Windows server 2012 - automatic updates on standalone servers

[DavePa]

We've got a couple of HyperV servers that are NOT domain joined - this is historic as we were advised some years back to set things up that way and although I believe it's no longer recommended we're stuck with it for the moment. Problem is that these servers (hosting our entire virtual estate, naturally) have the default 'Download and install updates' setting which means that if somebody logs off rather than closes the session the updates happen 15 minutes later and the server reboots...not good.

 

In previous versions of Windows server you could set the maintenance window to both a time and a day - 3am on Sunday was always popular but with Server 2012 this was removed. For domain joined servers this is not a problem as it can be controlled by WSUS/SCCM but I can't figure out where to set this for a standalone server despite having spent best part of an hour googling it - I can find lots of advice but mostly refering to domain joined servers and any registry modifications that I find for standalone device refer to keys not present on my servers - I''m not brave enough to try them 'blind' so wondered f anybody else had had this as an issue?

[Koldov]

Mine is a 2012R2 server and unfortunately for this discussion Domain joined.

 

But are you saying that this options panel doesn't appear for you at all...?

 

 

If it does could you not at least set it to check and notify or download and notify?

[DavePa]

We have that option but the problem with using 'download but let me choose' is that updates will never be installed - nobody is going to kick them off during the day and IT support is 08:00 to 17:15 whereas there are staff here from 07:00 until quite often 21:00 or thereabouts. I can do it remotely but would rather not have to worry about rebooting hyperv hosts at 22:00 on a weekday evening when I have far better things to do - like sleep! Weekends are an option but again, that's my time not company time!

 

I'd love to be able to set the servers to update on Sundays at 3am like we could in 2003/2008

[Koldov]

Can you add it via GP?

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2885694

Edited December 15, 2016 by Koldov

[DavePa]

I think I may be able to - brain is a little fried at the moment and I was looking in secpol rather than gpedit! Hopefully on the home straight now, thanks!