Windows Update

Windows Update tasks are scheduled for downloading Windows Updates on the computer. Windows Updates can be downloaded even when the computer is in a Frozen state. A Windows Update task has a Start Time and an End Time. After downloading Windows Updates, the computer reboots in a Thawed state to apply.

The Windows Update task can be scheduled by completing the following steps:

  1. Select Windows Update from the Task Type drop-down and click Add.

  2. The following options are displayed:

    • Name – Specify a name for the task.

    • Day – Select the day, or specify if the task will occur on Weekdays or Weekends.

    • Start – Select the Start Time.

    • End – Select the End Time. The minimum interval is 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can select When Windows Update Completes. If the Windows Update Task is not completed in 6 hours, Deep Freeze will end the task gracefully.

      If a Windows Update task is set to end When Windows Update Completes, and the computer is turned off at the scheduled start time of the task, the Windows Update task will be triggered for the computer if the computer is powered on within 15 minutes after the scheduled start time.

      For example, a computer is turned off when the Windows Update task is set to start at 11:40 pm. If the computer is powered on between 11:40 pm to 11:55 pm, the Windows Update task will automatically execute on the computer.

    • Allow user to cancel task- Select the checkbox if the user is allowed to cancel the task before it starts.

    • Attempt to wake up locally – Select this option to wake up the computer locally without requiring any communication from the Deep Freeze Cloud Console.

      Note that certain hardware profiles do not support this option. If this option is selected, but the computer hardware does not support it, the computer will not wake up automatically.

    • Shut down after task – Select the checkbox to shutdown the computer after the task.

    • Disable keyboard and mouse – Select the checkbox to disable keyboard and mouse during the task.

    • Show message – Select the checkbox to display a message on the computer Before and During the task. Specify the time interval in minutes and enter a brief message to be displayed before the task starts.

  3. Click OK. You will be taken to the Windows Update Tab to configure additional settings if it has not been configured earlier.

The message This computer will reboot in %d for Windows Update is displayed in the Message to be displayed before the task field. This message can be edited. Add the word minutes in the message after %d to include the word minutes as part of the message.

When scheduling the Windows Update task select the When Windows Update completes option or ensure that you allow a sufficient time frame to permit all required update activities. Review of Microsoft Security Bulletins from the TechNet web site (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bulletin) to consider the appropriate time frame based upon the Critical and Security updates being released.

If you are not using WSUS, Deep Freeze Windows Update process will only apply non-user-intervention Critical and Security updates, as well as Feature updates for Windows 10 and above. If you are using WSUS, all WSUS approved updates will be applied.

If you are not using WSUS, Windows Update task will always try to install Feature updates whenever available starting from Windows 10. You can defer installing Feature updates by selecting Choose when updates are installing under Advanced Options of Windows Updates system settings, or enabling local computer policy Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received located in Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business.

Alternatively, to apply other available updates visit the Microsoft Update Catalog site (http://catalog.update.microsoft.com) to obtain KB downloads which can then be applied using a Deep Freeze Batch File Workstation Task. Batch File tasks can also be used to apply other third party software updates.

The Deep Freeze Windows Update tab settings override the Windows Update settings on the computer.

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