Home Forums SBS 2011 Essentials Workstation Updates

Okay - so here's one that's not getting much traction at Experts Exchange.

We are running SBS 2011 Essentials. One of our workstations downloads windows updates and restarts automatically. I can't have that, as it's running some VM's. When I try to change the Windows Update setting, it's greyed out. It looks like the updates are being controlled by some kind of group policy.

I did some searching, but some of the terms like Server Console and WSUS don't seem to available on SBS 2011 Essentials.

I should note that Professional Pack was installed to enable folder redirection, etc.

Thanks in advance.

Professional pack is the one that sets the update settings. It was in the second step of the setup screen. You can either uncheck it or edit the group policy. However, it gives you no customization options:



Here is the image of the group policy object that stores the windows update settings from Windows 7 Professional Pack. All the pro pack does is add 2 GPOs to your domain. You can change it here.

Dude - you are the biggest, baddest geek on this, or any other, forum. LOL.

I'll try it.

Well, it took some clicks and more clicks, but I think I got it done. Now, the policy doesn't seem to have immediately hit the workstations. Is there a way that I can propagate this policy immediately?

Off Topic: is Backup Assist still your choice for network backups and such?

I believe you have to restart since it's a computer policy not a user policy. Restarting always works.

You can try typing "gpupdate /force" at the command line/run menu.

Personally, I just use wbadmin from the command line. It seems like backup assist is just passing arguments to that program. But I know how to backup and restore from the command line. Backup assist provides a nice GUI to manage those backups and restores. I wouldn't recommend using the command line unless you know what you're doing. You also don't get a lot of the features of backup assist.

Backup assist is great though. Provides a central interface for tracking backups as well as a simple user interface for creating and restoring them. I highly recommend it.

With no disloyalty meant to Indy or James, I think you are correct.

I always knew that is was my charming wit and dinner repartee that endeared me to fellow board members; even though my palette is not refined enough to appreciate the liver p?t

Indy,

I would argue that your palette is refined enough not to appreciate liver pate--LOL

Seriously--it is much appreciated to have the luxury of differing perspectives from all you IT guys!!!!

Ha. Thanks.

Wow. That hurts.

Not to sound like sour grapes, Sandeep IS the man when it comes to IT, but even he has to admit that I am Mr. Backup Assist.

Well if we were talking about "the man", that would be one thing. But can a doctor be "the biggest baddest geek"?

So now Indy AND Bert are offended. James, care to pile on?

Seems like I have a lot of 'splainin to do.

I do not get offended as I'm too busy doing the offending.

Disclaimer: I'm a narcissistic IT/Software Development Genius with sociopathic ego problems.

There is no discounting Sandeep's ability. The same is certainly true for Indy and Bert.

The reason why I don't get offended is because we have different areas of expertise. While Sandeep is working with Server Essentials, Bert is handling disaster recovery with BackupAssist, and Indy is running his Linux boxen, I'm doing this:



JamesNT

Does upgrading from SBS 2011 Essentials to the 2012 variant (Foundations, is it?) make sense? Does the 2012 variant handle backups to drives larger than 2TB?

1. I wasn't referring to not being compared with Sandeep. Everyone knows he is king when it comes to computers and networking, etc. I was referring to not being included with Indy and James.
2. I think I will change from helping with IT to being the best wordsmith on the board. Then I can point out that the statement would likely be better served either with the words "offense" or "disrespect" but not "disloyalty." lol
3. @James Great post.

Windows Server 2012 Essentials is the latest version of Windows SBS 2011 Essentials. 2012 Essentials uses the Windows 2012 core technology.

It can back up volumes larger than 2 TBs. It also has the capacity for online backup by Microsoft.

Nothing like a good flame thread on an otherwise boring Thursday night.

Nah...there isn't any flame throwing here. I don't generally throw flames toward Jon. All in good fun. Plus, I thought my answering the Essentials questioned put a nice stop to it.

Of course, Gianni will need to wait until either Indy, James or Sandeep confirms it.

I didn't know this was a flame thread lol. I don't think there's any flaming going on.


Bert is correct. Server 2012 uses the new VHDX format to make backups. 64TB is the limit compared to the 2TB limit with VHDs.

He's also right about Server 2012 Essentials being the replacement for SBS 2011 Essentials. SBS is dead. Foundation is ehh.

Thanks, Bert!

JamesNT

yw

So if you're working with SBS 2011 Essentials *and* you have the Windows 7 Professional Pack installed, Windows update can be controlled through:

- Dashboard
- Computers and Backup
- Implement Windows 7 Professional Pack

Yes. The typical practice is to separate servers/business critical computers from client computers. E.g. keep them in separate OUs and apply separate policies. I always set servers to download updates but not install and client computers to automatically download and install.

One of the strangest things I've seen is that SBS Essentials is configured to automatically download an install updates (potentially restart) out of the box. I recommend changing it to download but don't install.

Restarting always works and surely will be better option to go with.