Details on SP6a and related Hotfixes
Details on Post-SP6a Administrative Action Hotfixes
Details on current Hotfixes
Using Hfnetchk

Overview

Microsoft releases Service Packs in an effort to provide revisions for applications, services, and or executables that are in need of a 'fix'. Service Packs (SP) are released several times per year, depending upon need. Each Service Pack builds upon earlier SP releases (i.e. SP6a should contain all the fixes provided by SPs 1-5, plus fixes released since SP5). There are rare cases where an earlier SP may contain features or services not present in a newer SP - these will be noted where appropriate.

If you are installing a new NT host, you should install SP6 soon after installing from the original media. If you have existing hosts running without a Service Pack or with an earlier version of a Service Pack, you should consider applying SP6a. (** as with any major software changes, you should evaluate Service Packs and hotfixes on a non-production box before applying them to critical hosts**)

Hotfixes are released to address major flaws (usually security related) that should be corrected immediately, rather than waiting to release the fix in the next Service Pack. Hotfixes are usually specific to a given Service Pack and contain only those files necessary to correct the problem at hand. Details of each hotfix are discussed in the accompanying page for SP6a. In some instances, two separate hotfixes may contain changes to the same file. In this case, it is important to apply hotfixes in a particular order, installing the hotfix with the earlier dated files first, then installing the hotfix with the more recent version of the same file. An example of this would be the Post SP5 hotfixes for the IGMP-fix and the Spoof-fix. Each hotfix contains a version of tcpip.sys. The tcpip.sys file included with the IGMP is dated 8-14-99, while the same file included with the Spoof fix is dated 9-17-99 and is a slightly larger file. In this case, the IGMP fix should be installed first, followed by the Spoof fix.

Installation

Installing Service Packs and hotfixes is an ongoing challenge. Each time you install a file or service from the original NT installation media, you must re-apply the Service Pack and Hotfixes (in case the original media installation installed a file that was subsequently addressed in a Service Pack or Hotfix). Typically, installation of the Service Pack prompts the user to reboot the host upon completion. Each hotfix also prompts the user to reboot the host. In some cases, this would require rebooting the machine 10+ times! On top of all this, the fixes must sometimes be installed in a particular order. Not many systems administrators have time to do this across the X number of machines in their enterprise.

To assist in combating the labor involved with keeping your hosts up to date on Service Packs and Hotfixes, Security Focus has created a simple shell script that will apply the chosen Service Pack and Hotfixes all in one sitting. NOTE: this shell script has grown from a script originally published by Rob Davis in 1997 for SP3. We hope you find this useful.

Details on SP6a and related Hotfixes