Windows 10: Install WSUS Server Role on Windows 10 Pro

Hi,


Just wondering if it is possible to install the WSUS role onto a Windows 10 Pro. I have a client that needs WSUS set up, but they also want a way to save money (and not purchase Windows Server 2016/2019) by getting WSUS onto Windows 10 Pro.


Thank you,

:)

 

Windows 10 Pro x64 machines listed as "Vista" on my WSUS Server


I'm running WSUS 3.0 on a Windows Server 2012 R2. It doesn't seem to recognize a Windows 10 machine because my Windows 10 Pro x64 machines are listed as "Vista" on my WSUS Server.

No WSUS update has been issued to bring WSUS up-to-date.

 

The WSUS support thread

Yes indeed it can, because Windows Server will run under VMware and WSUS is just a role that can be installed from the server's control panel.

 

The WSUS support thread

This thread is for all things WSUS (Windows Server Update Services). Discussion, installation questions, problems all go here.

What is WSUS? It's basically a big file cache for all your Windows/Microsoft updates, so all your updates are only ever downloaded over the internet once. Instead of getting your updates directly from Microsoft whenever you reinstall your operating system, you point Windows to your local WSUS server instead. This makes downloading the multi-gigabytes of updates way faster using your internal network and also saves your internet bandwidth, which is often metered and limited.

Note that it requires Windows Server to run. I recommend running the latest Server 2008 R2 for performance, stability and security, if you can. This is a 64-bit only OS. And yes, the server can update from it's own WSUS server too. *Cool

I've got links to a few resources below and I'll be adding more goodness to this post and the next one, as people make useful contributions to this thread.

Some WSUS resources to get you started:

The manual: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd939796(WS.10).aspx

WSUS home: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/wsus/default.aspx

WSUS forum: Technet forums - WSUS

WSUS wiki: www.wsuswiki.com


POINTING WINDOWS TO THE WSUS SERVER

Note that this procedure is all you have to do on Vista and 7. XP requires a little extra and the whole update process isn't as transparent or efficient.

- Click the Orb at the bottom left of the desktop aka 'Start' button
- In the search field enter GPEDIT.MSC
- In the Local Group Policy Editor (LGPE) console that appears, navigate to: Computer configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update
- Double click the Specify Intranet Microsoft update service location Group Policy setting. Note that Not Configured is showing in the State column






- The dialog box opens. Note that the Not Configured radio button is selected






- Enter the server details, by clicking the Enabled radio button and entering the same details in both Options fields. The server's name is the standard Windows name. My server is called afterburner *Smile






- Click OK. The main LGPE window now looks like below. Note that Enabled is now showing in the State column.





- Close the LGPE window

- Open the Windows Update window. It should now show You receive updates: Managed by your system administrator





Now, whenever you check for updates, Windows will access your WSUS server instead of looking over the internet to Microsoft's servers.
If you want to change it back at an time, simply change the Group Policy setting back to Not Configured.