be no spaces between the colon and the log path, the directory specified should already exist, and the file name for the log should be included. For example: 
    WindowsXP-KB884539-x86-enu.exe /log:C:\logs\newkb884539.log
  • A new /warnrestart command-line switch to present a dialog box with a timer at the end of an unattended installation or removal warning the user that their system will restart, if a restart is required.

    /warnrestart is meant to be used with the /quiet switch. If a restart is required after an unattended installation, /warnrestart will present a dialog box to the user with a timer counting down the number of seconds until the computer is automatically restarted. The default number of seconds is 30; however, another value can be specified. To use this, type the following at the command prompt:
  • Packagename /quiet /warnrestart:#ofseconds
    Note#ofseconds can be a number from 1 through 99.
  • A new /promptrestart command-line switch to present a dialog box at the end of an unattended installation or removal prompting the user to let their system restart, if a restart is required.

    /promptrestart is meant to be used with the /quiet switch. If a restart is required after an unattended installation, /promptrestart will present a dialog box notifying the user that a restart is required to finish Setup. If this switch is not specified, the restart will automatically occur. To use this, type the following at the command prompt: 
    Packagename /quiet /promptrestart
  • Changes to the /passive switch so that when a restart is required, a dialog box with a timer is displayed at the end of installation or removal warning the user that their system will restart.

    When /passive is specified and a restart is required, a dialog box is presented to the user with a timer counting down the number of seconds until the computer is automatically restarted. The default time interval is 30 seconds. To specify a different value, use the /warnrestart switch (see previous item).
  • Flags set in the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\UpdateExeVolatile to indicate when a restart is required after installation or removal of a software update such as a security update, critical update, or hotfix.

    Visual inspection of this registry key using the RegEdit tool will indicate whether a restart is pending as the result of a software update installation or removal. The following are the flag values within this key and their meanings:
    Value in RegEditMeaning
    0x00000000 (0)No pending restart.
    0x00000001 (1)A software update removal is pending a restart.
    0x00000002 (2)A software update installation is pending a restart.
    0x00000003 (3)Both an installation and a removal are pending a restart.
    If this key is missing completely, then there are no pending restarts. Note that only updates built with version 6.1.22.0 or later versions will set these flags. Therefore, this registry key may not always indicate whether a restart is pending, as there are many software update packages built with older versions of Update.exe.

    Another registry key which can sometimes be used to determine whether a restart is required is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\PendingFileRenameOperations. If this key exists and has files listed within it, then a restart is pending. Note that even if this key is missing or empty, there may still be a restart pending.
  • /uninstall and /listupdates command-line switches have been discontinued. They are still available in the current Installer release, but you should stop using them.

    /uninstall can fail in certain important scenarios. Additionally, it is incompatible with the new command line switches mentioned earlier. To remove an update, locate the update in Add or Remove Programs, and then click Remove or run %systemdrive%\Windows\$NTUninstallKBnumber$\spuninst\spuninst.exe. For additional information about removing software updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    823836 Removing Windows software updates in the wrong order may cause the operating system to stop functioning

    /listupdates only provides a list of Windows software updates and not those of other software applications. This may lead to confusion over the results. To view the comprehensive list of updates installed on your computer, examine the Add or Remove Programs entries, or use a tool such as the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (for security updates only). To download MBSA, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

    http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsahome.mspx

Update.exe version 5.4.15.0 and later versions support the following new features:
  • The /integrate command-line switch.

    You can use the new /integrate switch to integrate software updates, such as security updates, critical updates, and hotfixes, that use Update.exe as the Setup program for your Windows installation source files. For more information about how to use this switch to integrate a software update into your Windows installation source files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    828930 How to integrate software updates into your Windows installation source files

  • Changes to the /extract switch.

    The following changes have been implemented in the functionality of the /extract command-line switch:

    You must have administrative credentials to extract packages.

    You cannot extract files to network drives. File extraction is limited to local drives only.
  • Support for the AMD64 hardware platform.
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

262841 Command-line switches for Windows software update packages


The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

REFERENCES

For additional information about Update.exe, read the "Inside Update.exe - The Package Installer for Windows and Windows Components" white paper located at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/deployment/winupdte.mspx

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:4/19/2006
Keywords:kb32bitOnly kbinfo KB832475
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