How to "route" Windows Update (Start Menu) to local site/server rather than use Internet option for

How do you "route" Windows Update (Start Menu) to a local site/server rather than Microsoft's Web Site? I would like to have the update available on my local server and distribute it locally, which is much faster than the Internet option!

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The Windows Update is a shortcut. It is located in the Documents and SettingsAll UsersStart Menu. You can use a variety of methods to adjust the shortcut. You can adjust it on a base image if you are deploying Windows 2000 that way. You can also easily update the short cut with a simple VBscript via SMS, Email, or Active Directory Software installation. You just have the shortcut point to a different web or file location.

You could also create a completely different shortcut and then update the Group Policy in User SettingsAdministrative TemplatesStart Menu & Taskbar. Here you can disable the display of the Windows Update shortcut altogether. Then you can simply distribute your own shortcut to the Windows desktop.

In either case you will want to download the updates so that you can store them on a network location. This is done by accessing Windows Update Corporate Site.

This site will allow you to download the files in neat packages for later distribution or installation. If you are taking this step I would recommend distributing the software yourself, instead of allowing the users to determine when they install it (if ever).

This was first published in February 2001

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