AUState missing in XP registries?

[Jimmy B]

Hi, I'm writing a program that shows options and status of remote computers,
but there is an area of the registry missing on many XP computers that are
on Win2K. Maybe someone could shed some light on it?

One area shows options set by the user and seems to be on all computers:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto
Update\AUOptions

Settings can be:
1 = Automatic Updates disabled
2 = Notify of download and installation
3 = Automatically download and notify of installation
4 = Automatic download and scheduled installation. All options notify the
local administrator.


However, AUState, which I use to show info on W2K and some XP computers is
missing:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto
Update\AUState

These can be:
0 = Initial 24 hour timeout
1 = Waiting for user to run AU wizard
2 = Detection pending
3 = Download pending (waiting for user)
4 = Download in progress
5 = Installation pending (waiting for user)
6 = Installation complete
7 = Automatic Updates disabled
8 = Reboot pending


So as you can see, AUState would be very useful to know. AUState seemed to
start disappearing after updating to XP SP2. Did Microsoft remove it? Is
its removal documented anywhere? Why would they remove it? Is there
another place in the registry I can get this information?

Thanks!

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Hi, I'm writing a program that shows options and status of remote computers,
but there is an area of the registry missing on many XP computers that are
on Win2K. Maybe someone could shed some light on it?

One area shows options set by the user and seems to be on all computers:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto
Update\AUOptions

Settings can be:
1 = Automatic Updates disabled
2 = Notify of download and installation
3 = Automatically download and notify of installation
4 = Automatic download and scheduled installation. All options notify the
local administrator.


However, AUState, which I use to show info on W2K and some XP computers is
missing:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto
Update\AUState

These can be:
0 = Initial 24 hour timeout
1 = Waiting for user to run AU wizard
2 = Detection pending
3 = Download pending (waiting for user)
4 = Download in progress
5 = Installation pending (waiting for user)
6 = Installation complete
7 = Automatic Updates disabled
8 = Reboot pending


So as you can see, AUState would be very useful to know. AUState seemed to
start disappearing after updating to XP SP2. Did Microsoft remove it? Is
its removal documented anywhere? Why would they remove it?

If I am not mistaken, it is the Windows Update v5 controls that remove
this registry value (that WU v4 used), as it is not used by the WU
controls anymore.

So this will also mean that this registry value will be removed from a
WinXP SP1 computer if you connect it to the Windows Updates Web site,
or to a WUS (beta) server, as those will update the WU v4 controls to
WU v5.

Is there another place in the registry I can get this information?

Not as far as I know.

 

[Jimmy B]

Ok, that makes sense. Thank you very much!!!!

 

[Kelly]

What makes sense? Please include the previous reply when posting.

--
Happy Mardi Gras,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[Jimmy B]

Sorry, I thought I did. This makes sense:

If I am not mistaken, it is the Windows Update v5 controls that remove
this registry value (that WU v4 used), as it is not used by the WU
controls anymore.