Autopatcher site forced to be closed by Microsoft

Microsoft sent a cease and desist to autopatcher.com. AutoPatcher was a program users could download to install all updates to windows instead of using Microsoft's Windows updates, this allowed a much faster patch process than offered by Microsoft.

AutoPatcher was an alternative to Microsoft's Windows Update developed by Antonis Kaladis and Jason Kelley, and a comprehensive collection of up-to-date security patches, addons and registry tweaks collated into a single package designed to update a Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows 2000 SP4, Windows Server 2003 SP1 or Windows Vista system from a local file, without the need to use Windows Update or connect to a network each time.

Distribution of the program was stopped on 29 August 2007, after more than four years of existence, as a result of several Cease and Desist orders being given to the team, Neowin and some download mirrors. Microsoft stated this was for "security reasons" but would not further clarify.

AutoPatcher was designed for:

• Users that format their hard disks or reinstall Windows frequently
• System administrators seeking to quickly deploy updates to multiple Windows PCs.
• Security conscious users seeking to avoid prior connection to the Internet with an insecure computer, in order to download the patches needed to secure their systems.
• Users with a slow connection to the Internet could download AutoPatcher using a faster connection on another computer, and burn it to a CD or flash drive.
• Users seeking flexibility in patch deployment (AutoPatcher includes for convenience, a number of common "add-ons", and allows for a configuration to be saved and redeployed on other machines)