[Maggz]

Hi all,

I do a lot of consulting in my spare time to home users. I often end up getting their computers secure and ready for use. I was wondering if anyone knows of a program that is intelligent enough to scan the system and apply windows updates as needed performing reboots, and resuming installation.

Basically I am looking for a standalone utility that can perform these actions until windows is completely patched. I have seen proprietary solutions for this that companies like Geek Squad use and was wondering if there is a commercial solution that provides similar functionality.

I am not interested in a program that collects updates and downloads them for building into images or SXL, but a nice little app that connects to microsoft and downloads the needed updates and restarts as needed.

If anyone has heard of any such solution I would be most interested in hearing your feedback.

Thank you!

[Squashman]

Why not let Windows auto update itself. If it is enabled in the system settings it will take care of itself.

[Elvandil]

That's the easiest way. Only one reboot is needed no matter how many updates are installed at once.

[DaveBurnett]

Actually, Elvandil, that is not quite true since some updates install stuff that require further patches that are only identified once rebooted, and some patches do need to be installed separately as well.

I re-installed XP Pro for someone using an SP3 CD and it still needed several reboots after I installed AV and started the update cycle. What would be even better would be if MS removed all the petty licence agreements for each and every product. Yes I know it is better than it was, but it is still annoying to wake up and find it stuck at a licence screen with loads of updates waiting.

[Elvandil]

Originally Posted by DaveBurnett

Actually, Elvandil, that is not quite true since some updates install stuff that require further patches that are only identified once rebooted, and some patches do need to be installed separately as well.

I re-installed XP Pro for someone using an SP3 CD and it still needed several reboots after I installed AV and started the update cycle. What would be even better would be if MS removed all the petty licence agreements for each and every product. Yes I know it is better than it was, but it is still annoying to wake up and find it stuck at a licence screen with loads of updates waiting.

I often install all of them in one batch. They get automatically sorted somehow and updated patches are installed while the older versions are not. At least that is what has happened to me so far. But I have not included any separate products that are optional and have license screens. The optional ones get separated out. I never even bother sorting or removing the older msu's because the installer takes care of all that and only installs the most recent versions of every file.

But what OS's are we talking here?

[DaveBurnett]

I was specifically talking about XP, but I have several Windows 7 PCs that I have updated and had to have several reboots.

To be fair, I don't leave it entirely to MS to apply updates as there are quite a few features that I prefer not to install so I get the notification and then deselect those I don't want - which is why I know about the reboots.

The OP didn't mention any version. IE update to 7/8 doesn't get sorted out. Also I think Malicious software removal tool, once used, asks for a licence every time.

In any case it solves the OP's question.

[lukas555]

Hi Maggz,
I think what you are looking for is WuInstall. It is a command line tool to manage Windows Updates and there are several options which helps you to specify how you want to do the updates. For example with the command /rebootcycle it will automatically install updates with several reboots in between. That means after one update and reboot was successful WuInstall will start again and continue with the updates.

[Maggz]

@lukas555 I will give that program a try. That sounds like what I would be looking for. Thank you!

[DaveBurnett]

You don't need it.

[Maggz]

Need and Want are two different things =P