Microsoft Corp. Thursday released a fix for the Windows XP Service Pack 2 installation package it provided to corporate users of its free patch deployment server to correct a flaw that would not allow IT to stealthy install the service pack without end-user intervention.
The problem affected those using Microsoft’s Software Update Services (SUS), a free Windows server add-on that runs behind the corporate firewall. SUS allows companies to create a centralized internal staging area and schedule the distribution of patches after they are tested and approved instead of downloading patches from Microsoft directly to desktops.
Microsoft informed users that the deployment of XP SP2 through SUS would be “silent” and not require any end-user intervention, but that turned out not to be the case to the surprise and dismay of users.
“Client computers did not silently install the service pack at the scheduled time,” says Brian Dor