Category: Repackaging

What is included in a Microsoft patch? Let’s roll up our sleeves, get technical and examine what is included in each type of Microsoft patch. Security patches, critical updates, updates, update rollups, drivers and feature packs fall into the general distribution releases (GDR) category. These go through testing across different platforms and applications to ensure proper functionality, and that the program or update that includes new features performs as intended. However, hotfixes developed by Microsoft Product Support Services for a specific situation are not as tested as those included in general distribution releases. Microsoft Knowledge Base articles, freely available from […]

From http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa384235(VS.85).aspx: [The information in this topic applies to Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP/2000. Starting with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, WOW64 no longer uses registry reflection and formerly reflected keys are shared instead. For more information, see Registry Keys Affected by WOW64.] The registry redirector isolates 32-bit and 64-bit applications by providing separate logical views of certain portions of the registry on WOW64. However, the values of some registry keys must be the same in both the 32-bit and 64-bit views.

When you use the virtualization feature of Windows Vista or of Windows 7, you may the experience file and registry virtualization issues that are described in the following scenarios. Scenario 1: You receive error messages when you install, upgrade, or use an application When you install, upgrade, or use an application, you may receive various error messages that indicate that access was denied. For example, you may experience one of the following symptoms: After you install an application in a folder other than the %programfiles% folder, you receive "access denied" error messages. Additionally, the application does not function as expected. […]