Desktop 5.5 and MS Updates

russellhltn · #1

I'm setting up a new computer for one ward that has an Internet connection. I've started off by installing Desktop 5.5, but I've noticed that the MS Updates is “locked”. I can't get any updates. I'm wondering if anyone has worked out how our Internet connected machines get updates?

I called clerk support, they indicated it would be pushed though LANDesk, but when I pushed for details, they referred me to Global Support.

I called Global Support, at first they said I should be at Desktop 5.8, but then said they don't support stakes and to talk with the MLS people.

This should get interesting.....

aebrown · #2

RussellHltn wrote:I'm setting up a new computer for one ward that has an Internet connection. I've started off by installing Desktop 5.5, but I've noticed that the MS Updates is “locked”. I can't get any updates. I'm wondering if anyone has worked out how our Internet connected machines get updates?

I called clerk support, they indicated it would be pushed though LANDesk, but when I pushed for details, they referred me to Global Support.

I called Global Support, at first they said I should be at Desktop 5.8, but then said they don't support stakes and to talk with the MLS people.

This should get interesting.....

It sounds like you got some support people who were trying, but didn't really know what they were talking about. As I understand it:

There is a mechanism for pushing updates through LANDesk, but it hasn't been used yet. I would theorize that this is dependent on more units being on broadband, but I don't know. I think the O/S update mechanism is a much tougher issue than automatic SAV updates, which you will recall is still an open issue as discussed in this thread.
Desktop 5.8 is used in FHCs, but is not used for administrative computers at this point.
I don't know why Clerk Support would send you to the GSD; the GSD supports our Internet connections, but otherwise Clerk Support is responsible for supporting every aspect of our administrative computers.

It would be nice to get this all straightened out -- there are other ways to update the O/S, but it would be better to have a nice clear answer and an automatic mechanism in place so that we don't have to make this up as we go, with no consistency among stakes.

#3

RussellHltn wrote:I'm wondering if anyone has worked out how our Internet connected machines get updates?

I originally encountered this issue when I called the GSD in May after connecting our stake clerk computer to the internet. The answer I got was that all updates we needed would be provided. They didn't explain how. In June I could wait no more (couldn't leave system exposed when connected to the internet without the necessary security updates) and configured the computer to be able to get Windows updates.

russellhltn · #4

What I've discovered is that the machine can be set for automatic updates and it gets them. Apparently what's been disabled is the ability to get updates manually from update.microsoft.com.

#5

RussellHltn wrote:What I've discovered is that the machine can be set for automatic updates and it gets them. Apparently what's been disabled is the ability to get updates manually from update.microsoft.com.

How is that done? While invesitgating the configuration of our stake clerk computer I found that critical services and programs (BITS [Background Intelligent Update Server] and wupdmgr.exe [Windows Update Manager] for example) for Windows Update had been disabled in the registry. With those services and programs disabled how can the automatic updates be accomplished?

russellhltn · #6

jdlessley wrote:How is that done? While invesitgating the configuration of our stake clerk computer I found that critical services and programs (BITS [Background Intelligent Update Server] and wupdmgr.exe [Windows Update Manager] for example) for Windows Update had been disabled in the registry. With those services and programs disabled how can the automatic updates be accomplished?

Well, it's possible GSD turned that off when I had them look at the machine, but I think it's more likely a happy side effect of installing SP3 for WinXP. (I did it from CD.)

James_Piper-p40 · #7

With the out of band update that Microsoft put out a couple of weeks ago (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/securi ... 8-067.mspx), its important that the machines be updated. Microsoft is very concerned about this problem, so much so they decided to send this out without their usual delay.

We run Windows Server Update Server (WSUS) which does a fantastic job sending updates out to the PCs and servers. Its free (other then maybe having a box dedicated to this, plus OS costs).

drkelly · #8

So, is nobody concerned about this? I guess Windows computers behind church firewalls don't get viruses??

#9

drkelly wrote:So, is nobody concerned about this? I guess Windows computers behind church firewalls don't get viruses??

Updates can be performed manually for the anti-virus software by downloading the Symantec updates and copying them onto a flash drive. Then each computer can be updated as necessary. It's takes a little longer, but until the desktop 5.5 software is modified to handle updates automatically, this is the best method of keeping the administrative computers safe.

#10

drkelly wrote:So, is nobody concerned about this? I guess Windows computers behind church firewalls don't get viruses??

Techgy wrote:Updates can be performed manually for the anti-virus software by downloading the Symantec updates and copying them onto a flash drive. Then each computer can be updated as necessary. It's takes a little longer, but until the desktop 5.5 software is modified to handle updates automatically, this is the best method of keeping the administrative computers safe.

This is also something that should be referred to your Stake Technology Specialist (STS) as the updates of the ward/stake computers is his responsibility.