Operating Systems

Windows 2008 server,

Windows 7

Windows Vista,

Problem

Identify the Microsoft patches and fix information in detail.

Solution

We have a Microsoft patch. But we have no idea about that whether this fix for windows vista or windows 7 or windows 2008 server.

For Windows XP Professional or Windows Server 2003, whether a fix can be applied into it is judged from the name of the fix. But it’s not so obvious for Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008. The information to judge it is including in a .txt file expending from the .msu files of this fix.  Here we are explaining how to get those details using  expand command.

 For testing purpose , hotfix Windows6.0-KB928439-x86 is downloaded.  Suppose that Windows6.0-KB928439-x86.msu file is put under folder G:\Patchlist.

Firstly type the following command at a command prompt to expand the .msu file to a particular folder:

     expand -f:* "G:\ patchlist\Windows6.0-KB928439-x86 " G:\patchlist

Here we are created one folder patchlist for getting the output result.

Then you can get following contents from file G:\patchlist

• Windows Update metadata

                             This metadata describes each update package that the .msu file contains.

• One or more .cab files
             Each .cab file represents one update.
• An .xml file
             This .xmL file describes the .msu update package.
• A properties file
  This file contains string properties we use to identify whether this fix can be applied to Vista or Server 2008.

Open the properties file under the G:\patchresult folder .Open the txt file named Windows6.0-KB928439-x86-pkgProperties.txt. There is a string property named Applicability Info. This property tells that which windows 6.0 systems the hot fix can be applied to.

Sample content as follows

ApplicabilityInfo="Windows Vista SP1; Windows Server 2008;" /*This property tells to which systems hotfix 928439 can be applied to.*/

Applies to="Windows 6.0"

Build Date="2008/08/01"

Company="Microsoft Corporation"

File Version="1"

Installation Type="FULL"

Installer Engine="Component Based Servicing - WUSA.exe"

Installer Version="6.0.0.0"

KB Article Number=" 928439 "

Language="ALL"

Package Type="Hotfix"

Processor Architecture="x86"

Product Name="Windows 6.0"

Also we can get more information like Processor architecture, Language, KB article number that we can refer it on internet, build date, package type and more.