Bypass Corporate WSUS for update check

I've had an issue a couple of times now when testing/running Windows 8 in an environment where group policy enforces WSUS settings causing a problem as the WSUS server hasn't been updated to support Windows 8 clients or hasn't had the required updates published.

Sometimes this can easily be got around by simply clicking the "Check online for updates from Windows Update" link, however this was removed by GPO in these cases.

In these cases I've had to fall back to using this simple batch file script:

REG ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v UseWUServer /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
net stop "Windows Update"
net start "Windows Update"
control /name Microsoft.WindowsUpdate

After running this batch file, you can run Windows Update as normal and it will go directly to Windows Updates to check.

This is obviously not something a normal "user" should use, but then they shouldn't have the access rights to run this anyway!  Neither is it a permanent workaround, just a quick fix while the WSUS server is updated to provide Windows 8 updates.

Previous blog post on preparing WSUS for Windows 8/Server 2012:
http://systemscentre.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/preparing-wsus-for-windows-8-and-server.html

Configuration Manager 2012 and VMware vCenter Protect Update Catalog

My colleague spent some time in the TrustLab today installing VMware vCenter Protect Update Catalog.  This was previously a solution from Shavlik and provides update management of third party applications such as Adobe Reader, QuickTime, Sun Java etc directly from within System Center 2007/2012 Configuration Manager alongside the normal Microsoft patch updates.

You can find Part 1 of his blog post on the installation here: http://ixrv.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/configuring-scup-2011-shavlikvmware.html

More info on vCenter Protect Update Catalog (They need a better name!) can be found here:
http://www.vmware.com/products/datacenter-virtualization/vcenter-protect-update-catalog/overview.html

Updated Hotfix list post

Just a quick post that I've updated the list of hotfixes etc for the diffrent System Center Products:

http://systemscentre.blogspot.com/2010/10/system-center-hotfixes.html

Windows Phone 7 - Mango Update

Yet again, going off on a tangent, but I couldn't help posting this since I'm looking at getting a new phone.

I had a WP7 phone in my previous role, but an iPhone for my new role.

Since I miss my WP7 so much I started looking around for a good deal, but the recent WP7.1 (Mango) update news snippets coming out of MIX2011 and live press conference they had on the 24th have me wondering whether to hold off buying now or wait and see if any new handset models are released this autumn along with the mango update.

Until then, these videos caught my eye.

System Center Updates Publisher 2011 Released

Tuesday the 24th saw System Center Updates Publisher 2011 sneak out the stable door.

You can find the download here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=083f45ca-1ede-4f7a-be74-77854c3a9b01&displaylang=en

The TechCenter is here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/systemcenter/bb741049.aspx

From the TechCenter:
New in System Center Updates Publisher 2011

• An improved user interface that allows better control of managing software updates.
• A new automatic publication type with which Updates Publisher 2011 can query Configuration Manager to determine whether the selected software update or software update bundle is published with full content or only metadata.
• A new Software Update Cleanup Wizard that you can use to expire software updates that exist on the update server, but are not in the Updates Publisher 2011 repository.
• The ability to create Software Update bundles
• The ability to define prerequisite updates and superseded updates as part of a software update definition

ConfigMgr Hotfix - KB2509007 - Many updates causing task sequences to stop

I've had this problem before, but only occasionally, so always thought it was just a hiccup at that moment in time during an OSD.

However, MS released a couple of weeks ago a hotfix to resolve this issue:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2509007

This is a client patch that you install on the site server and then edit your task sequences that have the client install step to add the following to the Installation Properties section:
PATCH="C:\_SMSTaskSequence\OSD\<Package_ID>\i386\hotfix\KB2509007\sccm2007ac-sp2-kb2509007-x86-enu.msp"

Where <Package_ID> should be replaced with the ID of your SCCM client install package.

One thing to note is the client version is increased to 4.00.6487.2188, so any reports/queries/health scripts you have that reference the client version should be updated to reflect this hotfix.

SCCM Clients failing to install windows updates

Quick nod in Wayne's direction for this one:
http://ixrv.blogspot.com/2011/05/sccm-failing-to-install-windows-updates.html

Problem:
Windows updates not deploying to SCCM Clients

Cause:
Proxy value set in registry here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Connections\WinHttpSettings
Resolution:
Deleted the value WinHttpSettings

More information on the WinHttpSettings registry setting and how the Windows Update client determines which proxy server to use to connect to the Windows Update Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/900935

System Center Hotfixes, Updates and Articles - Updated

Just for reference, I've updated my orginal post regarding useful Hotfixes, Updates and Articles for System Center Products with Service Manager 2010 SP1, Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 R3 and Opalis 6.3 information.

http://systemscentre.blogspot.com/2010/10/system-center-hotfixes.html

System Center Hotfixes, Updates and Articles

Kevin Holman has maintained for a while now the most useful list of hotfixes (imho) required/available for Operations Manager.

That got me thinking, are there any other useful collections of updates, service packs, knowledge base articles etc available for the other System Center products?

Couple of hours later.......
** Updated 14/10/2010 - List of ConfigMgr KB Articles Link Added  and more Opalis Information**
** Updated 07/01/2011 - Service Manager SP1, ConfigMgr R3 & Opalis 6.3 information **
** Updated 18/06/2011 - Service Manager SP1 CU2, ConfigMgr Driver Hotfix **

WMI Hotfixes:
Not strictly a System Center product, but WMI is critical for ConfigMgr & OpsMgr.
WMI related hotfixes post SP2 for Server 2003
WMI related hotfixes post SP2 for Server 2008
WMI related hotfixes post RTM for Server 2008 R2

Microsoft KB2591403 on Suggested WMI Hotfixes

Configuration Manager 2007 Hotfixes/KB Articles

Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Eval download - for Select & Technet users check the MVLS and Technet sites for the download.
KB977384 Hotfix for ConfigMgr 2007 SP2 - Needed for R3

KB2213600 - Duplicate Driver import for ConfigMgr 2007 SP2 - changes the driver import behavior.

SCCM 2007 Asset Intelligence - Certificate Update
Steve Rachui's ConfigMgr R3 Introduction

SP2 Download
List of hotfixes and updates contained in ConfigMgr Service Pack 2

Excel File with Post SP2 Hotfixes listed along with KB Article Links

ConfigMgr 2007 Troubleshooting: List of ConfigMgr KB Articles

List of ConfigMgr 2007 Log Files

Service Manager 2010

Service Pack 1 Product Documentation Download
Service Pack 1 Technet Documentation

Service Pack 1 Retail/Eval Download - If you're using the Select or Technet version then download SP1 from either the MVLS site or Technet

Cumulative Update 2 for Service Pack 1

AD Connector hotfix for System Center Service Manager 2010 SP1 CU2 (KB2561415)

The most Service Manager information you could imagine gathered into one place by Kurt Van Hoecke


Operations Manager 2007
Kevin Holmans recomended list of SCOM Hotfixes
Cumulative Update 5 (CU#5) for SCOM 2007 R2


Opalis

Opalis 6.3 Upgrade Package
Opalis 6.3 WITH 6.2.2 Package
*Please note you can only download and use this software if you are a licensed holder of a qualifying Microsoft System Center Server Management Suite Enterprise (SMSE) and/or Microsoft System Center Server Management Suite Datacenter (SMSD) license.*

Opalis 6.2.2 SP1 Release Announcement and Workflows
SP1 for Opalis Integration Server 6.2.2
Opalis Operator Console Installer Script
Opalis Operator Console Software Requirements - Provided by Marnix Wolfe in this post

Compehensive walk through of an Opalis Installation

Opalis on CodePlex

Opalis Operator Console installer from Kelverion

This is not a definitive list by any stretch of the imagination, and is more for my referrence so I can dump update links etc as I find them to save having to memorise yet another url.

Credits:
Yong Rhee [MSFT] - The Troubleshooters and Problem Solvers... - WMI Hotfix lists
Configuration Manager Support Team Blog
Kevin Holman - SCOM Updates
Marnix Wolf - Opalis Links
Kurt Van Hoecke
Cliff Hobbs - ConfigMgr KB Articles Link
Graham Davies - Opalis Installation Walkthrough

Service Manager Cumulative Update 3

No sooner have I finished patching consoles to CU2, CU3 arrives.....

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2390520/en-gb