How to Deploy the Windows XP Dynamic Update Package

This article describes how to deploy the Windows XP Dynamic Update package.

Windows XP provides you with the ability to download updates from the Internet for use in Windows XP Setup. These updates are for critical issues, updated drivers, and replacement files. This update process occurs after you click Yes, download the updated setup file (Recommended) during Windows XP Setup. In a corporate environment, an administrator may want to download these updates and then incorporate them into a deployment so that each client does not need a connection to the Internet to download these updates.

For additional information about the Windows XP Dynamic Update package and where to download the Windows XP Dynamic Update Package, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Note that there are two different versions of the Windows XP Dynamic Update package. One version is for Windows XP Professional (that is extracted to the IP folder), and one version is for Windows XP Home Edition (that is extracted to the IC folder). You must make separate dynamic update folders for each version. The packages contain some or all of the following files:

• Updates.cab: Replacement files
• Upginfs.cab: Updated INF files for upgrades from Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows 95
• Winnt32.cab: Fixes to the Winnt32.exe file
• Duasms.cab: Assembly fixes
• Drvx.cab: Updated drivers

After you download the Windows XP Dynamic Update package, prepare a folder:

1. Extract the files to a folder, for example, the c:\DU folder. After you do so, you should have two folders. Windows XP Professional is extracted to the IP folder, and Windows XP Home Edition is extracted to the IC folder.
2. On your Windows XP CD-ROM, run the winnt32.exe /duprepare:path to Dynamic Update package files command. In the example from step 1, you would run the winnt32.exe /duprepare:c:\du command.
3. After the folder is prepared, copy the contents to another folder, and then share the folder to which you just copied the contents.
4. On the computer on which you want to run Setup, run the winnt32.exe /dushare:\\server name\share name command.
   
   NOTE: You can also add the following entry to your Unattend.txt file instead of using the winnt32.exe /dushare command:
   [Unattended]
   Dushare=\\server name\share name

The Windows XP Dynamic Update package only works if you are running an upgrade that is initiated by Winnt32.exe. It does not work with Winnt.exe, booting off of the CD-ROM, booting off of the floppy disks, RIS installations, and Winnt32.exe installations that are started from within WINPE.

During Setup, the updated Setup files are copied to the %WINDIR%\Setupupd folder. Updated drivers are only installed if no built-in Windows XP driver exists.

You can use the Winnt32.log to troubleshoot the Windows XP Dynamic Update package. The following output is the output of a working set up: