MIT Windows Update Service - Explanation of Registry Settings

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Configuration Options in a Non-Active Directory Environment

We recommend configuring machines not in a Windows Domain for WAUS using one of the .reg files that can be found on MIT Windows Automatic Update Service (WAUS) home page.
An explanation of all the settings set by the .reg files as well as the text of the file are found below:

To determine which update server your clients and servers go to for their updates, look for the WUServer and WUStatusServer keys in HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate. (if the keys are not there, then your machine is not configured to use MIT's WAUS.

In a non-Active Directory environment, an administrator can set registry settings to configure Automatic Updates.
The following settings are added to the registry of each Windows client at this location: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

• WUServer
  Sets the Windows Update intranet server by HTTP name. MIT recommended setting = http://sus.mit.edu
• WUStatusServer
  Sets the Windows Update intranet statistics server by HTTP name. MIT recommended setting = http://sus.mit.edu
  In a non-Active Directory environment, an administrator can set registry settings to configure Automatic Updates.
  The following settings are added to the registry of each Windows client at this location: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU
• NoAutoUpdate
  Range = 0|1.
  0 = Automatic Updates enabled (default)
  1 = Automatic Updates disabled.
  MIT recommended setting = 0
• AUOptions
  Range = 2|3|4.
  2 = notify of download and installation
  3 = auto download and notify of installation
  4 = auto download and scheduled installation. All options notify the local administrator.
  MIT recommended setting = 4
• ScheduledInstallDay
  Range = 0|1|2|3|4|5|6|7.
  0 = Every day
  1 through 7 = days of the week from Sunday(1) to Saturday(7).
  MIT recommended setting = 0
• ScheduledInstallTime
  Range = n; where n = the time of day in 24-hour format (0-23).
  MIT default setting = 1
• UseWUServer
  Set this to 1 to enable Automatic Updates to use the Software Update Services server as specified in the WUServer value.
  MIT recommended setting = 1

Contents of WAUS .reg File

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[ist:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]
"WUServer"="http://sus.mit.edu"
"WUStatusServer"="http://sus.mit.edu"
[ist:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU]
"NoAutoUpdate"=dword:00000000
"RescheduleWaitTime"=dword:0000000a
"AUOptions"=dword:00000004 (00000003 for mitsus-n.reg)
"ScheduledInstallDay"=dword:00000000
"ScheduledInstallTime"=dword:00000001
"UseWUServer"=dword:00000001

Related Links

MIT's Windows Automatic Update Service
Advanced Installation and Configuration Instructions
Windows Domain Machines
Explanation of Registry Settings
[Approved Updates]