Information Technology Services

• HECN Microsoft Software Update Service
• How to Set Up the HECN Software Update Service (SUS) on Your Computer
• Step 1: Get Current
• Step 2: Configure your system to point to the SUS server
• Step 3: Running SUS the first time
• Why use SUS?
• How to uninstall SUS

How to set up the Software Update Service (SUS) on your computer

This document tells you how to set up your computer so that it regularly checks for critical patches on the HECN SUS server. The HECN keeps a copy of all Microsoft's critical patches on a SUS server at NDSU. This conserves bandwidth by using the less expensive state network instead of the commercial Internet.

NOTE - NDSU does NOT test any updates or security patches before making them available.

Requirements for running SUS:

• Operating System: Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
  
  

• The computer belongs to an NDUS institution.

Note: At the moment the service is available from any Internet location. However, we may need to limit the service to the NDUS networks if it were ever attacked. We recommend that those leaving the NDUS use the procedures to uninstall SUS (see bottom of page) and use Microsoft Automatic Updates (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com).

Updates for non-NDUS-owned computers

The SUS service is for computers owned by NDUS institutions only. For all other computers, including personal computers, please reference this Microsoft help document on how to configure automatic updates from the Windows Update Service (hosted by Microsoft). http://support.microsoft.com/

This document tells you how to set up your computer so that it regularly checks for critical patches on the HECN SUS server. The HECN keeps a copy of all Microsoft's critical patches on a SUS server at NDSU. This conserves bandwidth by using the less expensive state network instead of the commercial Internet.

NOTE - NDSU does NOT test any updates or security patches before making them available.

• HECN Microsoft Software Update Service
• How to Set Up the HECN Software Update Service (SUS) on Your Computer
• Step 1: Get Current
• Step 2: Configure your system to point to the SUS server
• Step 3: Running SUS the first time
• Why use SUS?
• How to uninstall SUS

Before you install SUS, you need to make sure that your computer has the latest service packs and patches.

The following steps lead you through using Microsoft's , which will scan your computer to see what critical security patches and service packs are needed. You will be given the opportunity to review and download and install these updates. Because this is a Microsoft process, only Internet Explorer will work.

1. Open Internet Explorer if you are not currently using it
2. From the Tools menu, click on Windows Update
3. Click Scan for updates in right panel
4. Check Critical Updates and Service Packs in left panel
   • A number will be listed in ( ).
5. If that number is one or more, click Review and install updates
6. Click Install Now
7. When directed, shut down your computer and start it again (reboot)
8. YOU ARE NOT DONE YET
9. Go to step 1, above and repeat steps 1-7 until you have no more critical updates or service packs to install. This may take two or more reboots

1. Open Internet Explorer if you are not currently using it
   • (This process does not work with any other browser)
2. Download the SUS registry patch
   
   1. In the File Downlaod window, click Save
      
   2. In the Save As window, select Desktop from the drop-down menu
3. Double click on the registry patch icon on the Desktop
   • It should be labeled hecn-sus_X.reg (X will be a numeral 0 - 7)
4. In the Registry Editor window, click Yes on and then on OK
   
5. Shut down and restart your computer

Manually start the first installation process. This is only required if a small globe icon appears in your system tray (lower right hand corner of your screen by the clock) and stays there for over 1 day. You should only have to do this the first time, if at all.

1. Click on the globe in your system tray
2. A message will state that updates have been downloaded and are ready for you to install
3. Click Accept
   

Automatic checking. Your computer will check for new updates daily and schedule a time to install the updates between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.. If the scheduled time is missed, the software will be installed 5 minutes after the computer is started.

• For most users, the installation will happen automatically in the background. You will be allowed to close your programs and save your work before the machine is rebooted.
• If you have administrative access, you will have the option to delay both the installation and reboot until a later time.

Have you ever received a recall notice on a car telling you that a repair is needed? Some of these repairs are critical. If you don't get the car repaired, driving it could be dangerous.

Microsoft issues bulletins ("recall notices") when a problem - a vulnerability - with their software is discovered that might be a security threat to users. Microsoft also release patches (fixes) for these vulnerabilities.

Ignoring these bulletins could be dangerous, because worms, viruses and trojans exploit the vulnerabilities. Infections can spread worldwide over the Internet in minutes, so it is very important to apply critical Microsoft patches promptly.

Keeping your computer up-to-date with current fixes (patches) is difficult. To make this process easier, ITS has introduced a Software Upgrade Service (SUS). A SUS server at NDSU checks the Microsoft site for critical patches. Once SUS is installed on your computer, it regularly checks the local server. If a new patch is available, SUS downloads it and installs it on your computer.

Warning If you edit the registry incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system.

Use the registry editor, locate and then delete the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

Reboot your computer for changes to take effect.