Downloading critical updates

hummm order a CD with all of em on it from Microsoft?

OR you COULD put a machine off the intranet that has internet access and use Software Update Service from Microsoft. then import which ever ones you want to the intranet and deploy em. That would solve the download updates from the internet without internet connectivity via the "intranet".

lot of work though.

To download the individual updates from Microsoft, use the Windows Update Catalog page.

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/catalog/en/

I have not tried any of the patch managers, so I don't have a recommendation.

Chas

Microsoft's Software Update Services (SUS) is a great tool.

You only set that server to download the patches, and you have to approve each one by simply visiting the SUS website on your local server to do it.

That way, you can wait a week for all the bugs to be worked out, and pick and choose the ones you want to be deployed to your network.

Using Active Directory Group Policies, you can set your local machines to only poll your local server for updates, and disable the Windows Update link entirely to make sure no one cheats.

You can schedule the updates as well...

Hope this helps.

Mike.

If yours is a small network, then Software Update Service (SUS) is a good option. The Sus server should have access to the internet. Its available for download from Microsoft. The registry has to be edited on the client machines and the client will contact the server for any update.

In the server, you can specify which update should be pushed to the Client PCs.

If you don't have Internet Connectivity then you can't. If you do then use the Internet to download it. If you don't have Internet connectivity then the Updates are not critical anymore.
If the machines on your LAN don't have connectivity but theres is one computer that does have, then you can use MS SUS available here (remove spaces):
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a7aa96e4-6e41-4f54-972c-ae66a4e4bf6c&DisplayLang=en