Use ZenWork for Desktop 4 to Install Windows 2000 and XP Update Patches

This method is based on a cool solution in Novell support web site, but I could not find the web link again. If I find it later, I will put it up here.

The steps to install updates patches:

  1. Download the security update patches
  2. Create an application object for the patch
  3. Associate the application object to users with force run and run once

I will use the patch KB893086 for Windows XP as an example.

1. Download the Security Update Patches

Go to Microsoft download web site http://www.microsoft.com/technet and click the monthly security bulletins for the details of patches release. I take the WindowsXP-KB893086-x86-ENU.exe as an example. Save the file on the server, I put it in \\MyServer\APPS\Apps\Patches\XP\zfdpatch\0504\. To run multi-patches files using script, I created following batch files called - inst0504.bat

cd C:\Temp\zfdpatch\0504
for %%f in (*.exe) do %%f /z /q

The patch C:\Temp\zfdpatch is where I put patches in the local workstation. /z /q are quiet and no-reboot.

2. Create an Application Object for the Patches

Run snapshot, and copy the folder 0504 to C:\Temp\zfdpatch to the loal workstation. I use an object name called XP-0504.

Use ConsoleOne to create the application object XP-0504 with the AXT and AOT files

1) Files distribution

Attribute: Copy always

2) Run Options

Set the run box as:

C:\Temp\zfdpatch\0504\inst0504.bat

Make it run as secue system user.

3) Availability

Operating System: Windows NT/2000/XP version equal to 5.1

Version 5.1 is XP, version 5.0 is 2000 and 4 is NT 4.

File: C:\Temp\zfdpatch\0504\inst0504 is NOT exist

3. Associate the Application Object

Associate the application with users or workstation. The assocation attribute is force run, so that it will run automatically. You may want to test it with a test user first, check the uninstall registry to see if the installation is completed. I also enable the report option in the application object to produce a report csv file on the server.

Donald Wu

d.wu (at) qmul.ac.uk

31 October 2005