windows update for many computers

[Mike]

Hi All,

I do not know how to solve following problem:
I have about 150 identical computers based on XPe OS working in LAN
network.
OS contains
- Windows Update Agent
- Windows Update Agent for SUS 1.0 Servers
and
- Task manager shell (prefered then Explorer Shell for our computers)
components. Each station have EWF enabled becouse there are CFs.
Also there is one SUS Server based on Windows 2003 Server.
Everything works correctly, becouse when I exchange Task Manager Shell
for Explorer Shell, the notification icon appears, I can download and
install updates in mode configured in Group Policy.

The problem is how system notify an administrator about upgreades
download and install (i chosed option 3-Notify for download and notify
for install, becouse after update ewfmgr c: -commit command have to be
executed) when there is only task manager shell. In my systems nothing
happend. (When one computer works one based on Explorer Shell and the
second based on Task Manager Shell, both in the same LAN, the first
one notify me about updates but the second doesn't). How XPe based on
Task Manager Shell notify administrator about updates?

The second problem I have to solve is how to do updates for so many
computers automaticaly. Is there any possibility to do updates
automaticaly (but not restart after updates!!!) and notify me about
that in any way, so I can do CF commit (my application is in able to
do commit remotely, so it doesn't take to much time). Or mayby there
is other way to update and commit komputer without login (for over 150
station it would take ages to log in, update, and commit CF, even
doing it remotely, using for exaple remote desktop!). I can set up
automatic download and update, but how system notify administrator
that it was executet correctly without restart (CF commit).
This problem is very important to me!

Greetings

Mike

 

[Slobodan Brcin \(eMVP\)]

Mike,

Is this RAM EWF?
If so then you must reboot your computer in order for changes to be saved
:-(

Regarding the updates. You can do immediate update of services, drivers
programs that are not loaded, for anything more you must reboot computer
since many things just can't be stopped and started during the work.


Sorry this was not what you wanted to hear, but that is how things work.

Regards,
Slobodan

 

[Richard]

I'm not that familiar with the other update mechanisms but that is why I
like DUA. When you want to perform updates copy a script, put it into a Lan
Directory, let the machines update, then have the script Commit and Reboot
the machine when its done. Been working great here.

Richard

 

[KM]

I guess it is not a question on how the update is delivered (DUA, SUS, etc.) but rather how it is handled with EWF running on the
system.
Original poster stressed "(but not restart after updates!!!)" which is impossible with current EWF implementation for "some" (most)
updates.

Btw, although I like simple clients like lightweight DUA but there is nothing in DUA that cannot be accomplish with SMS or SUS.
Those heavy solutions have scripting support too.

 

[Mike]

Hello,

Slobodan: Yes, it is RAM EWF.

So, I understand that there is no way to do update OS on many
computers remotely at the same time :-(. Maybe the quickest way to do
it will be to upload the update files from Microsoft and run them on
each machine, then commit and reboot. Each of this proceses (upload,
run, commit, reboot) can be done remotely using my application.
Becouse I'll have only remote access to the computers. Or maybe there
is other way to do it faster?

Is there any way that system with task manager shell will notify me
about available updates (notify for download and notify to install)?

Thanks for help

Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Slobodan Brcin \(eMVP\)]

Mike,

Have you read about DUA (Device Update Agent)?
Basically you can tell it to check for updates on your server and to
automatically do things that you want.

Regards,
Slobodan

 

[KM]

Also, look in to SMS client features. It has pretty much anything you may need.
The client dependencies are quite big but having SUS client already included your image is unlikely small now anyway.

 

[Guest]

Hi;

Did you ever look into the SMS Client dependencies? I have created an image
with all of the components i need, that came to about 190MB. I then added
the SMS Core and the SMS English Language support, this then made the image
330MB with all of the dependencies that the SMS Client has. Our problem is
that the Thin Clients they want to deploy to are 256MB so it's not going to
fit, we have tried taking out some of the dependencies like Client service
for Macintosh and Netware (obvious things) but the SMS client stop working.
I'm in the process of creating a Virtual PC to run the Windows XP Embedded
with SMS image in to prove that the space is the problem, I just thought I
would ask you if you had come up with a fix

Cheers

Ian

 

[KM]

Ian,

I don't have any good news to tell you. I never bother to lower down SMS dependencies.
Frankly, I do not consider SMS as a good solution for an embedded device. Too heavy.