The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition
Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
SUMMARY
Microsoft has released a command-line tool named QChain.exe that gives system administrators the ability to safely chain hotfixes together. Hotfix chaining involves installing multiple hotfixes without rebooting between each installation. Without this tool, the only supported method is to reboot after each hotfix installation. The QChain.exe tool has the following benefits:
It increases uptime for servers because computers are not being rebooted between each hotfix installation.
It allows faster installations of multiple hotfixes on a single computer.
It is a solution that works on both Windows 2000 and Windows NT 4.0.
MORE INFORMATION
Chaining Hotfix Installations Without QChain.exe Is Not Safe
When you install hotfixes, if a file is locked or in use and cannot be replaced, it is placed in the Pending File Rename queue to be replaced after the restarts. The problem occurs in this scenario:
You install hotfixes A and B without rebooting between installations.
Both packages contain file X. Package A's file X is version of 3; package B's fix X is version 2. The version of file X on the computer is version 1.
When package A is installed, it places its version of file X in the Pending File Rename queue.
When package B is installed, it places its version of file X in the Pending File Rename queue.
When the computer is rebooted, because package B was installed last, its version of file X is installed (in the Pending File Rename queue, the last file is the one that is used). You end up with version 2 instead of version 3 as you expected.
If Previously Chained Hotfixes Without Rebooting Are Installed
Although, this scenario is rare, it is a good idea to verify that your computer has all of the fixes that you believe are installed. To verify this, use the Qfecheck.exe tool. For additional information about Qfecheck.exe, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
You could also create a batch file to do this. The following sample batch file demonstrates this method:
@echo off
setlocal
set PATHTOFIXES=some path
%PATHTOFIXES%\Q123456_w2k_sp2_x86.exe -z -m
%PATHTOFIXES%\Q123321_w2k_sp2_x86.exe -z -m
%PATHTOFIXES%\Q123789_w2k_sp2_x86.exe -z -m
%PATHTOFIXES%\qchain.exe
How to obtain QChain.exe
The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
---- Old Information In The Registry ------
Source:C:\WINNT\inf\acpi.inf
Version: 5.0.2183.1
Destination:d:\ntsust\testregchech\1394.inf
Version: 5.0.2183.1
Source:C:\WINNT\inf\adm_mult.inf
Version: 5.0.2184.1
Destination:d:\ntsust\testregchech\1394.inf
Version: 5.0.2183.1
Source:C:\WINNT\inf\banshee.inf
Version: 5.0.2080.1
Destination:d:\ntsust\testregchech\1394.inf
Version: 5.0.2183.1
---- New Information In The Registry ------
Source:C:\WINNT\inf\adm_mult.inf
Version: 5.0.2184.1
Destination:d:\ntsust\testregchech\1394.inf
Version: 5.0.2183.1