Patch-Update Deployment (WXP-Pro)

[fuinkle]

I am looking for a method to quickly install windows service packs, updates, patches, hotfixes, etc. These 'patch files' are local on my hard drive, downloaded manually from the windows update website, and will be installed locally. I have, in the past, applied one update and then restarted(rinse, repeat). This method is very time consuming and I fear that if I do not follow this method some form of corruption or lack of installation will occur. I am on dialup, so redownloading the patches each time I reinstall is out of the question. I would also like to use this for the occasion that I reformat a friend or family member's system. I am preferably looking for a free solution to this problem.

[motoflop]

Many of those patches supports some command line switches, which enables you to run those patches silently and without rebooting. So then you can run bunch of them and manually reboot. When you use windowsupdate and select group of patches, windowsupdate client works just this way and uses those command line switches. Try to search information from Microsoft site what those switches are and how to use them. I think they are quite standardized and same switches works for perhaps all of pathch programs. You can also try "/?" switch and maybe it gives usage help. Run for example "kb123456.exe /?" from command prompt to see if it gives that help.