In addition to the Configuration Manager objects created to distribute the inventory tool and to run the synchronization task, Setup gives you the option of creating additional objects to distribute the Windows Update Agent to your clients. If you are certain that all of your clients already have a supported version of Windows Update Agent installed, you do not need to have Setup install the agent again. However, if you attempt to run the Configuration Manager 2007 Inventory Tool for Microsoft Updates on a client that does not have a supported version of the Windows Update Agent installed, the Microsoft Updates Tool advertisement will fail.

If you decide to have Setup create the objects to install the Windows Update agent, you must specify a base name for the additional objects that SMS will create. The suggested base name is Windows Update Agent. The documentation assumes you are using the default name. If you choose a different name, it must be different from any existing SMS objects, especially from the name you created for the Microsoft Updates Tool.

The Setup wizard can create the following objects by default:

Package

If you use the default name, the package is called Windows Update Agent. The Windows Update Agent package always obtains its source files from the WUSPkgSource directory, which is located under the installation directory you specify during Setup.

Note
Do not rename the packages or move the package source folder after installation. Doing so will cause the inventory scans to fail.

Setup can automatically configure the package to be copied to all distribution points in the site and to all child sites. If you prefer to limit the distribution points that contain the Windows Update Agent package, do not select this option, but you should manually configure the distribution points for the package after Setup is complete.

Program

Setup can create a program named Windows Update Agent to install the Windows Update Agent on the SMS client computers. The command line is WindowsUpdateAgent20-<architecture>.exe /q, where <architecture> is the type of processor and the /q switch is for quiet (silent) install.

The program has the following additional settings:

  • Runs hidden.

  • Does not reboot the computer after running.

  • Can run only on Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 Service Pack 3, and Windows 2000 Service Pack 4.

  • Can run whether or not a user is logged on.

  • Runs with administrative rights.

  • Suppresses program notifications.

If you do not choose to have Setup create the program, you should manually create a program to run WindowsUpdateAgent20-<architecture>.exe /q.