How to configure and use Automatic Updates in Windows 2000 (327850)

SUMMARY

If you are logged on as an administrator, the Automatic Updates feature in Windows 2000 notifies you when critical updates are available for your computer. You can also specify the schedule that Windows follows to install updates on your computer. The Automatic Updates feature replaces the Critical Update Notification feature (if it is already installed). The Critical Update Notification feature no longer offers critical updates. This article describes how to install and use the Automatic Updates feature in Windows 2000.

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Install the Automatic Updates Feature

If you are running Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3), you do not have to install Automatic Updates. Windows automatic updating is included in Windows 2000 SP3.

You can also install Automatic Updates on Windows 2000 Professional-based, Windows 2000 Server-based, or Windows 2000 Advanced Server-based computers that are running Service Pack 2 (SP2). To install the Automatic Updates feature on Windows 2000 SP2 if you are an administrator, install any of the following updates:

• The Windows Automatic Updating, June 2002 update.
  
  To obtain this update, visit the following Microsoft Windows Update Web site:

  http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

• The Automatic Updates June 2002 update.
  
  To obtain this update, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/recommended/susclient/default.asp

  Note This update is a Windows Installer package that is used for corporate deployment. You must use the new Automatic Updates feature if you are a network administrator who is using Microsoft Software Update Services. To use Automatic Updates with a server that is running Software Update Services, see the white paper on the following Microsoft Web site:

  Software Update Services Deployment White Paper

Note You must restart your computer after you install either of these updates. Automatic Updates does not download any updates until you have configured it to do so. If Automatic Updates is not configured in 24 hours after you install it, either the network administrator or the user who is logged on locally as an administrator is prompted to configure it.

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Change the Settings for Automatic Updates

To change the settings for Automatic Updates, use the Automatic Updates tool in Control Panel. You must be logged on as a computer administrator to install components or modify Automatic Updates settings. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may prevent you from completing these procedures.

Windows 2000 domain administrators and local computer administrators can also configure Automatic Updates by using Group Policy. For additional information about using Group Policy to configure Automatic Updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: back to the top

Turn On Automatic Updates

To turn on automatic updates for your computer:

1. In Control Panel, double-click Automatic Updates.
2. Click one of the following options:
   • Notify me before downloading any updates and notify me again before installing them on my computer
   • Download the updates automatically and notify me when they are ready to be installed
   • Automatically download the updates, and install them on the schedule that I specify

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Turn Off Automatic Updates

To turn off automatic updates for your computer:

1. In Control Panel, double-click Automatic Updates.
2. Click to clear the Keep my computer up to date. With this setting enabled, Windows Update software may be automatically updated prior to applying any other updates check box.

If you are a Windows 2000 domain administrator or a local computer administrator, you can turn off Automatic Updates by either using Group Policy or by directly editing the registry. For additional information about using Group Policy or registry settings to configure Automatic Updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: back to the top

Configure Windows to Remind You About Pending Updates

When Windows notifies you that updates are available, click Remind Me Later in the Automatic Updates dialog box before you download or install the update. In the Reminder dialog box, you can specify the time Windows waits before reminding you. If the reminder is for downloading, Windows reminds you only when you are connected to the Internet. If the reminder is for installing, Windows reminds you according to the schedule that you specify.

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Download Available Updates

If you configured automatic updating to notify you before downloading any updates, an icon is displayed in the notification area each time new updates are found. To download the new available updates:

1. Double-click the icon in the notification area.
2. Perform either of the following steps:
   • If you want Windows to download an update, make sure that the check box next to the update is selected.
   • If you do not want Windows to download an update, click to clear the check box next to the update.
   Your selected updates are downloaded in the background so that you can continue to work uninterrupted. Downloading does not interfere with or slow down other network activity, such as Internet browsing.
   
   When the updates are downloaded, the icon is displayed in the notification area to notify you that updates are ready to be installed.

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Pause or Resume Downloading

After the download process has started, you can pause or resume downloading at any time. If you close your Internet connection or restart your computer after pausing a download process, Windows automatically resumes the download process the next time you are connected to the Internet.

To pause or resume downloading:

1. During the download process, click the icon that is displayed in the notification area, and then click Pause.
2. When you are ready for Windows to start downloading again, click the Automatic updating icon, and then click Resume.

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Schedule Automatic Updates

Note To modify Automatic Updates settings, you must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings may prevent you from completing this procedure.

1. In Control Panel, double-click Automatic Updates.
2. Click Automatically download the updates, and install them on the schedule that I specify.
3. Click to select the day and time that you want to download and install updates.

When critical updates are detected, Automatic Updates automatically downloads these updates in the background while you are connected to the Internet. After the download is complete, Automatic Updates waits until the scheduled day and time to install the updates. On the scheduled day and time, all local users receive the following message that has a 5-minute countdown timer: If you are logged on as an administrator, when you receive this message, you can either click Yes to install the updates or click No to have Automatic Updates install the updates at the next scheduled day and time. If you do not take any action in five minutes, Windows automatically installs the updates.

Important You may have to restart your computer to complete the update installation.

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Restore an Update That Was Previously Declined

If you decide not to download a specific update, you can prompt Windows Update to offer that update again. To restore declined updates:

1. In Control Panel, double-click Automatic Updates.
2. Click Declined Updates, and then click Yes to restore declined updates. Windows notifies you about updates that you previously declined or installs the updates on the schedule that you specify.

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