automatic updates aren't automatic

[Guest]

I set automatic updates (control panel-automatic updates) on quite a number
of Windows XP SP2 system to "Automatically download recommended updates for
my computer and install them:" "Every day" at various times. They download,
but they never, ever automatically install whether the machines or on at the
time or not. It's impractical for the administrators to log in and manually
kick off this process, and management does not want this for cost reasons.
Management also refuses to install a SUS or WUS server (or any third party
update solution), so I'm stuck with the Automatic Updates in XP SP2.

Please help!

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

I set automatic updates (control panel-automatic updates) on quite a
number of Windows XP SP2 system to "Automatically download
recommended updates for my computer and install them:" "Every day" at
various times. They download, but they never, ever automatically
install whether the machines or on at the time or not. It's
impractical for the administrators to log in and manually kick off
this process, and management does not want this for cost reasons.
Management also refuses to install a SUS or WUS server (or any third
party update solution), so I'm stuck with the Automatic Updates in XP
SP2.

Please help!

Firstly (and I suspect you know this), your management is being silly....I
suggest you exhaustively document how much of your time is spent doing this,
and make sure they understand how important it is to keep your systems
patched. SUS/WSUS is free. What's their problem?

That said, you might review your windows update & event logs and try posting
in microsoft.public.windowsupdate. Also mention whether your users log out
at night (presuming you've picked an autoupdate time after hours; 3AM is the
default).

 

[Guest]

I know where the Windows event logs are located, but where are the "Windows
update" logs located?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

C:\WINDOWS\WindowsUpdate.log

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In