Windows 7 / Getting Started

WSUS Requirements

WSUS is installed on a server such as Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2. To support Windows 7 clients, you'll need at least WSUS 3.0 with SP2 or later.

Other requirements are as follows:

Server roles WSUS requires both the Application Server and the Web Server (IIS) roles installed. Internet Information Services (IIS) is Microsoft's web server product, and it is installed when the Web Server (IIS) role is installed. These roles should be added prior to adding WSUS. IIS 6.0 or later is required.

Disk space You should have at least 8 GB of available disk space. WSUS will need at least 6 GB to store updates downloaded from the Microsoft Update site. If you're short of disk space, it is possible to store the updates on the Microsoft Update site, but the overall performance will be slower. An additional 2 GB of disk space is need to house the Windows Internal Database that will be used to store the WSUS data, but it's also possible to use an existing SQL Server and store the database on that server.

Downloaded files You'll need to download the following two files: WSUS 3.0 and the Microsoft Report Viewer Redistributable 2008. Both are available as free downloads from Microsoft's download site (www.microsoft.com/downloads). Search for "WSUS 3" and "Report Viewer Redistributable 2008" to locate each item.

Both x86 and x64 versions are available for WSUS, so download the version you need based on where you'll install it. For example, if you're installing it on a 64-bit server, download the x64 version. The Report Viewer has only a single edition that works on both x86 and x64 servers.

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In this tutorial:

  1. Windows 7 and Other software Up to Date
  2. Understanding Windows Live
  3. Updates versus upgrades
  4. Why updates are important
  5. Windows Update
  6. Windows Update: The essentials
  7. Types of Updates
  8. Completing an Update
  9. Configuring automatic Updating
  10. Windows Update Applet and Functions
  11. Manually Install Updates Using Windows Update
  12. Action Center
  13. Updates Do Not Install Properly
  14. Other Windows Update Settings
  15. Configuring Windows 7 Update to Use a Proxy Server
  16. Can't Find Hidden Update
  17. Viewing and Changing Installed Updates
  18. Can't Uninstall Current Update
  19. Upgrade Windows Anytime
  20. Understanding Windows Server Update Services
  21. Windows Update Policies
  22. Updating Drivers
  23. Using Device Manager to Update Drivers
  24. Windows Update Driver Settings
  25. Windows 7 Service Packs
  26. Basic Service Pack Information
  27. Installation of Service Packs
  28. Installing and Removing Software
  29. Installation via CD or DVD
  30. Problem Installing from Disc
  31. Installation via Downloaded Program
  32. Viewing and Changing Programs
  33. Uninstalling Software
  34. Compatibility Issues in 64-Bit Version
  35. Upgrade Issues with 64-Bit Windows 7
  36. Other Program Compatibility Issues
  37. Side-by-Side Installs and Virtual Registries
  38. Removing Updates from Windows 7
  39. Thwarting Exploits with DEP
  40. Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
  41. Picking Computers to Scan
  42. Vulnerability Checks
  43. Installing MBSA
  44. Running the MBSA
  45. Running the MBSACLI
  46. MBSACLI Location
  47. Running in an Isolated Environment
  48. Using Windows Server Update Services
  49. WSUS Updates
  50. WSUS Requirements
  51. Installing, Configuring, and Using WSUS
  52. Adding the Application Server and Web Server (IIS) Roles
  53. Installing the Report Viewer
  54. Installing WSUS
  55. Configuring Group Policy Settings for WSUS
  56. Creating a GPO to Configure Clients to Use WSUS
  57. Verifying That Clients Are Using GPO Settings for WSUS
  58. Verifying That Clients Are Using GPO Settings with GPResult
  59. Creating Computer Groups on WSUS
  60. Approving Updates in WSUS
  61. Viewing WSUS Reports