How are switches determined for MS Patches

Usage and Config Patch
1

(imported topic written by zpt8mjs91)

Greetings,

Recently we had a problem where application groups were installing MS11-025 (KB2467173) using the following command line

call kb2467173_vcredist_x86.exe /q /r:n

This information is aparently documented on the MS website.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bulletin/MS11-025

It says to use the /q switch for quiet and the /r:n switch for no reboot; expand “Security Update Deployment” and look under "Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package and Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Redistributable Package Service Pack "

These switches however did not manage the reboots correctly. Any devices that had a “Restart Pending” rebooted.

Naturally, we had no problems with BigFix. When I look at the corresponding fixlet (ID 1102513), it gets installed with the following action script

waithidden __Download\vcredist_x86.exe /quiet /norestart

Apparently if you look at the help screen (/?) it indicates that “/quiet /norestart” are the appropriate switches to use

So, now everyone is coming to me asking How it is that BigFix knew to use switches that actually worked. And what process do they use to determine these.

I know it sounds like a silly question, but I’d be grateful for any help

2

(imported comment written by JasonHonda)

There is probably not much magic here in how we know. Just over the years learning the right switches for the right types of packages and testing and watching to see if it does what we expect, if not keep trying to find the correct combination of switches.