www.BlackViper.com: Windows XP Service Pack 2 Services 411 - Automatic Updates

Automatic Updates

Default Description:

Enables the download and installation of Windows updates. If this service is disabled, this computer will not be able to use the Automatic Updates feature or the Windows Update Web site.

Additional Information:

Used to check up to see if there is any critical or otherwise updates available for download. After the installation of Service Pack 1 or 2, you may configure how "often" updates are checked. Using default values, Windows XP "automatically" checks for updates at 3AM, downloads the updates and asks to "install" them. I do not recommend that you disable Automatic Updates.

It is very important that if you decide to disable this service, you check the Windows Update Version 6 web site often to ensure the latest patches install properly.

Take note: Manual updates via Windows Update Version 6 web site still requires Automatic Updates, Cryptographic Services, Background Intelligent Transfer Service, and Event Log to be running. Place all three, plus Automatic Updates, in automatic if you do not wish to update manually. In addition, I recommend that you change the default time of 3AM, for the automatic checking of updates, to a time when the system is "normally" on.

Defaults Startup Type:

Default XP Home: Automatic
Default XP MCE 2005: Automatic
Default XP Pro: Automatic
Default XP Pro x64: Automatic
Default XP Tablet PC 2005: Automatic

Other Settings:

Safe Setting: Automatic

Service Names:

Service Name (registry): wuauserv

Display Name: Automatic Updates

Default Path and Command Line Options:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs

Log On As:

Account: Local System Account

Dependencies:

What service Automatic Updates needs to function properly:

• None

What other service require Automatic Updates to function properly:

• None

Default Registry Entries:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv]
"Type"=dword:00000020
"Start"=dword:00000002
"ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
"DisplayName"="Automatic Updates"
"ObjectName"="LocalSystem"
"Description"="Enables the download and installation of Windows updates. If this service is disabled, this computer will not be able to use the Automatic Updates feature or the Windows Update Web site."