How to point your Windows Media Center to SBS R2 Update Services

So you are one of the first to hop onto the Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 band-wagon, but you have a Media Center PC and still have to manually reboot and manage it.

Well, wait no longer! There are some simple steps to follow on your Media Center PC to have it manually sign-up for automatic updates and reboots.

On your Media Center PC, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, then Run and type in gpedit.msc and press enter, or click ok


2. Expand Local Computer Policy, Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and click on Windows Update.


3. Make the following updates to the right hand pannel:
   
   • Allow Automatic Updates Immediate Installation - ENABLED
   
   
   • Allow non-administrators to receive update notifications - ENABLED
   
   
   • Automatic Updates detection frequency - 1 Hour
   
   
   • Configure Automatic Updates - 2-Notify for downloads and install
   
   
   • Delay Restart for Scheduled Installations - 5 minutes
   
   
   • No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Updates - DISABLED
   
   
   • Re-prompt for restart with scheduled installations - 10 Minutes
   
   
   • Reschedule Automatic Updates scheduled installations - Enabled (Wait 1 minute)
   
   
   • Specify intranet Microsoft update service location - http://SERVERNAME:8530
   
   
4. close gpedit.msc


5. Click Start and then Run and type in cmd and press enter or hit OK


6. From the command prompt, type in gpupdate /force

That's all there is to it! Next time you look at the Update Services snap-in on the server, you'll notice your Media center PC is listed, and now managed by SBS R2 Update Services!

One less thing to worry about.