Downloading Microsoft Updates

[cecilsboy]

I hope someone can help.

I'm involved with a "Seniors" computer club that has 12 laptops running Win7 with Word10 and Excel10. The club operates from a village hall that has IDNET phone and broadband (via wireless) and this seems to work fine. However, we hit problems when Microsoft decide to issue updates. As these can be 150Mb each, with 12 computers we can very quickly exhaust our 2Gb prime time monthly download allowance as well as slowing everything down. Is it possible to do a "master" download to a memory stick which we can then apply to the other 11 machines? If this is not possible has anyone any other suggestions please?

Thanks in anticipation

Peter

[Steve]

One way of doing is via Microsoft update services http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb332157 but you'd need additional hardware such as a WHS which could also provide other services such as backup. Ray maybe the man to ask.

[Lona]

Disable automatic updates and update windows manually one PC per month.

[Lance]

But that would mean each PC would get to 12 months out of date before being updated - a major security risk imo. I would have thought a Windows Update Server would be easiest, or possibly find the updates manually on the ms website and download the update to the memory stick (I think you can still manually find and download the updates!).

[Steve]

There is a Windows Update Catalogue here http://test.catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Thanks.aspx?id=150 I can't access it as on OS X but apparently you can search Windows 7 and it will list the updates but not sure whether that's machine specific or just a general list of updates. Surely it's good practise to update as they become available especially to prevent possible security issues and for that number of computers surely a WSUS is the way to go.

[Ray]

I agree with, Lance and Steve, a Windows Home server with WSUS installed on it would be the way to go with that number of PCs, I installed it on my WHS about 3 weeks ago to serve my 2 Desktops and a Laptop and it works fine, It synchronises with Windows Update every day and downloads any new updates and stores them on the WHS, another advantage is if you have to do an OS reinstall all the updates are available locally.

[Steve]

I've added the WSUS walkthrough guides for the WHS here

[talos]

Do it early morning to use up some of the "off peak" allowance

[Technical Ben]

Found this. http://www.wsusoffline.net/docs/
Cannot confirm it though, as not used it. There may be similar products available on the internet too. Get the major updates onto DVD, then the little individual ones off the internet.

PS. You can order Service Pack 1 direct from MS on DVD. https://om2.one.microsoft.com/opa/Validation.aspx?StoreID=d8f7bc03-a729-4829-88fe-3060615fec1b&LocaleCode=en-us&JavaScriptOn=yes

[cecilsboy]

Thank you all for your usual useful responses. I will investigate the options you've given.

Peter

[drummer]

I'm a lone voice on this, but I set all my Windows computers to not accept Windows updates and just install Service Packs as-and-when they become available.

The overwhelming majority of these updates relate to Microsoft and Adobe software products I don't (and will never) use.

You could, for example, replace Word and Excel with Open Office, Adobe Reader with Foxit Reader and Outlook/Live Mail with Thunderbird, all of which are freeware.

Each to their own I guess, but my method does reduce pointless and utterly useless bandwidth waste.

A Windows Service Pack only needs to be downloaded to one memory stick from here and it can then be loaded on any number of computers.

[Technical Ben]

No Drummer. Your not totally alone. I do a similar thing, but install the security updates only.
I avoid "windows live update 120mb" as it eats bandwidth, and I don't use it. I might skip "DRM updates" as well, we all love them right?
Then install them all only once or twice a year.
For example, I had to roll back the last 5 or so updates, as something killed my performance. Not sure if it's the Graphics Card driver (ATI) or a system defrag/service taking all the resources. But something turn my PC from super smooth, to treacle. A rollback fixed it. 

[pctech]

You could just download the updates manually via the update catalogue http://catalog.update.microsoft.com (you need to use IE for this site), copy them to a portable drive or DVD and then install them on each PC.

[Technical Ben]

That's the one PCTech! Thanks. It's been a while since I'd seen the site. So could not think of where it was before. 
That should be exactly what cecilsboy needs!

[pctech]

Np, often used that when rebuilding machines for friends.

[Lona]

I've installed Vista SP2 twice and twice I lose my BB connection.

I am reluctant to install it again and have read on a few sites that others have had the same problem

[pctech]

Try using a cable initially Lona and then re-enable wireless

[Lona]

I use an ethernet connection but have a laptop which is wireless.

[Rik]

So do you lose the network connection on both machines, Lona? If so, can they 'see' each other?

[Lona]

So do you lose the network connection on both machines, Lona? If so, can they 'see' each other?

I only lose the ethernet connection.

[Rik]

Sounds like you might need a driver update for the network adaptor then.

[Lona]

Sounds like you might need a driver update for the network adaptor then.

Network is fine all machines can see each other but only BB connection via ethernet is unavailable

[Rik]

Have you tried a repair on the connection, or deleting it and creating a new one?

[Lona]

Have you tried a repair on the connection, or deleting it and creating a new one?

If I uninstall SP2 my connection is fine so I guess I will just stick with sp1

[pctech]

Trouble is Lona that at some point updates will be restricted to those running SP2 only.