download updates from WSUS

Hello. I have a Win2003 domain and WSUS3. Domain computers know how to find
WSUS and download updates with group policy.
What happens if i want to find and download an update from WSUS? For example
i want to download XP SP3. is it possible to locate the file from wsus and
download it, instead of internet? Or if i want update KBxxxxxx, can i get it
from wsus, regardless if the computer is joined in the domain or not?

Thanks, Peter

"Peter Hatzis" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Hello. I have a Win2003 domain and WSUS3. Domain computers know how to
> find WSUS and download updates with group policy.
> What happens if i want to find and download an update from WSUS? For
> example i want to download XP SP3. is it possible to locate the file from
> wsus and download it, instead of internet? Or if i want update KBxxxxxx,
> can i get it from wsus, regardless if the computer is joined in the domain
> or not?
>
> Thanks, Peter


Hi Peter. I'm going to share a couple of WSUS "basic" as I think that may
help put your question into perspective.

1. WSUS is not restricted to servicing only domain-member computers; in
fact, =WSUS= is totally domain agnostic. It know nothing about domain or
workgroup membership at all - except what the client computer may share as
"inventory" data. We do use Group Policy to distribute configuration
parameters for the WUAgent -- to tell it where the WSUS Server is -- but
these configuration parameters can also be set by using Local Policy,
importing a Registry configuration file, or directly creating/editing the
needed registry values. All of the policy settings and associated registry
values are documented in the WSUS Operations Guide.

So, if the primary question here is simply about getting updates deployed to
non-domain machines using WSUS, all you really need to do is configure Local
Policy, or import a valid REG file, or configure the registry values on the
client machine.

2. If your interest is really about installing updates interactively -- WSUS
can also help you do that, although not specifically in the manner you're
thinking of. If you simply configure the client machine with AUOptions=3
(Download, but do not schedule installation), then the client machines can
detect/download the content from the WSUS Server as it becomes available
(i.e. is approved), and you can then use the WUAgent UI to interactively
install the updates by logging on as an Administrator to the PC.

--
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCITP:EA, MCDBA
Principal/CTO, Onsite Technology Solutions, Houston, Texas
Microsoft MVP - Software Distribution (2005-2009)

MS WSUS Website: http://www.microsoft.com/wsus
My MVP Profile: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pro...awrence.Garvin

Hello Lawrence and thanks for replying. Yes, i know about local policy
settings, but i was thinking of getting a specific update only from WSUS so
that i don't have to download it from internet.
But i guess that is not possible. Both local policy and AUOptions=3 you
described will download all available updates from WSUS.

Well, again thanks for your time. Regards, Peter

"Lawrence Garvin [MVP]" <> wrote in message
news:...
> "Peter Hatzis" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>> Hello. I have a Win2003 domain and WSUS3. Domain computers know how to
>> find WSUS and download updates with group policy.
>> What happens if i want to find and download an update from WSUS? For
>> example i want to download XP SP3. is it possible to locate the file from
>> wsus and download it, instead of internet? Or if i want update KBxxxxxx,
>> can i get it from wsus, regardless if the computer is joined in the
>> domain or not?
>>
>> Thanks, Peter
>
>
> Hi Peter. I'm going to share a couple of WSUS "basic" as I think that may
> help put your question into perspective.
>
> 1. WSUS is not restricted to servicing only domain-member computers; in
> fact, =WSUS= is totally domain agnostic. It know nothing about domain or
> workgroup membership at all - except what the client computer may share as
> "inventory" data. We do use Group Policy to distribute configuration
> parameters for the WUAgent -- to tell it where the WSUS Server is -- but
> these configuration parameters can also be set by using Local Policy,
> importing a Registry configuration file, or directly creating/editing the
> needed registry values. All of the policy settings and associated registry
> values are documented in the WSUS Operations Guide.
>
> So, if the primary question here is simply about getting updates deployed
> to non-domain machines using WSUS, all you really need to do is configure
> Local Policy, or import a valid REG file, or configure the registry values
> on the client machine.
>
> 2. If your interest is really about installing updates interactively --
> WSUS can also help you do that, although not specifically in the manner
> you're thinking of. If you simply configure the client machine with
> AUOptions=3 (Download, but do not schedule installation), then the client
> machines can detect/download the content from the WSUS Server as it
> becomes available (i.e. is approved), and you can then use the WUAgent UI
> to interactively install the updates by logging on as an Administrator to
> the PC.
>
> --
> Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCITP:EA, MCDBA
> Principal/CTO, Onsite Technology Solutions, Houston, Texas
> Microsoft MVP - Software Distribution (2005-2009)
>
> MS WSUS Website: http://www.microsoft.com/wsus
> My MVP Profile: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pro...awrence.Garvin
>

"Peter Hatzis" <> wrote in message
news:...

> Both local policy and AUOptions=3 you described will download all
> available updates from WSUS.

Not if you place the target PC in it's own GROUP and only approve ONE update
for that group.

Then the PC will download only that one approved update.


--
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCITP:EA, MCDBA
Principal/CTO, Onsite Technology Solutions, Houston, Texas
Microsoft MVP - Software Distribution (2005-2009)

MS WSUS Website: http://www.microsoft.com/wsus
My MVP Profile: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pro...awrence.Garvin

On Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:04:31 +0300, "Peter Hatzis" <>
wrote:

>Hello Lawrence and thanks for replying. Yes, i know about local policy
>settings, but i was thinking of getting a specific update only from WSUS so
>that i don't have to download it from internet.
>But i guess that is not possible. Both local policy and AUOptions=3 you
>described will download all available updates from WSUS.

You can select just one to install in the client interface. Simply untick the
one not to be installed. This is more or less the same as with MU/WU except only
approved update will be shown.
>
>Well, again thanks for your time. Regards, Peter
>
>"Lawrence Garvin [MVP]" <> wrote in message
>news:...
>> "Peter Hatzis" <> wrote in message
>> news:...
>>> Hello. I have a Win2003 domain and WSUS3. Domain computers know how to
>>> find WSUS and download updates with group policy.
>>> What happens if i want to find and download an update from WSUS? For
>>> example i want to download XP SP3. is it possible to locate the file from
>>> wsus and download it, instead of internet? Or if i want update KBxxxxxx,
>>> can i get it from wsus, regardless if the computer is joined in the
>>> domain or not?
>>>
>>> Thanks, Peter
>>
>>
>> Hi Peter. I'm going to share a couple of WSUS "basic" as I think that may
>> help put your question into perspective.
>>
>> 1. WSUS is not restricted to servicing only domain-member computers; in
>> fact, =WSUS= is totally domain agnostic. It know nothing about domain or
>> workgroup membership at all - except what the client computer may share as
>> "inventory" data. We do use Group Policy to distribute configuration
>> parameters for the WUAgent -- to tell it where the WSUS Server is -- but
>> these configuration parameters can also be set by using Local Policy,
>> importing a Registry configuration file, or directly creating/editing the
>> needed registry values. All of the policy settings and associated registry
>> values are documented in the WSUS Operations Guide.
>>
>> So, if the primary question here is simply about getting updates deployed
>> to non-domain machines using WSUS, all you really need to do is configure
>> Local Policy, or import a valid REG file, or configure the registry values
>> on the client machine.
>>
>> 2. If your interest is really about installing updates interactively --
>> WSUS can also help you do that, although not specifically in the manner
>> you're thinking of. If you simply configure the client machine with
>> AUOptions=3 (Download, but do not schedule installation), then the client
>> machines can detect/download the content from the WSUS Server as it
>> becomes available (i.e. is approved), and you can then use the WUAgent UI
>> to interactively install the updates by logging on as an Administrator to
>> the PC.
>>
>> --
>> Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCITP:EA, MCDBA
>> Principal/CTO, Onsite Technology Solutions, Houston, Texas
>> Microsoft MVP - Software Distribution (2005-2009)
>>
>> MS WSUS Website: http://www.microsoft.com/wsus
>> My MVP Profile: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pro...awrence.Garvin
>>
--
Dave Mills
There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary and those that don't.

Hello. Thanks both for the ideas.
Regards, Peter


"Dave Mills" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:04:31 +0300, "Peter Hatzis" <>
> wrote:
>
>>Hello Lawrence and thanks for replying. Yes, i know about local policy
>>settings, but i was thinking of getting a specific update only from WSUS
>>so
>>that i don't have to download it from internet.
>>But i guess that is not possible. Both local policy and AUOptions=3 you
>>described will download all available updates from WSUS.
>
> You can select just one to install in the client interface. Simply untick
> the
> one not to be installed. This is more or less the same as with MU/WU
> except only
> approved update will be shown.
>>
>>Well, again thanks for your time. Regards, Peter
>>
>>"Lawrence Garvin [MVP]" <> wrote in message
>>news:...
>>> "Peter Hatzis" <> wrote in message
>>> news:...
>>>> Hello. I have a Win2003 domain and WSUS3. Domain computers know how to
>>>> find WSUS and download updates with group policy.
>>>> What happens if i want to find and download an update from WSUS? For
>>>> example i want to download XP SP3. is it possible to locate the file
>>>> from
>>>> wsus and download it, instead of internet? Or if i want update
>>>> KBxxxxxx,
>>>> can i get it from wsus, regardless if the computer is joined in the
>>>> domain or not?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks, Peter
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi Peter. I'm going to share a couple of WSUS "basic" as I think that
>>> may
>>> help put your question into perspective.
>>>
>>> 1. WSUS is not restricted to servicing only domain-member computers; in
>>> fact, =WSUS= is totally domain agnostic. It know nothing about domain or
>>> workgroup membership at all - except what the client computer may share
>>> as
>>> "inventory" data. We do use Group Policy to distribute configuration
>>> parameters for the WUAgent -- to tell it where the WSUS Server is -- but
>>> these configuration parameters can also be set by using Local Policy,
>>> importing a Registry configuration file, or directly creating/editing
>>> the
>>> needed registry values. All of the policy settings and associated
>>> registry
>>> values are documented in the WSUS Operations Guide.
>>>
>>> So, if the primary question here is simply about getting updates
>>> deployed
>>> to non-domain machines using WSUS, all you really need to do is
>>> configure
>>> Local Policy, or import a valid REG file, or configure the registry
>>> values
>>> on the client machine.
>>>
>>> 2. If your interest is really about installing updates interactively --
>>> WSUS can also help you do that, although not specifically in the manner
>>> you're thinking of. If you simply configure the client machine with
>>> AUOptions=3 (Download, but do not schedule installation), then the
>>> client
>>> machines can detect/download the content from the WSUS Server as it
>>> becomes available (i.e. is approved), and you can then use the WUAgent
>>> UI
>>> to interactively install the updates by logging on as an Administrator
>>> to
>>> the PC.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MCITP:EA, MCDBA
>>> Principal/CTO, Onsite Technology Solutions, Houston, Texas
>>> Microsoft MVP - Software Distribution (2005-2009)
>>>
>>> MS WSUS Website: http://www.microsoft.com/wsus
>>> My MVP Profile: http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/pro...awrence.Garvin
>>>
> --
> Dave Mills
> There are 10 types of people, those that understand binary and those that
> don't.