Serious Windows Update Question

w1retap

w1retap

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I have a network running of about 25 computers. They are all running XP Professional. I also have a network drive serving them hooked up to LAN using NAS.

The Issue:
Whenever a new Windows Update comes out, the network drive has the "most available" storage so the Windows Updates automatically go there as a temp storage location. The problem with this is, is that it lags out the network drive and when my client machines try to access it, they lock up the application(s) they are using.

I need to try to find a way to TELL Windows Update to download to the client machine's C: drive ONLY. This way it won't lag out my network drive. If anyone has info on how to do this, please let me know.

Thanks
wiretap
 
I would think that even on such a small network as that (25 clients/workstations) using WSUS would alleviate a lot of the hassles you seem to be having. Worth checking into, at the bare minimum.
 
We don't have the money for that kind of solution. I'm at a 'poor' school district that can't even afford to have new trash bags in the trash cans from week to week.. they re-use the old ones. I don't think Windows 2003 Server is in our budget. :p

All I need is how to find out where to tweak a setting so I can tell the windows update temp files where to store themselves when they download and install. There has to be a registry hack or something. I've been searching google up and down but haven't found a solution yet. :(
 
I always noticed this too. Pretty lame, eh?

One fake solution is to just have Windows Update operate on say Sunday at 1AM, or whenever the chilllreeenn aren't around.
 
w1retap said:
We don't have the money for that kind of solution. I'm at a 'poor' school district that can't even afford to have new trash bags in the trash cans from week to week.. they re-use the old ones. I don't think Windows 2003 Server is in our budget. :p

All I need is how to find out where to tweak a setting so I can tell the windows update temp files where to store themselves when they download and install. There has to be a registry hack or something. I've been searching google up and down but haven't found a solution yet. :(
Click to expand...
I think you've found your solution then.

I understand the poor aspect, but there is always money available from somewhere. At the very worst, you can get technology grants from *somewhere*. Organizations are always hot to give money to schools for technology, to close the digital divide or some such. I would look there for a couple grand to setup a domain with wsus. You can even use old hardware; I would focus on at least 2 copies of win2k3 with enough CALs for your district. That way you can setup a fault tolerant domain. AND have wsus. Honestly, that would be cheaper than your time running around managing 25 workstations.

That's my advice.
 
First I'll try the Saturday/Sunday updates at 1am... that might actually work.

If that doesn't seem to be successful, I will really pester the rest of the IT staff into 'trying' to get an actual managable system for our computers. Its sad... our network and lack of infrastructure blows. Everything is daisy chained together and ghetto rigged. :rolleyes: :p
 
Considering that Microsoft releases the monthly big-pack of stuff on what, the 15th of every month or close to it, might be a good idea to schedule something close to that date or just after it, also.
 
bbz_Ghost said:
Considering that Microsoft releases the monthly big-pack of stuff on what, the 15th of every month or close to it, might be a good idea to schedule something close to that date or just after it, also.
Click to expand...

Another thing I thought of is that school districts get steep discounts off of MS software; There is no excuse not to have the bare minimal servers and infrastructure in place short of ignorance or negligence.
 
You would have to understand our administrators and board members. They are all like 65 years old and budget for computers to last for 10 years. ahahaha.
 
Well maybe the network might have some issues someday... ones that can only be resolved by spending a few bucks to make it more secure, more reliable, more efficient... I'm sure you can understand that, right? :)

Right?
 
w1retap said:
You would have to understand our administrators and board members. They are all like 65 years old and budget for computers to last for 10 years. ahahaha.
Click to expand...

I've been there. I've worked for people who didn't want me there because they hated computers. I'd ask for funds, and they'd tell me I wasn't getting them because they don't believe in using computers.

In most cases, I was able to turn it around and get what I needed to put the network where it belonged. In the few cases I couldn't get the concept through their skulls, I'd leave for better things. And yes, I'd keep in mind what their needs are, and I'd never recommend or implement more than they needed.

If they aren't willing to give you what you need to do your job effectively, they are not good employers to work for. Keep that in mind.
 
Yea.. I'm only a part time employee there. It helps bring in a few extra dollars for college during the winters.

They really do have major network and computer problems, but they apply small bandaids as the fix. As of right now, everything is all windows 95 and windows 98 machines. They have a T1/T3 line to serve the entire school district, and its down half the time, or its lagged out. The daisy chained network is pretty much all 10mbit and fully saturated so it drops the connection a lot of the time. The building has no air conditioning and the computers overheat in the summer, and the shit servers they have go down. The ethernet is strung all over the place with no easy way to follow anything back---nothing is labeled. On top of this, they pay top dollar for outsourced crappy email that is down half the time, and the same thing goes for their WAN service provider.
 
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