Unable to activate Windows Automatic Update

[Boxy]

G'day all,
Can somebody pleeeeeease help. All I am trying
to do is activate "Automatic Updates" feature. I go to
Control Panel\System then click on the Automatic Update
tab, however it does not let me check the "Keep my
Computer up to date" box. I have checked the
Administrative services\Component services menu and the
Automatic Updates field is enabled. I even tried
disabling it then re-enabling with no success.

I went to the Microsoft Updates web site and there is a
feature along the lines of "3 steps to internet
security". I ran this in automatic mode but when it came
to the part of Automatic Updates it says that mt network
administrator is looking after automatic updates and that
there was nothing further I needed to do. But I am not
part of a network, I have a single home computer
connected to standard dial up internet and I am the only
user set up on this computer so would assume that I am
the administrator. Is there some setting that I need to
change?????

Cheers in advance.......

Boxy

 

[Roger Abell]

so if you start run
services.msc
you see that the automatic update service is set to
started/automatic and BITS (background intelligent
transfer) service just below it is set to manual or to
automatic ??
Is this a Pro version ? and if so have you been adjusting
settings in the local security policy ??

 

[Guest]

Hey Roger,
Yes mate I have run services.msc and find that
automatic update service is started and srt type is
automatic, I have tried stopping then starting again but
to no avail. Sorry I did not specify before but I am
running XP Home edition.......

 

[Roger Abell]

OK, so with Home you do not have direct way to get to
the policies for WU/AU, but what you describe makes it
sound like the system believes these policies have been
set (so it greys out the UI so the user cannot change).
The reg keys that the UI changes are at
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
there locate Windows Update\AutoUpdate
For examples
to have wuau check, download, and install at 3 am
AUoptions 4 AUstate 4 ScheduledInstallTime 3
to have check download and then notify
AUoptions 3 (AUstate 2 or 4)
to have notify before downloading
AUoptions 2 AUstate 2
to have with Keep my comp up to date Unchecked
AUoptions 1 AUstate 7

If these values are being controlled by the policy reg
keys then you will find values at
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU
NoAutoUpdate val 0 or 1
AUOptions vals 2 (notify) 3 (download) 4 (automatic)
If you find values for UseWUServer, WUServer, WUStatusServer
RescheduleWaitTime, NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers
delete them as they are used for corp Sus client use

If you find settings in the Policy area this will imply that the
machine is under control by admin settings from central admin.
No values are necessary here, as long as the ones in the key
area that does not have Policy in the path are present.

 

[Boxy]

Roger,
Mate, Buddy, Pal..... you absolute legend. I
edited the reg key as suggested and I now have full
access to the Auto Updates page. I know it was never
critical for me to activate Auto Updates and that I could
have just got the updates manually but for me it was more
of a curiosity thing. I am one of those people that just
needs to why something is or is not working. Once again
thank you heaps, I owe you a beer or three.

Boxy

 

[Roger Abell]

Great. It is something of a curiosity however about
what set your box into that state (?)

So, I checked your posting headers (but you seemed to
use the web interface) to see if those beer would in fact
be some good Aussie brews

Cheers