How to enable Automatic Updates for Windows 2008 Server Core Computer

To enable Automatic Updates for a Windows 2008 Server Core Computer, run a script scregedit.wsf. This script is available only in Windows 2008 Server Core installation and it is not available in full installation. The scregedit.wsf file is available in the %windir%\System32 directory. To view the syntax of scregedit.wsf, run cscript scregedit.wsf /? at the command prompt as shown below.

C:\Windows\System32>cscript scregedit.wsf /?
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.7
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Automatic Updates - Manage Automatic Windows Updates
These settings can be used to configure how Automatic Updates are applied to
the Windows system. It includes the ability to disable automatic updates and
to set the installation schedule.

/AU [/v][value]

/v View the current Automatic Update settings
value value you want to set to.

Options:
4 - Enable Automatic Updates
1 - Disable Automatic Updates

Terminal Service - Allow Remote Administration Connections
This allows administrators to connect remotely for administration purposes.

/AR [/v][value]

/v View the Remote Terminal Service Connection setting
value (0 = enabled, 1 = disabled)

Terminal Service - Allow connections from previous versions of Windows
This setting configures CredSSP based user authentication for
Terminal Service connections

/CS [/v][value]

/v View the Terminal Service CredSSP setting
value (0 = allow previous versions, 1 = require CredSSP)

IP Security (IPSEC) Monitor - allow remote management
This setting configures the server to allow the IP Security (IPSEC) Monitor to
be able to remotely manage IPSEC.

/IM [/v][value]

/v View the IPSEC Monitor setting
value (0 = do not allow, 1 = allow remote management)

DNS SRV priority - changes the priority for DNS SRV records
This setting configures the priority for DNS SRV records and is only useful
on Domain Controllers.
For more information on this setting, search TechNet for LdapSrvPriority

/DP [/v][value]

/v View the DNS SRV priority setting
value (value from 0 through 65535. The recommended value is 200.)

DNS SRV weight - changes the weight for DNS SRV records
This setting configures the weight for DNS SRV records and is only useful
on Domain Controllers.
For more information on this setting, search TechNet for LdapSrvWeight

/DW [/v][value]

/v View the DNS SRV weight setting
value (value from 0 through 65535. The recommended value is 50.)

Command Line Reference
This setting displays a list of common tasks and how to perform them from
the command line.

/CLI

C:\Windows\System32>

 

To verify the current setting for Automatic Updates on a Windows 2008 Server Core Computer run scregedit.wsf as shown below.

 

C:\Windows\System32>cscript scregedit.wsf /au /v
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.7
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update AUOptions
Value not set.

 

Here the Automatic Updates are not enabled and to enable Automatic Updates on a Windows 2008 Server Core Computer run scregedit.wsf as shown below.

 

C:\Windows\System32>cscript scregedit.wsf /au 4
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.7
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Registry has been updated.

 

To confirm whether Automatic Updates are enabled or not, run the scregedit.wsf command as shown below.

 

C:\Windows\System32>cscript scregedit.wsf /au /v
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.7
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update AUOptions
View registry setting.
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