JSI Tip 7632. How do I configure Automatic Updates using group policy?

To use local group policy:

1. Start / Run / gpedit.msc / OK.

2. Expand Computer Configuration.

3. Right-click Administrative Templates and press Add/Remove Templates.

4. Press Add.

5. Select Wuau.adm, from the %SystemRoot%Inf folder, and press Open.

6. Press Close.

7. Expand Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / Windows Update.To turn on Automatic Updates, double-click Configure Automatic Updates policy and select Enabled. Choose from one of the following:

Auto download and notify for install, the default. Windows downloads updates that apply to your computer. When the downloads are ready, an icon appears in the notification area, and a message indicates that the updates are ready to be installed. Pressing the icon, or the message, begins the installation dialog.

Notify for download and notify for install. Windows notifies you that that updates are ready for download. When you press the icon, or message, the download begins. When the download is ready for installation, you notified with an icon and message, which you must press to begin the installation dialog.

Auto download and schedule the install. If you DO NOT specify the schedule, it defaults to every day at 3:00 AM.

NOTE: If you select Not Configured, you can use Control Panel to select the above options.

Reschedule Automatic Updates scheduled installations specifies how long, after system startup, a previously missed scheduled update should wait before beginning installation.

No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Updates installations causes Automatic Updates to wait for a manual restart instead of it restarting the computer automatically, if the SUS SP1 client is installed.

To load the Automatic Updates group policy in Active Directory:

01. On a domain controller, start the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in.

02. Right-click the domain, or OU (Organizational Unit), and press Properties.

03. Select the Group Policy tab.

04. Press New.

05. Name the policy and press Edit.

06. Expand Computer Configuration.

07. Right-click Administrative Templates and press Add/Remove Templates.

08. Press Add.

09. Type %SystemRoot%InfWuau.adm and press Open.

NOTE: Once loaded, you can use the Windows Update policy in the Computer Configuration or User Configuration scope.

NOTE: See How do I configure Automatic Updates using the registry?