Client Requirements

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server Update Services

Automatic Updates, the Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) client software, requires only a network connection. No specific hardware configuration is required.

Automatic Updates is supported for use with the following operating systems:

• Windows Vista

• Windows Server 2008

• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, any edition

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 4, Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 3 (SP3) or later version, or Windows 2000 Advanced Server with SP3 or later version.

Special considerations for client computers set up by using a Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP image

If client computers are set up by using a Windows 2000 image, a Windows Server 2003 image, or a Windows XP image, and you used Sysprep or another unique SID-generating technology to create the images, the SusClientId registry value is not cleared if it was populated within the image before the image is deployed. If this condition exists, the client computer may not display in WSUS.

The following table shows the supported methods to clear the SUSClientID registry value, based on the WSUS version and whether the client computer is a virtual machine.

For more information and step-by-step instructions to manually clear the SUSClientID registry value, refer to KB Article 903262.