block windows updates

[iinfi1]

is it possible to block windows updates at the gateway. we have quite a few windows machines in our Rnd lab connected to the net. they r not part of any windows domain.
we need to block windows updates so that those machines done hog network traffic.

[Geoff Wild]

Saw this on the net (though you have to run it on all machines):

cscript SCregEdit.wsf /AU 1
Net stop wuauserv


http://robwhitehouse.com/windows/windows-server-2008/windows-server-2008-core-useful-commands/

[iinfi1]

thank you for your input ...
we are mostly involved in testing new products and people format machines daily and use VMs with winxp and win2k3. i have disabled the autoupdates with an unattended setup! But again installation of some products enables them and clog the internet bandwidth. its a huge loss.
any way i can block it from the router which our ISP has provided?

[Shoghi Martinez G.]

If they are not many machines, you can trick them using a fake direction for the updates web sites in the c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file.

something like
127.0.0.1 update.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 windowsupdate.microsoft.com

It may work


HTH
Shoghi.

[iinfi1]

thank you .. changing the host files on the machines is not possible ... as the machines are formatted almost daily ...lemme c if i can think of anything better.

thanks

[Roger Faucher]

Modify the VM images!

Make a great day!

Roger