Server platforms Toolkit

Rollout service packs with ease

Ray Geroski Tech Republic

Published: 21 Jan 2003 12:55 GMT

Slipstreaming
Slipstreaming allows you to integrate service packs into your initial Windows installations. This can save you a lot of time and hassle because you won't have to manually install the service packs after installing Windows. All you need to do is apply them to the distribution folder; when you install Windows on your clients from that location, they will have all of the updates.

Note
You can also just copy the I386 folder, CD-ROMxx.5, i.e., CDROM_IP or CDROM_IS, for example, and CDROM_NT.5. It's better to copy the entire CD, however, because this will include files that are updated to reflect new service pack installs.

Follow these steps to slipstream your service packs:

Copy the Windows 2000 CD to your distribution folder.
Download and extract the latest service pack to a location on the drive.
Run Update.exe with the -s switch from the i386 \Update subfolder in the Service Pack 1 location, specifying the location of your install share as shown in the following example:

Update.exe -s:H: \Win2K \Installation

Note
If the path to your install share includes spaces, you must use quotation marks around the path statement, as shown in the following example: Update.exe -s:"H: \Windows 2000 \Install Share".

You can now install Windows 2000 from the distribution folder with the full updates. You can also use this install share to create a bootable CD from which to install Windows with the service packs. Slipstreaming allows you to ensure that client installs contain all of the necessary updates without manual intervention.

Changing the service pack location
When you install a service pack, Windows 2000 remembers the location from which it was installed and automatically looks to that location for updated files when new components are added. If you want to change the service pack location without disrupting Windows 2000's update process, you must modify the registry to point to the new service pack location. Perform the following steps to move the residence of your Windows 2000 service packs:

Run Regedit.
Open the following registry folder:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE \Microsoft \Windows\CurrentVersion \Setup
Double-click ServicePackSourcePath.
In the Value Data field, type the new path location of the service packfiles.
Click OK.
Close Regedit.

Use these tips to keep up with Windows 2000 updates and ensure that all installations of Windows automatically have the latest service pack. They can help keep your Windows installations running smoothly and securely.

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