WSUS and shutdowns

[caffrey]

Just playing about with WSUS, have it all set up and working.

Now we use a shutdown script to shutdown any machines left on, the script is called using scheduled tasks - also this works great

 

However since installing wsus and setting an install schedule, the machines aren't switching off as they are waiting for input to "install updates and shutdown"

 

any way round this ?

 

(would be nice if there was a shutdown option for this with shutdown.exe)

 

mark

[ajs]

I used to run a scheduled script from the server to shutdown machines that were left on and never encountered a problem with them waiting for input to install updates.

 

What does your script look like?

[caffrey]

the machines were quite out of date that I was doing so maybe something to do with that, seems to be taking a while to get them all up to date - plus im having .net framework issues that i'm clearing out as I go, script was resolved in this thread http://www.edugeek.net/forums/scripts/61139-wsus-script-help.html

i think once everythings upto date i shouldn't have any problems (i hope)

 

thanks

 

mark

[Chuckster]

Personally speaking, I would forego the script and stick with implementing a GPO to sort out WSUS updates and use shutdown.exe from a server to handle switching off workstations at a designated time. I use BeyondExec because there are switches where you can allow the end user to cancel the shutdown on their workstation if it's still in use.

 

At my place we have it set up so that if there are updates it will always default to "Install updates and shutdown" when the end user comes to switching off for the day. If that isn't the case then the workstations will always install the updates at the next scheduled time (3pm daily).

 

Open up a GPO and go to Computer Configuation --> Administrative Template --> Windows Components --> Windows Update to configure how you want updates to be handled.

[caffrey]

I wanted to have a scenario with as little user input as possible as well as zero interruptions (it is a school).

I tried the GPO way, but wasn't sure if our shutdown script would interfere. I came into work after setting it up this way on a test group and most of the machines were still switched on (when i went to switch off manually - it said install updates and shut down)

The other GPO setting to turn of notifications for non-admins is quite handy too.

 

Also noticed that wsus is installing updates in dribs and drabs - doesn't install all at once ? mind you some of the machines were really out of date i'm talking sp2 and ie6 here (nothing to do with me!!!)

 

Mark