# WSUS on WinXP Home



## newhouse1390 (Jan 10, 2005)

Is it possible to configure a Windows XP Home Edition computer to be a WSUS client?


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## Squashman (Apr 14, 2005)

I everything Google came up with points to a Big yes.


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## newhouse1390 (Jan 10, 2005)

I cannot find any information on how to get that to work. I only read articles where it tells you how to configure WSUS through the Group Policy which is non-existant in Windows XP Home Edition. Any information would be greatly appreciated.


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## newhouse1390 (Jan 10, 2005)

Here is what I have found, does this look too risky?





Someone purchased a machine with Windows XP Home Edition for use here 
at work. They did this to meet very specific hardware requirements and 
to meet a deadline; I understand why this machine was necessary. 

Unfortunately there is no Group Policy Editor in Home Edition. How do 
I direct this client machine to my WSUS without a group policy editor? 


Note to Microsoft: It should be incredibly easy to connect ALL of your 
products to patch management software. In my opinion this compromise 
in Home Edition is counterproductive to your patch management goals. I 
just don't get it, and I'm not looking forward to tracking down this 
client every patch Tuesday. 


Reply 


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Hi, 

To obtain the correct registry values to deploy: 


I suggest you use gpedit.msc on a WinXP Pro SP2 computer to configure 
the Automatic Updates settings policy, and after having done that, you 
can export the registry key 
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate 
(including the sub-key named AU) to a registry file. 


Then import the registry file on the WinXP Home computer. 


Those registry values are also documented in the WSUS deployment 
guide: 
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/librar... 


And a fyi: 


Please post WSUS related issues to the newsgroup dedicated to WSUS: 
microsoft.public.windows.server.update_services 


WebNews link to the WSUS newsgroup: 
http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg... 


-- 
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting, Porsgrunn Norway 
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of 
the 1328 page Scripting Guide: 
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/default.mspx 


Reply


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## Squashman (Apr 14, 2005)

Yes, you need to make the registry settings manually. Here is another example of the registry settings.
http://www.wsus.info/forums/lofiversion/index.php?t7925.html

The registry settings are explained in this document on page 68.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...13-63E0-41CE-A646-EB36F1D3E987&displaylang=en

But the best thing to do would be to export the registry settings from a XP Pro computer that had the policy pushed down to it, then import it into a Xp Home computer.


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## newhouse1390 (Jan 10, 2005)

The registry key that you would be able to find after editing the group policy on a Professional version doesn't exist in XP Home. 

I need to create a policy on a Professional computer, open up the registry, export the WINDOWS UPDATE key and then import that key to the same location that it was exported from on the Professional Computer?

When I export the key WINDOWS UPDATE there is a sub-key called AU if I export the WINDOWS UPDATE key will that include the sub key?


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## Squashman (Apr 14, 2005)

Just Right Click on WindowsUpdate, select Export, select Selected Branch. Everything below it will be put into the Reg file. You can test it out and open the file in notepad.

You can right click on any Reg file and it will give the option to edit it. It will open in notepad. Then you can see everything that was exported.


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## newhouse1390 (Jan 10, 2005)

I only have a trial version of Microsoft Windows 2003 Server can the WSUS Server run on a Windows 2000 Pro machine?

Thanks.


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## Squashman (Apr 14, 2005)

WSUS server is not supported on XP Pro but from what I have read people have gotten it to run on XP Pro. The original SUS was supported on XP Pro. Doesn't hurt to try it out.


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## newhouse1390 (Jan 10, 2005)

I think I am going to invest in a server, thanks for your help.


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## newhouse1390 (Jan 10, 2005)

After connecting the WinXP Home computer to the server using the exported registry key. I waited one whole day with all of my internal firewalls disabled and I have not been able to get the computer to show up in the WSUS Admin page. I downloaded and installed the Client Tool and recieved the results that are posted in the attachment. (hopefully)


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## newhouse1390 (Jan 10, 2005)

I have found that my problem is with the firewall. I forgot that some clients had Symantec Client Firewall installed. This is what seems to be blocking the connection from client to server. Does anyone know how to configure the firewall policy to allow connections from my WSUS server?


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