How Automatic Update works?

Folks,
I am tryinng to figure out how windows update (specifically automatic
updates) work....I have few questions

1. If I have option "auto download and notify before install" selected,
where does window update keep the downloaded programs until I install?

2. Is there a way for me to know programatically (by checking registry keys
etc) that updates are available and pending to download or to install etc?
where does window store current status of automatic update. I know reigstyr
key location
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Win dowsUpdate\Auto Update,
but I think from here you can only tell the Auto Update settings, not the
current status

3. Is there a way to know programatically (by checking registry key or file
datestamp etc) when last updated occured. If you go to windowsupdate site, it
can provide you "View Installation history", where from it's picking up this
data? does it keep anything on your local machine?

If you have any other information about Windows Update/Automatic Updates on
any OS, please do send me. It could be helpful.

"shyam_tx",

I could be more helpful to you if you told me what
specifically you are trying to accomplish. To answer your
questions:

In Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1:
1. If you use the option, "Download updates for me, but
let me choose when to install them," then Automatic
Updates downloads them to the following directory:
%windir%\SoftwareDistribution\Download

The answers to 2 and 3 are the same:
Microsoft does have a set of published APIs for Windows
Update, available, for the moment, at:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?
url=/library/en-us/wua_sdk/wua/portal_client.asp

It might be simpler, though, to go to the
http://msdn.microsoft.com and look up the term "Windows
Update Agent"

You might also wish not to reinvent the wheel in your
organization by reviewing products we already produce for
this kind of monitoring, such as WSUS 2.0 (still in beta),
SUS 1.0, and Systems Management Server.

Let us know how it goes.

Sincerely,

Pat Walters [MSFT]


>-----Original Message-----
>Folks,
>I am tryinng to figure out how windows update
(specifically automatic
>updates) work....I have few questions
>
>1. If I have option "auto download and notify before
install" selected,
>where does window update keep the downloaded programs
until I install?
>
>2. Is there a way for me to know programatically (by
checking registry keys
>etc) that updates are available and pending to download
or to install etc?
>where does window store current status of automatic
update. I know reigstyr
>key location
>HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Wi ndowsUpda
te\Auto Update,
>but I think from here you can only tell the Auto Update
settings, not the
>current status
>
>3. Is there a way to know programatically (by checking
registry key or file
>datestamp etc) when last updated occured. If you go to
windowsupdate site, it
>can provide you "View Installation history", where from
it's picking up this
>data? does it keep anything on your local machine?
>
>If you have any other information about Windows
Update/Automatic Updates on
>any OS, please do send me. It could be helpful.
>
>.
>