Windows Update and automatic services

[Nil]

It seems that Windows Update will not work unless both the Automatic
Updates and BITS services are running, and Automatic Updates is set to
automatic. Well, I DO NOT WANT Automatic Updates to run automatically.
I want to control when and how patches are applied, and I don't want my
computer contacting Microsoft except when I tell it to.

Lately I've been turning the services on, runing Update, then turning
the services off again. It's a pain PITA, and I don't think I should
have to jump through that hoop.

Am I missing something, or is this really the way it works now? When
did this change, and why?

 

[Johnfli]

Check out the WSUS service
Your server will dish out the updates to your clients systems (only teh
updates you want) ANd you can have your server go check for new updates
only when YOU say.
It's pretty cool, I like it

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

It seems that Windows Update will not work unless both the Automatic
Updates and BITS services are running, and Automatic Updates is set to
automatic. Well, I DO NOT WANT Automatic Updates to run automatically.
I want to control when and how patches are applied, and I don't want my
computer contacting Microsoft except when I tell it to.

Even if the Automatic Updates service is enabled and set to Automatic,
the computer will not do any automatic updating when you have disabled
"Automatic Updates" this way:

Control Panel\Automatic Updates => "Turn off Automatic Updates."

The Automatic Updates /service/ itself found in services.msc does not
install anything automatically, just let it be set to Automatic.

Lately I've been turning the services on, runing Update, then turning
the services off again. It's a pain PITA, and I don't think I should
have to jump through that hoop.

Well, you don't need to, see above.

Am I missing something, or is this really the way it works now? When
did this change, and why?

It happened when the Windows Update/Automatic Update controls
where rewritten when v5 of Windows Update was introduced.

 

[Nil]

Even if the Automatic Updates service is enabled and set to
Automatic, the computer will not do any automatic updating when
you have disabled "Automatic Updates" this way:

Control Panel\Automatic Updates => "Turn off Automatic Updates."

The Automatic Updates /service/ itself found in services.msc does
not install anything automatically, just let it be set to
Automatic.

Really? Are you sure that Windows won't ever phone home when the Auto
Updates service is turned on, unless I run Windows Update? That seems
counter-intuitive, considering the name of the service. But if you say
so, I'll try it. I can always watch my firewall logs.

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Really? Are you sure that Windows won't ever phone home when the Auto
Updates service is turned on, unless I run Windows Update? That seems
counter-intuitive, considering the name of the service. But if you say
so, I'll try it. I can always watch my firewall logs.

As long as you have done this, no "phone home" will happen
automatically:

Control Panel\Automatic Updates => "Turn off Automatic Updates."

 

[Nil]

As long as you have done this, no "phone home" will happen
automatically:

Control Panel\Automatic Updates => "Turn off Automatic Updates."

OK, I'll give it a shot. Thanks for taking the time to answer my
questions.