Re: Service Pack Installations in XP Embedded

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From: Sean Gahan (sean_at_optistreams.net)
Date: 02/17/04 

Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2004 08:35:15 -0800

Kesavan,
Actually I do have BITS working on my device. It is how I push updates to
my applications. Basically I have an application (it's really a service)
that checks our server and if there is a newer version of one of the
components, then the application will drop it in a BITS queue and download
the update. For ease of deployment I package my applications as .msi files,
that way there is only one thing to download and the installer can update
the registry if need be.

Regards,

Sean Gahan

"Kesavan" <kesavansajeev@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:340a938c.0402170713.75e6905e@posting.google.com...
> Sean,
>
> hehe , Sorry to confuse , just wanted to know whether the application
> related to bits would only materialise efficient transport or
> could/does it also include any other functionalities coz , Im stranger
> to the language of BITS :),and was just curious to know if u have got
> sumthin' like this working at your end .
>
>
> Regards ,
> Kesavan
>
>
>
>
>
> "Sean Gahan" <sean@optistreams.net> wrote in message
news:<#iA0KEM9DHA.1672@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl>...
> > >However was your idea sumthin' like BITS or BITS itself ? Well it can
> > >be more of a BITS with polling for binaries based on the log complete
> > >under one .
> >
> > Kevsavan,
> > Dude, you lost me. Please expand on this.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Sean Gahan
> >
> >
> > "Kesavan" <kesavansajeev@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:340a938c.0402160642.63f6a77a@posting.google.com...
> > > Sean,
> > >
> > > I guess that would be really good work if we get sumthin' like BITS.I
> > > guess the whole system could be automised in that case but the real
> > > complexity would be the comparisons and other dependency checks at the
> > > device end.
> > > However was your idea sumthin' like BITS or BITS itself ? Well it can
> > > be more of a BITS with polling for binaries based on the log complete
> > > under one .
> > > The log culd be a good resource as a input for all sources needed for
> > > any upgrades.
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Kesavan
> > >
> > > "Andy Allred [MS]" <andyall@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:<O#agncz8DHA.2760@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl>...
> > > > Cool, BITS is a great idea (assuming it's already installed on the
> > device)
> > > > I'll add that to my wish list. <grin>
> > > >
> > > > Thanks Sean.
> > > >
> > > > Andy
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > >
> > > > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> > rights.
> > > > ==========================================================
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Sean Gahan" <sean@optistreams.net> wrote in message
> > > > news:O6CK9py8DHA.2416@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > > > > Andy,
> > > > >
> > > > > How about using web services to facilitate what needs to be
updated
> > from a
> > > > > build list. For example, the device could post a build log to a
> > server
> > > > > which would (based on the build log) figure out what binaries are
> > required
> > > > > and based on the requirements the server would generate a manifest
of
> > new
> > > > > components to download which is passed to the device.
Additionally,
> > the
> > > > > manifest would contain information about the components (like file
> > size
> > and
> > > > > where the binaries go, kind of like a DUA script); the device then
> > downloads
> > > > > all of the components and uses the manifest as a checksum to make
sure
> > that
> > > > > we got everything and that it's the right size. The device then
moves
> > the
> > > > > binaries, updates the registry and does what ever else is
described in
> > the
> > > > > manifest. One last thing, a great transport agent is BITS. From
the
> > > > > manifest, the download location and final destination could be
dropped
> > into
> > > > > a BITS queue which would use idle bandwidth to obtain the
binaries.
> > One
> > > > > great thing about BITS is that if there is a network connection
loss
> > or
> > > > > power loss, BITS will resume the download when the connection has
been
> > > > > re-established, and if you are hooked up to a dial up modem, you
can
> > set
> > it
> > > > > up to periodically dial out and check for updates. Anyway, just
an
> > idea.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Regards,
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Sean Gahan
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > "Andy Allred [MS]" <andyall@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > > > > news:eBmpY6k8DHA.2560@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> > > > > > Slobodan is right. Building the components is the easy part,
> > verifying
> > the
> > > > > > myriad of new dependencies and their functionality is the hard
part
> > and
> > > > > > makes me lose much sleep at night. However, the turn around time
is
> > only
> > > > > > about 1 month which isn't bad when you look at SP1 had over
1,000
> > > > > > updated/new components and almost 2,000 new files.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Regarding the service pack installation, you won't be able to
use
> > the
> > > > > > update.exe that is available to XP-Pro. However, i've already
> > started
> > > > > > thinking about how one would be able to deliver a service pack
> > updated
> > > > to
> > > > an
> > > > > > embedded device in the field. It would be a complicated
process,
> > since
> > > > > > you'd have to take into account that simply updating an old
binary
> > isn't
> > > > > > always good enough, there are new or removed reg keys that may
be
> > > > > > associated. Also if there are new dependencies for the updated
> > binary
> > you'd
> > > > > > have to detect whether that feature already exists on the device
or
> > > > not -
> > > > if
> > > > > > not, then the runtime would become bloated and may no longer fit
on
> > the
> > > > > > device. If it's not already there, you'd be introducing new
features
> > and
> > > > > > functionality and all of the *their* dependencies not to mention
> > you'd
> > be
> > > > > > increasing the surface attach area of the device.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > If anyone has ideas on this subject, i'd be very happy to
> > incorporate
> > them
> > > > > > into a specification for the project team to see if it may be
> > feasible
> > or
> > > > > > even desirable.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Thanks
> > > > > > Andy
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > >
> > > > > > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no
> > rights.
> > > > > > ==========================================================
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "Slobodan Brcin (eMVP)" <sbrcin@ptt.yu> wrote in message
> > > > > > news:OV8yPLk8DHA.632@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > > > > > > No in 99.99% builds you can't use ordinary service pack or
> > updates.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > But MS is working on solving the problem with delays between
> > normal
> > > > and
> > > > XPe
> > > > > > > updates.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Yes they must make components (this is the easy part). But
also
> > they
> > must
> > > > > > > test that components and make sure that they are actually
working.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Until the time of SP3 they will probably find a way to
overcome
> > this
> > > > > > > problem.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Regards,
> > > > > > > Slobodan
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > "Matthias Hasenpusch" <matthias.hasenpusch@web.de> wrote in
> > message
> > > > > > > news:8DA68604-8612-46A2-897F-684EE53F4E0B@microsoft.com...
> > > > > > > > Hi,
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > is it possible to install a "normal" Windows XP Professional
> > Service
> > > > Pack
> > > > on a Windows XP Embedded installation ?
> > > > > > > > I ask, because I have heard that the Service Packs for
Embedded
> > > > appears
> > > > 2
> > > > Months later then the Service Packs of XP Professional. Is that
true ?
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Whats the reason ? Is it because the component for the
service
> > pack
> > > > must
> > > > be build ?
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Many greetings from germany
> > > > > > > > Matthias Hasenpusch
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >

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