How to Enable Windows Automatic Updates on Server Core

6/22/2010

By default, Server Core is not configured to obtain operating system (OS) updates from Microsoft. If your server-appliance solution relies on Windows automatic updates to keep the deployed server appliance current, you must enable automatic updates as part of the build process prior to deployment.

Alternatively, instead of enabling automatic updates prior to deployment, you can document for your end users the steps that must be taken to enable automatic updates as part of setting up the server appliance.

Do not enable automatic updates if you provide OS updates to end users as part of your server-appliance solution. For more information about providing manual updates, see Methods of Servicing a Server Appliance.

To enable Windows automatic updates on Server Core for Windows Server 2008 R2

• Run the Sconfig.cmd command-line tool, and then configure the automatic-update settings by choosing the configuration option from the main screen for the tool.

  For more information about using Sconfig.cmd, see Configuring a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 R2.

To enable Windows automatic updates on Server Core for Windows Server 2008

• From a Cmd.exe window, run cscript scregedit.wsf /AU 4.

  The Scregedit.wsf script assists with configuration. You cannot use the Sconfig.cmd utility with Server Core for Windows Server 2008 because it is not included.

  To disable automatic updates, from a Cmd.exe window, run cscript scregedit.wsf /AU 1.

  For more information about using Scregedit.wsf, see Server Core Installation Option of Windows Server 2008 Step-By-Step Guide.

See Also

Concepts

Methods of Servicing a Server Appliance
Enabling WSUS Updates on Server Core
How Updates for Optional Features are Applied