Lenovo Tvsu5 Mst En User Manual (English) System Update 5.0 Deployment Guide M90p Desktop (Think Centre) Type 3421

2014-06-27

User Manual: Lenovo Tvsu5 Mst En (English) System Update 5.0 Deployment Guide M90p Desktop (ThinkCentre) - Type 3421 3421

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System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Note: Before using this information and the product it supports, read the general information in Appendix B
“Notices” on page 81.

Seventh Edition (July 2017)
© Copyright Lenovo 2009, 2017.

LIMITED AND RESTRICTED RIGHTS NOTICE: If data or software is delivered pursuant a General Services Administration
“GSA” contract, use, reproduction, or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in Contract No. GS-35F-05925.

Contents
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

iii

Keyboard shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 1. Overview. . . . . . . . . .

System Update . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Update Retriever . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thin Installer . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Managing the update process . . . . . . .
System Update . . . . . . . . . . .
System Update and Update Retriever . . .
Using System Update and Update Retriever on
non-Lenovo systems . . . . . . . . . . .

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Chapter 5. Working with Update
Retriever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter 2. Installation . . . . . . . . .

Installation requirements . . . . . . . . . . .
.Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installation components . . . . . . . . . . .
System Update languages . . . . . . . .
Update Retriever languages. . . . . . . .
Installation considerations . . . . . . . . . .
Installation procedures and command-line
parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A scenario of installing System Update and Update
Retriever in an enterprise environment . . . . .
Uninstall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Silent uninstall on Windows 7 and later
operating systems . . . . . . . . . . .

7
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Chapter 3. Configurations. . . . . . .
Connection configurations . . . . . . . . .
Configuring System Update . . . . . . . .
Configuring System Update with the registry
Configuring System Update with Active
Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Chapter 4. Working with System
Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About System Update . . . . . . . . . .
Extras tab . . . . . . . . . . . . .
System Update billboard . . . . . . .
Working with update packages . . . . . .
Downloading and installing updates . .
Working with license agreements . . .
Using System Update . . . . . . . . . .
Scheduling the search for updates . . .
Viewing the download and installation
history . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hiding and restoring hidden updates . .
Working with updates that force a reboot

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About Update Retriever . . . . . .
About update packages . . . . . .
Update Retriever first time setup . .
Using Update Retriever . . . . . .
Manual searching for new updates
Scheduling the search for updates
Managing the repository . . . .
Modifying settings . . . . . .
Viewing history . . . . . . . .
Hiding updates . . . . . . . .
Exporting updates . . . . . .
Keyboard shortcuts . . . . . . . .

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Chapter 6. Working with Thin
Installer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About Thin Installer . . . . . . .
Configuring Thin Installer . . . .
Using Thin Installer . . . . . . .
Return error codes . . . . .
Logs . . . . . . . . . . .
Windows 7 and later operating
considerations . . . . . . .
Web server configuration . . .
Best practices . . . . . . . . .
Uninstalling Thin Installer . . . .

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Chapter 7. Best practices . . . . . . .

Scenario 1 - Managing the update process . . .
Step 1 - Installing the programs . . . . . .
Step 2 - Customizing the programs . . . . .
Step 3 - Working with the programs . . . .
Scenario 2 - Deploying specific update packages .
Creating repository folders . . . . . . . .
Configuring System Update on client
computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Working with Update Retriever . . . . . .
Deploying the packages . . . . . . . . .
Scenario 3 - Deploying to non-Lenovo systems . .
Scenario 4 - Disabling the Web upgrade for System
Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scenario 5 - Installing specific update packages
with the MSDOS prompt . . . . . . . . . . .
Scenario 6 - Deploying update packages to client
computer repositories . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Step 1 - Setting up the administrator system .
Step 2 - Configuring System Update on client
computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scenario 7 - Working with firewalls and the
scheduler function . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scenario 8 - Working with Thin Installer . . . . .
Deploying the packages using USB, CD, or
DVD media . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Deploying the update packages using a
network share repository . . . . . . . . .
Deploying the update packages using a
system management tool. . . . . . . . .
Integrating Thin Installer with the ImageUltra
Builder program . . . . . . . . . . . .
Integrating Thin Installer with a Sysprep
Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Appendix A. Command line
parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Appendix B. Notices. . . . . . . . . .

Trademarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Automatic search . . . .
Command line scripts . . .
Search modes . . . . . .
Notification parameters . .
MapDrv utility . . . . . .
Command line interface
Using the MapDrv utility

Preface
Information presented in this guide is to support computers worked with the ThinkVantage® System Update
program (hereafter refer to as System Update), the Update Retriever program (hereafter refer to as Update
Retriever), or the Thin Installer program (hereafter refer to as Thin Installer).
System Update is a program that you can use to help keep your system up-to-date. Update Retriever is an
administrative program that you can use to customize the update process for your enterprise. Thin Installer
is a lighter version of System Update, and it does not require installation, does not create any registry
keys, and does not have any services.
This guide is intended for IT administrators or those who are responsible for deploying updates on computers
in their organizations. If you have suggestions or comments, communicate with your Lenovo® authorized
representative. This guide is updated periodically, and you can check the latest publication on the Lenovo
Web site at:
http://www.lenovo.com/thinkvantage

iii

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Chapter 1. Overview
The programs documented in this deployment guide are System Update, Update Retriever, and Thin Installer.
This deployment guide defines each program, explains the update process, and explains how each program
can be configured to fit your needs. In this deployment guide, you also will find installation procedures,
application configurations, and best practices on how to use these programs in different environments.

System Update
System Update is a program that helps you keep the software on your system up-to-date. Using System
Update, the update packages that are stored on Lenovo servers can be downloaded from the Lenovo
Help Center Web site. Update packages can be applications, device drivers, BIOS flashes, and software
updates. When System Update connects to the repository folder, System Update automatically recognizes
your computer machine type, model number, and other system information to determine whether your
system needs the available updates. System Update will display a pick list of update packages where you
can select update packages to download and install. System Update can be configured to install packages
either manually or automatically. System Update also provides a method to defer the installation of update
packages. System Update can be configured to search for and download update packages from any
combination of the following locations:
• The Lenovo Help Center Web site
• The Repository folder on a local system
• The Repository folder on a network share

Update Retriever
Update Retriever is a program that enables you to search for and download updates from the Lenovo Help
Center Web site to a repository folder on a network share. You can configure System Update to search for
update packages from a repository folder on a network share instead of searching the Lenovo Help Center
Web site. Update Retriever can help you with the following:
• Downloading updates for specific Lenovo systems according to machine types, languages, and operating
systems
• Downloading update packages for more than one machine type
• Importing update packages

Thin Installer
Thin Installer is a lighter version of System Update. Unlike System Update, Thin Installer does not require
installation, does not create any registry keys, and does not have any services. Thin Installer can search for
update packages from the repository folder on a local hard disk drive, a network share, a Web share, or
external media such as a CD, DVD, or USB hard disk drive.

Managing the update process
The update process is a method to obtain, configure, and install update packages.
To complete the update process, use one of the following options:
• System Update

If you use only System Update, System Update will connect to the Lenovo Help Center Web site through
an Internet connection, search for update packages, and generate a list of update packages for further
installation.
• System Update and Update Retriever
If you use System Update and Update Retriever in an enterprise environment, Update Retriever will
search the Lenovo Help Center Web site for update packages, download those packages to the network
share folder, and enable you to customize the update content relevant to your enterprise; System Update
can be configured to obtain updates from the shared folder and complete the installation of updates
on a client computer.
• Thin Installer and Update Retriever
If you use Thin Installer and Update Retriever in an enterprise environment, Update Retriever will search
the Lenovo Help Center Web site for update packages, download those packages to the network share
folder, and enable you to customize the update content relevant to your enterprise; Thin Installer will
search for updates on the shared folder and complete the installation of updates on a client computer.

System Update
The following illustration shows the communication path of update packages from the Lenovo Help Center
to a client computer using only System Update.

Internet
Lenovo
Help Center

System
Update

Client system

Figure 1. Update process using only System Update

System Update and Update Retriever
In an enterprise environment with multiple systems, you can use Update Retriever on an administrative
system to download update packages from the Lenovo Help Center to a repository folder on your network
share or a local system. System Update on a client computer can be configured to obtain updates from the
repository folder on a network share or a local system. The repository folder provides the storage for update
packages. This provides greater control of the updates that are available over your network.

Downloading update packages to the administrator system
The following illustration provides the communication path of update packages from the Lenovo Help Center
to your administrator system using Update Retriever.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Figure 2. Communication path between Lenovo Help Center and the administrator system

Obtaining updates from the repository folder on a network share
The following illustration provides the communication path of update packages from an administrator system
with Update Retriever to client computers with System Update:

Figure 3. Communication path of update packages on a local area network

For more information on configuring repository locations for package storage, see Chapter 3 “Configurations”
on page 13.

Deploying update packages to client computers
Instead of using a network share on a local area network (LAN), you can use a local system such as the
administrator system to store update packages. Once you have created a repository folder, you can deploy
the folder to client computers. The deployment of repository folder enables you to use Update Retriever
on an administrator system to download update packages to a repository folder and deploy the folder
containing the update packages to client computers. When the client computer runs System Update,
System Update will obtain updates directly from the folder you deployed to the client computer.
The following illustration provides the communication path of update packages from an administrator
system to client computers.

Chapter 1. Overview

Figure 4. Communication path of update packages from the repository folder to client computers

Customizing update packages for client computers
For enterprises that need to create custom update packages for client computers, use both System Update
and Update Retriever to manage the update process. As an administrator, you can use Update Retriever to
download selected update packages from the Lenovo Help Center to a repository folder on a network share.
You can use Update Retriever to edit an existing package or create a new package in the repository folder.
Update Retriever uses an XML descriptor file to define when an update package is relevant and how to install
the update package. For example, you can create an XML descriptor file that enables a specific update
to be downloaded and installed on a client computer depending on the version of the software already
installed or existing hardware devices found in the system. After using Update Retriever to customize update
packages to fit the needs of your enterprise, import the update packages into the repository folder on the
network share using Update Retriever.
On client computers, use System Update to search the network share repository folder for update packages.
System Update can then download and install relevant packages from the network share repository folder to
client computers.
The following illustration shows the communication path among the Lenovo Help Center, System Update,
and Update Retriever when using Update Retriever to manage the update process:

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Figure 5. Update process for client computers managed by administrators using Update Retriever

Using System Update and Update Retriever on non-Lenovo systems
By design, System Update and Update Retriever can be leveraged with non-Lenovo systems. Non-Lenovo
systems are not configured to utilize the Lenovo Help Center Web site to download and install packages. If
you are using a non-Lenovo system with System Update installed, use Update Retriever to download
update packages to a repository folder on you network or your local system, and use System Update to
search for update packages from your network.

Chapter 1. Overview

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Chapter 2. Installation
This chapter provides the installation instructions, installation requirements, components, and considerations
for System Update and Update Retriever. You can download System Update and Update Retriever from the
following Web site:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVAN-ADMIN#tvsu
You can also download Thin Installer from the Lenovo Support Web site and then use it directly. It requires
no installation. For information about Thin Installer, see Chapter 6 “Working with Thin Installer” on page 51.

Installation requirements
System Update 5.x is supported on the following operating systems:
• Microsoft® Windows® 7
• Windows 8
• Windows 8.1
• Windows 10
Update Retriever is supported on the following operating systems:
• Windows 7
• Windows 8
• Windows 8.1
• Windows 10
• Windows Server® 2008
• Windows Server 2012
Note: Unless otherwise stated, the supported operating systems refer to both the 32-bit version and the
64-bit version.

.Net
System Update requires Microsoft.NET Framework 4.5.2 or a later version. Update Retriever requires
Microsoft.NET Framework 4.5.2 or a later version. You can download a compatible version of .NET
Framework from the following Microsoft Web site:
http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate
Note: When performing a silent installation of Update Retriever on a system without Microsoft.Net
Framework 4.5.2 or a later version, the following message will be written to the %temp%\Setup Log
Y-M-D.txt file:
“Before installing Update Retriever silently, you need to download and install Microsoft .Net Framework 4.5.2
or a later version. To download and manually install Microsoft .Net Framework 4.5.2 or a later version, go to
the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/net/download.aspx.”

Installation components
This section provides information on installation components for System Update and Update Retriever.
These programs are installed with the InstallShield software tool.

System Update languages
The following table presents the languages and the corresponding language override codes for System
Update.
Table 1. System Update language codes
Language

Identifier

Language override code

Danish

1030

Dutch (Standard)

1043

English

1033

Finnish

1035

French

1036

German

1031

Italian

1040

Japanese

1041

Korean

1042

Norwegian (Bokmal)

1044

Portuguese (Brazilian)

1046

Spanish

1034

Swedish

1053

Simplified Chinese

2052

CHS

Traditional Chinese

1028

CHT

System Update supports all NLS (National Language Support) language packs. In normal cases, System
Update loads the language pack set in the LanguageOverride field. That is, at startup, System Update
checks the Windows registry for a valid language override code in the LanguageOverride field. If the
language override code in the LanguageOverride field is valid and the language pack is available on the
system, System Update will load the language pack corresponding to the language override code specified
in the LanguageOverride field, and display the rest of the session in that language.
The registry location for the LanguageOverride field is:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update\LanguageOverride
The following are scenarios in which System Update will load the substitute NLS language pack.
• Loading the language pack set in the Windows Regional and Language Options settings:
If the LanguageOverride field is empty or with an invalid value, or the value specified in the
LanguageOverride field is not installed on the system, System Update will get the language override
code of the operating system set in the Regional and Language Options settings. If System Update
successfully loads the language pack corresponding to the language set in the Regional and Language
Options settings, System Update will display the rest of the session in that language.
• Loading the language pack set in the DefaultLanguage field:
If the language pack corresponding to the language set in the Regional and Language Options settings
is not available on the system, System Update will attempt to get the default language that has been
set in the DefaultLanguage field when the end user used the System Update installer and selected a
language during the installation. System Update will load the language pack corresponding to the default
language set in the DefaultLanguage field, and display the rest of the session in that language. If the

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

language pack corresponding to the default language set in the DefaultLanguage field is on the system,
System Update will load the default language pack and display the rest of the session.
The registry location for the DefaultLanguage field is:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update\DefaultLanguage

• Loading the US English language pack:
If the DefaultLanguage field is empty or with an invalid value, or if the language pack corresponding to
the default language set in the DefaultLanguage field is not on the system, the default language will not
be used. System Update will attempt to load the US English language pack. If the US English language
pack is not on the system, an error message will be displayed, saying "System Update has found a critical
problem and must close." This error message is in the US English language.

Update Retriever languages
The following table presents the languages and the corresponding language override codes for Update
Retriever.
Table 2. Update Retriever language codes
Language

Identifier

Language override code

English

1033

French

1036

German

1031

Japanese

1041

Simplified Chinese

2052

CHS

The registry location for the LanguageOverride field is:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\Update Retriever\LanguageOverride

Installation considerations
System Update and Update Retriever are installed as standalone applications and deployed with default
preferences for all configuration options. The installation scenarios listed below are supported:
• Clean installation: System Update and Update Retriever are installed with default preferences for
their respective configurable options.
• Upgrade or over-installation (current version already exists): The Windows Installer will remove the
old version of System Update or Update Retriever and install the new version. Your network share
repository folder and contents will be preserved.
During installation, a shortcut is added to the following Start menu folder on ThinkPad® systems:
Start Menu\Programs\ThinkVantage

For Lenovo systems, the following shortcut is added to the Start menu folder:
Start Menu\Programs\Lenovo Care

Preferences are stored as settings in the following Windows registry keys:

Chapter 2. Installation

• For System Update:
HKLM\Software\Lenovo\System Update

• For Update Retriever:
HKLM\Software\Lenovo\Update Retriever

The default folders where application files are installed are the following:
• For System Update:
%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update

• For Update Retriever:
%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\Update Retriever

Installation procedures and command-line parameters
System Update and Update Retriever can use the same command line parameters for installation. The
following example starts a non-silent command line installation for System Update or Update Retriever.
c:\>[System Update installation file name].exe

To do a silent command line extraction followed by an installation, use the /VERYSIELNT parameter. The
extract defaults to the Windows Temp folder, for example:
c:\>[System Update installation file name].exe/VERYSILENT /NORESTART
To silently extract to a specific folder followed by an installation, use the DIR parameter, for example:
[System Update installation file name].exe/VERYSILENT /NORESTART/DIR="C:\TVT\tvsut"

The /DIR parameter causes the files to be extracted to the c:\tvt\tvsut folder.

Installation log file
The installation log file contains information that can be used to debug installation problems. For System
Update, the log file name is tvsusetup.log; for Update Retriever, the log file name is tvursetup.log.
If you install the program by double-clicking the setup.exe file, the log file will be automatically generated and
stored in the %temp% directory.
If you want to install the program silently and generate installation log files, use the following commands:
• For System Update:

[System Update installation file name].exe/VERYSILENT /NORESTART/LOG=c:\tvsu.log

To specify the detailed log directory, use the /LOG command.
• For Update Retriever:

[TVUR name].exe/VERYSILENT /NORESTART/LOG=c:\tvur.log

To specify the detailed log directory, use the /LOG command.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Windows 7 and later operating systems considerations
With considerations for Windows 7 and later operating systems, the System Update silent installation
prompts a User Account Control (UAC) message. You can find information on disabling and enabling the
User Account Control message on the following Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com
Note: If the UAC is active, a silent uninstall will not work with Windows 7 and later operating systems.

A scenario of installing System Update and Update Retriever in an
enterprise environment
Complete the following steps to install System Update and Update Retriever using a silent command:
1. Download Update Retriever to an administrator system from the following Lenovo Web site:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVAN-ADMIN#tvsu
2. Download System Update to client computers from the following Lenovo Web site:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVAN-ADMIN#tvsu
3. Perform a silent installation of System Update on client computers by using the following command at
the command prompt:
setup.exe/VERYSILENT /NORESTART

Uninstall
System Update and Update Retriever can be uninstalled by using the Add or Remove Programs applet in
Windows operating systems. After the uninstall is complete, all program files and settings are deleted.
Alternatively, you can use command lines to perform a silent uninstall.
To silently uninstall System Update or Update Retriever, do the following:
• For System Update, use the following command:
[Your install dir]\unins000.exe /verysilent /norestart

• For Update Retriever, use the following command:
[Your install dir]\unins000.exe /verysilent /norestart

Silent uninstall on Windows 7 and later operating systems
The User Account Control (UAC) function on Windows 7 or later operating systems is turned on by default to
prevent unauthorized changes to the computer. You need to disable the UAC function before performing
a silent uninstall.
To perform a silent uninstall of System Update on a Windows 7 or later operating system, do the following:
1. Navigate to Control Panel ➙ User Accounts ➙ Change User Account Control settings. The User
Account Control Settings window is displayed.
2. Move the slider to Never notify, and then click OK.
3. Restart the computer.
4. Open the command prompt window and type the following command line:

Chapter 2. Installation

[Your install dir]\unins000.exe /verysilent /norestart

5. Press Enter. System Update will be uninstalled.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Chapter 3. Configurations
This chapter provides you with conceptual information and procedures to configure connectivity settings,
repository locations, and the user interface.

Connection configurations
System Update and Update Retriever support three types of connectivity configuration: direct connection,
static proxy connection, and automatic configuration script.
• Direct connection
This type of configuration is used when no proxy is required to connect to the Internet. It means the
application can connect directly to the Lenovo Help Center servers.
• Static proxy connection
System Update and Update Retriever support two types of proxies, HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
proxy and SOCKS (Socket Security) proxy.
– Connection through HTTP proxy
In this type of configuration, System Update and Update Retriever connect to an HTTP proxy server to
access the Internet. The proxy server connects to the Lenovo Help Center.
Note: HTTP basic and NTLM (NT LAN Manager) authentications are supported.
The following elements are obtained from the system configuration:
– Proxy server name or IP address
– Proxy server port
The proxy server might require to authenticate each client before it can be granted access to the
Internet. In that case, the end user must additionally provide a user name and password. The user
name and password values can be set for the end user by the administrator.
The HTTP proxy authenticator, an integrated component in System Update, displays a logon dialog
whenever System Update detects that the HTTP proxy server needs the end user to provide a user
name and password in order to successfully connect to the proxy serve. After providing the correct
user name and password, the end user will be authenticated to connect to the HTTP proxy server.
SOCKS authentication is not supported.
– Connection through a SOCKS proxy
In this type of configuration, System Update and Update Retriever connect to a SOCKS server and
then the SOCKS server connects to the Lenovo Help Center.
The following elements must be configured:
– Server name or IP address
– Server port
Note: Only SOCKS 4 without authentication is supported.
• Automatic configuration script
By enabling Use automatic configuration script in the Internet Explorer® Web browser, System Update
and Update Retriever can access the Internet according to the automatic configuration script file.

Configuring System Update
Configurations for System Update can be done through the registry or Active Directory®. If you are
configuring just one system, you can use the registry to configure System Update. If you are configuring

multiple systems, you can use Active Directory to configure policies for System Update. For additional
information about each configuration method, see the following sections:
•

“Configuring System Update with the registry” on page 14

•

“Configuring System Update with Active Directory” on page 27

Configuring System Update with the registry
Attention: To edit registry configurations, exit System Update. If System Update is running while changes
are made in the registry, the old registry entries will be recovered.
The following table lists the configurable and modifiable items for System Update and their registry locations,
after the first launch of System Update.
Table 3. Registry locations
Setting

Registry location

Disable the System Update billboard. See “UCSettings
configurable items” on page 15.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UCSettings\General

Disable registration on billboard

HKLM\Software\Lenovo\Registration\RegStatus

Disable System Update user interface. See “UCSettings
configurable items” on page 15.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UCSettings\General

RetryLimit for HTTPSHelloSettings. See
“\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings” on page 16.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings

RetryWaitTime for HTTPSHelloSettings. See
“\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings” on page 16.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings

Disable System Update Web upgrade (Update Thyself).
See “\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings” on page 16.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings

RetryLimit for HTTPSPackageSettings. See
“\UCSettings\HTTPSPackageSettings” on page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UCSettings\HTTPSPackageSettings

RetryWaitTime for HTTPSPackageSettings. See
“\UCSettings\HTTPSPackageSettings” on page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UCSettings\HTTPSPackageSettings

Proxy server connection. See
“\UserSettings\Connection” on page 17.

HKLM\Software\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\Connection

DebugEnable. See “UserSettings configurable items” on
page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

DisplayInformationScreen. See “UserSettings
configurable items” on page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

DisplayLicenseNotice. See “UserSettings configurable
items” on page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

DisplayLicenseNoticeSU. See “UserSettings configurable
items” on page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

ExtrasTab. See “UserSettings configurable items” on
page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

IgnoreLocalLicense. See “UserSettings configurable
items” on page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

IgnoreRMLicCRCSize. See “UserSettings configurable
items” on page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

NotifyInterval. See “UserSettings configurable items” on
page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Table 3. Registry locations (continued)
Setting

Registry location

RepositoryLocation1. See “UserSettings configurable
items” on page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

UNCMaxAttempts. See “UserSettings configurable items”
on page 17.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

Scheduler Frequency. See “\UserSettings\Scheduler”
on page 21.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\Scheduler

Scheduler Notify Options. See “\UserSettings\Scheduler”
on page 21.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\Scheduler

Scheduler RunAt. See “\UserSettings\Scheduler” on
page 21.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\Scheduler

Scheduler RunOn. See “\UserSettings\Scheduler” on
page 21.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\Scheduler

SchedulerAbility. See “\UserSettings\Scheduler” on page
21.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\Scheduler

SchedulerLock. See “\UserSettings\Scheduler” on page
21.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\Scheduler

SearchMode. See “\UserSettings\Scheduler” on page 21.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System
Update\Preferences\UserSettings\Scheduler

UCSettings configurable items
This section provides descriptions for the configurable items available in the UCSettings key.
\UCSettings\Billboard
The following table and example provides the setting and values for the Billboard key.
Table 4. \UCSettings\Billboard
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

LiveFeed

Disables the live feed
to the System Update
billboard.

Default: Lenovo Live Feed

• If Default, the live feed
image will be displayed
on the System Update
user interface.

Possible values:
• Default
• Blank

• If Blank, the default
billboard image will not
be displayed on the
System Update user
interface.

Example:
\Billboard
\LiveFeed = Blank

\UCSettings\General
The following table and example provides the setting and values for the General key.

Chapter 3. Configurations

Table 5. \UCSettings\General
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

Disable

Disables the System
Update user interface.
Use this setting when
you want to configure
System Update using the
command prompt.

Default value: NO

• If YES, the System
Update user interface
will not be displayed.

Possible values:
• YES
• NO

• If NO, the System
Update user interface
will be displayed.

Example:
\GENERAL
\Disable = NO

\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings
The following table and example provides the settings and values for the HTTPSHelloSettings key.
Table 6. \UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

RetryLimit

Specifies the maximum
number of times that
System Update will try to
connect to the Lenovo
Help Center Web site.

Default value: 0

System Update will stop
trying to connect to the
Lenovo Help Center Web
site after the connection
attempts reach the
maximum number of
tries.

RetryWaitTime

ServerName

Possible values: Any valid
integer

Specifies the maximum
amount of time (in
seconds) that System
Update will wait before
it tries to connect to the
Lenovo Help Center Web
site for another time after
the previous attempt fails.

Default value: 0

Specifies the server name
that System Update will
search for updates for
itself. Changing the
default value will disable
the Update Thyself
function of System
Update.

The default value is
pre-configured. By default,
System Update will connect to
the Lenovo Help Center Web
site to search for updates for
itself.

Possible values: Any valid
integer

Possible values: Server name
or empty

System Update will wait
the number of seconds
when attempting to
connect to the Lenovo
Help Center Web site after
the previous attempt fails.

System Update searches
the Lenovo Help Center
Web site for updates
for itself, even if it is
connected to a local
system or network share
repository. You can
disable the Web upgrade
for System Update by
clearing this value.

Example:
\HTTPSHelloSettings
\RetryLimit = 2
\RetryWaitTime = 2
\ServerName = https://

Note: When System Update connects to the Lenovo Help Center Web site, it communicates with different
servers. The RetryLimit and RetryWaitTime settings under the HTTPSHelloSettings key control the

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

connection between System Update and the server from which System Update downloads the self-update
package (If a new version exists).
\UCSettings\HTTPSPackageSettings
The following table and example provides the settings and values for the HTTPSPackageSettings key.
Table 7. \UCSettings\HTTPSPackageSettings
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

RetryLimit

Specifies the maximum
number of times that System
Update will try to connect to
the Lenovo Help Center Web
site.

Default value: 0

System Update will stop
trying to connect to the
Lenovo Help Center Web
site after the connection
attempts reach the
maximum number of
tries.

Specifies the maximum
amount of time (in seconds)
that System Update will wait
before it tries to connect to
the Lenovo Help Center Web
site for another time after the
previous attempt fails.

Default value: 0

RetryWaitTime

Possible values: Any valid
integer

System Update will wait
the number of seconds
when attempting to
connect to the Lenovo
Help Center Web site
after the previous attempt
fails.

Possible values: Any valid
integer

Example:
\HTTPSPackageSettings
\RetryLimit = 2
\RetryWaitTime = 2

Note: The RetryLimit and RetryWaitTime settings under the HTTPSPackageSettings key control the
connection between System Update and the server from which System Update downloads update packages.

UserSettings configurable items
This section provides descriptions for the configurable items available in the UserSettings key.
\UserSettings\Connection
The following table and example provides the settings and values for the Connections key. Those
configurable items are for proxy server connections.
Table 8. \UserSettings\Connection
Configurable
item
User

Description

Value

Action

Specifies the user
name to use for the
connection.

Default value: None

This setting is used for
authentication to access the
HTTP proxy server.

This setting is only used for the
connection type of proxy, the HTTP
proxy, when the proxy server requires
authentication.
Possible values: Any string

Chapter 3. Configurations

Table 8. \UserSettings\Connection (continued)
Configurable
item
Password

Description

Value

Action

Specifies the
password to use
for the connection.

Default value: None

This setting is used for
authentication to access the
HTTP proxy server.

Possible values: Any string

System Update will connect to
the HTTP proxy server defined in
ServerName using the user name
defined in User. The end user
is prompted for this information
when the information is needed.

Example:
\Connection\
\User = Billek
\Password = ************

\UserSettings\General
The following table and example provides the settings and values for the General key.
Table 9. \UserSettings\General
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

ContentMode

Refers to the status of
the update packages that
System Update will search
for in the Update Retriever
repository.

Default value: Active

• If Active, System Update
will search the Update
Retriever repository for
the update packages in
active status.

Possible values:
• Active
• Test

• If Test, System Update
will search the Update
Retriever repository for
the update packages in
test status.
Note: If there is no
database.xml file in the
Update Retriever repository
folder, System Update
will ignore the value of
ContentMode and search
for all the update packages.
DebugEnable

Enables you to log process
results to the log file named
ApplicabilityRulesTrace.log.

Default value: NO
Possible values:
• YES
• NO

DisplayInformationScreen Enables you to skip the User
Information panel of System
Update.

Default value: YES
Possible values:
• YES
• NO

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

• If YES, System Update
will log the process
results to the log file.
• If NO, System Update
will not log the process
results.
• If YES, the User
Information panel will
be displayed.
• If NO, the User
Information panel will
not be displayed.

Table 9. \UserSettings\General (continued)
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

DisplayLicenseNotice

Enables you to skip the
license agreement that will
be displayed before the
update packages pick list is
populated.

Default value: YES

• If YES, the license
agreement screen will
be displayed prior to the
update packages pick
list.

Possible values:
• YES
• NO

• If NO, the license
agreement screen will
not be displayed.
DisplayLicenseNoticeSU

Enables you to skip the
license agreement that is
displayed in the Schedule
updates panel of System
Update.

Default value: YES
Possible values:
• YES
• NO

• If YES, the license
agreement will be
displayed prior to
saving the changes in
the Schedule updates
panel.
• If NO, the license
agreement will be
displayed and the
changes will be saved
directly to the Windows
Registry subkey.

ExtrasTab

Enables you to show or hide
the Extras tab in the System
Update workspace.

Default value: YES
Possible values:
• YES

IgnoreLocalLicense
Note: By implementing
this setting, you are
accepting the End User
License Agreement
and the Terms and
Conditions on behalf of
the end user for each
package to be installed.
Do not use this setting
if you do not have the
authority to accept
the End User License
Agreement and the
Terms and Conditions
on behalf of the end user.

Enables you to show or
hide the license dialog
when System Update is
downloading and installing
an update package located
in a repository folder such as
the network share repository.

• If YES, the Extras tab
will be displayed in
the System Update
workspace.

• NO

• If NO, the Extras tab
will not be displayed
in the System Update
workspace.

Default value: NO

• If YES, the license dialog
will not be displayed
when a repository is
used to store update
packages.

Possible values:
• YES
• NO

Note: If you obtain
packages directly
from the Lenovo Help
Center and do not use
a repository to store
update packages, the
IgnoreLocalLicense
value will be ignored and
the license dialog will be
displayed.
• If NO, the license dialog
will be displayed when
a repository is used to
store update packages.

Chapter 3. Configurations

Table 9. \UserSettings\General (continued)
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

IgnoreRMLicCRCSize

Enables you to enable
or disable the following
functions when System
Update downloads update
packages from the Lenovo
Help Center Web site:

Default value: YES

• If YES, System Update
will ignore these files and
will not check for the file
corruption and file size.

Possible values:
• YES
• NO

• CRC (Cyclic
Redundancy Check):
checks for file corruption
of readme and license
agreement files when
you download update
packages from the Lenovo
Help Center Web site.

Note: System Update
does not check file size
and corruption of readme
files and license agreement
files when you download
update packages from a
local repository even if you
set this value to NO.

• File size: checks the file
size of readme and license
agreement files.
NotifyInterval

Specifies the amount of time
between restart notifications
when you download and
install update packages that
require a reboot.

• If NO, System Update
will check for the file
corruption and file size.

Default value: 300 (seconds)
Possible values: Any value
between 60 seconds and 86
400 seconds

You can specify any value
between 60 seconds and 86
400 seconds. By default,
you will be prompted with a
restart notification every 300
seconds when you begin
to download and install
an update package that
forces a reboot or defer the
download and installation
process.
System Update will use
the default value when an
invalid value is set. For
example, if you set a value
greater than 86 400 seconds
(24 hours), System Update
will use the default value of
300 seconds.

RepositoryLocation1

UNCMaxAttempts

Specifies the repository
folder path. The key value
name should be Repository
Location%N% where N is a
number between 1 and 20,
including 1 and 20.
Specifies the maximum
number of tries that System
Update will attempt when
connecting to a network
share folder before it
completely fails.

Example:
\GENERAL
\CheckLocalCRC = YES

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Default value:
SUPPORTCENTER
Possible values:

System Update will search
for update packages in the
specified repository folder.

• SUPPORTCENTER
• A folder path
Default value: 2
Possible values: Any valid
integer

System Update will attempt
the number of tries when
connecting to a network
share folder.

\DebugEnable = NO
\DisplayInformationScreen = YES
\DisplayLicenseNotice = YES
\DisplayLicenseNoticeSU = YES
\ExtrasTab = NO
\IgnoreLocalLicense = NO
\IgnoreRMLicCRCSize = NO
\NotifyInterval = 300
\RepositoryLocation1 = SUPPORTCENTER
\UNCMaxAttempts = 2

\UserSettings\Scheduler
Using the scheduler function, you can configure System Update to search for update packages at designated
intervals. To increase the speed of downloading update packages from Lenovo servers, change the Run On
setting to a day that fits the needs of your enterprise. Do this when you install System Update.
Note: System Update for Windows 7 and later operating systems provides a weekly scheduler
setting. However, you also can use the Task Scheduler tool on Windows 7 and later operating systems to
create a customized scheduler for System Update to provide more scheduler options to achieve the best
scheduling practice. To configure the scheduler function through the Task Scheduler tool on the Windows
7 operating system, do the following:
1. Navigate to Control Panel ➙ Administrativetools ➙ Run task scheduler. The Task Scheduler
program is launched and the Task Scheduler window is displayed.
2. Right-click Task Scheduler (Local) in the left pane of the window and select Create Basic Task. The
Create Basic Task Wizard is displayed.
3. Type a name for the new task in the Name field, for example, “TVSU.”You can also add descriptions for
the task in the Description field (optional). Then click Next.
4. Select the desired frequency to run the scheduled update and click Next. It is recommended to
select Monthly or Weekly.
5. Configure the detailed settings of the frequency you selected on the previous screen to specify when
you wish System Update will run to get updates.
Take Monthly as an example, if you select Select all months from the Months drop-down list box,
System Update will run once every month. Then from the Days drop-down list box, select one day on
which you wish to run the scheduled update. You can also select one day from the On drop-down list
box, and then System Update will run on the designated day of the month(s) you specified. Click Next.
6. Select Start a program, and then click Next.
7. Type the installation directory of System Update in the Program/script field, or click Browse to
locate the folder where System Update is installed. You can also type desired scheduler settings and
values in the Add arguments field (optional) and the Start in field (optional). For detailed information
about settings and values for the System Update scheduler, see Table 10 “\UserSettings\Scheduler”
on page 22.
Note: The installation directories of System Update are different on computers with the 32-bit Windows
7 operating system and computers with the 64-bit Windows 7 operating system.
8. Click Next to view the summary of your configuration.
9. Click Finish to confirm and complete your configuration.
The default settings and values for the System Update scheduler are provided in the following table.

Chapter 3. Configurations

Table 10. \UserSettings\Scheduler
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

SchedulerAbility

Enables you to activate or
inactivate the scheduler.

Default value: YES

• If YES, System Update will run
on the specified schedule.

Possible values:
• YES

• If NO, System Update will not
run on a schedule.

• NO
SchedulerLock

Enables you to show,
hide, disable, or lock the
Schedule updates option
in the System Update user
interface.

Default value: SHOW
Possible values:
• SHOW
• HIDE
• DISABLE
• LOCK

• If SHOW, the Schedule
updates option is available in
the left navigation pane.
• If HIDE, the Schedule
updates option is not visible
to the end user.
• If DISABLE, the Schedule
updates option in the left
navigation pane is displayed
but appears dimmed.
• If LOCK, the Schedule
updates panel can be
opened, but the settings in it
are disabled and cannot be
changed.

SearchMode

Specifies the type of
updates that System
Update will be scheduled
to search for.

Default value:
RECOMMENDED
Possible values:
• CRITICAL
• RECOMMENDED
• ALL

• If CRITICAL, System Update
will search for only critical
updates.
• If RECOMMENDED, System
Update will search for both
critical and recommended
updates.
• If ALL, System Update will
search for all updates, and all
updates will be retrieved.

NotifyOptions

Enables you to choose the
notification options that you
want to receive from the
System Update scheduler.

Default value: NOTIFY
Possible values:
• DOWNLOAD
ANDINSTALL
• DOWNLOAD
• NOTIFY
• DOWNLOAD
ANDINSTALL
-INCLUDEREBOOT
Note: If you set
SearchMode to
RECOMMENDED, NOTIFY
is the only value available
for NotifyOptions. System
Update cannot run if you
select any of the other values
for NotifyOptions.

• If DOWNLOADANDINSTALL,
the scheduler will download
and install the updates without
end user intervention.
• If DOWNLOAD, the scheduler
downloads the updates and
notifies the end user when the
updates are ready to install.
• If NOTIFY, the scheduler
will search for new updates
and notify the end user when
new updates are available for
download and installation.
• If DOWNLOADANDINSTALL
-INCLUDEREBOOT, System
Update will download and
install update packages and
then prompt the end user to
restart the system.
Note: Make sure that no space
separates those values.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Table 10. \UserSettings\Scheduler (continued)
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

Frequency

Specifies the interval at
which the scheduler is to
run weekly or monthly.

Default value: MONTHLY

• If WEEKLY, the interval will be
calculated in weeks.

Possible values:
• MONTHLY
• WEEKLY

RunOn

RunAt

Specifies the day when the
System Update scheduler
will run.

Default value: 1

Specifies the time when the
System Update scheduler
will run. This value is
specified at hourly intervals.

Default value: 11

Possible values: 1 to 28

Possible values: Any number
from 0 to 23 (0 indicates
12AM and 23 indicates
11PM)

• If MONTHLY, the interval will
be calculated in months.
Note: This setting and the
SchedulerRunEvery setting are
used to set how often System
Update will run.
System Update runs on the
specified day. When the
frequency is Weekly, the
possible values for this setting
are: SUNDAY, MONDAY, ...
SATURDAY. When the frequency
is Monthly, the possible values
for this setting are from 1 to 28.
System Update runs at the
specified time.

Example:
\SCHEDULER\
\SchedulerAbility = NO
\SchedulerLock = SHOW
\SearchMode = CRITICAL
\NotifyOptions = NOTIFY
\Frequency = WEEKLY
\RunOn = MONDAY
\RunAt = 12

Repository configurations
By default, System Update obtains update packages from the Lenovo Help Center Web site. You can
change the setting to enable System Update to search and download update packages from a repository
folder on a local system or a network share respectively. You can also configure System Update to search
multiple locations for update packages from the Lenovo Help Center Web site, a local system repository
folder, and a network share repository folder.
Creating a local system repository
System Update has the capability to search for update packages that are stored locally on a client or an
administrator system, or external media.
Using %ANYDRV%
The %ANYDRV% variable can be used to create a local system repository folder instead of specifying a drive
letter when setting the repository path.
To create a local system repository folder using %ANYDRV%, do the following:
1. Create a new folder on a local hard disk drive to use as the repository, for example:

Chapter 3. Configurations

%ANYDRV%\SystemUpdate3_x\

2. Navigate to the following registry entry:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update\Preferences\
UserSettings\General\RepositoryLocation1

3. Replace the default value, SUPPORTCENTER, with the file path of the repository that you created
in step 1, for example:
ANYDRV%\SystemUpdate3_x\

Using %XMEDIA%
The %XMEDIA% variable can be used to detect the repository location path on external media connected to
the system, such as a CD, DVD, USB storage device, hard disk drive, or diskette. To create a local system
repository folder using %XMEDIA%, do the following:
1. Create a new folder on a local hard disk drive to use as the repository, for example:
%XMEDIA%\SystemUpdate3_x\

2. Navigate to the following registry entry:
KLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update\Preferences\
UserSettings\General\RepositoryLocation1

3. Replace the default value, SUPPORTCENTER, with the file path of the repository that you created
in step 1, for example:
%XMEDIA%\SystemUpdate3_x\

Creating a network share repository
To create a network share repository folder that will be used to store update packages on a network share,
do the following:
1. Create a new folder on a network share to use as the repository.
2. Share the new repository folder using the UNC (Universal Naming Convention) path. The UNC path
provides connectivity to all computers that have been mapped to the repository. The format for
a UNC path is:
\\Server\Share\

for example:
\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

3. Set the access permissions of the new repository folder to read-only access for end users. Administrator
functions will require read and write access.
4. On client computers, navigate to the following registry entry:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update\Preferences\
UserSettings\General\RepositoryLocation1

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Note: The default for this registry entry is SUPPORTCENTER. This default setting enables System
Update to search for update packages on the Lenovo Help Center Web site. When you change this
setting to a network share repository folder that you have created on your network, client computers
with System Update will be able to search for update packages on your network.
5. Replace the default value, SUPPORTCENTER, with your server and share name, for example:
\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

Note: Distributed File System (DFS), a storage management solution, can be used to configure the network
share repository.
Working with multiple repositories
This multiple repository capability ensures that you are getting the latest version of an update package
while being offered with greater flexibility of package storage. When using multiple repositories, System
Update searches for update packages in the order of the repositories defined in the registry. System Update
searches each repository location and retrieves the latest version of an update package. Packages on the
Lenovo Help Center Web site will be the most current version. If a repository location is not found, System
Update will search the next numerical repository location. For example, if you remove the folder that points
to RepositoryLocation1, System Update will search RepositoryLocation2, and then RepositoryLocation3.
The following illustration shows the relationship among the Lenovo Help Center, a local system, a network
share, and System Update when using multiple repositories:

RepositoryLocation1
Lenovo Help Center

Internet

RepositoryLocation2
System
Update

Local system

RepositoryLocation3
Network share

In this example, System Update will search the Lenovo Help Center Web site first, followed by the repository
folder on the local system, and then the repository folder on the network share:
• RepositoryLocation1 - Lenovo Help Center Web site
• RepositoryLocation2 - Local system
• RepositoryLocation3 - Network share
Creating and configuring multiple repositories with the registry
To create and configure multiple repository locations, do the following:
1. Create a new folder on a local hard disk drive to use as the repository, for example:

Chapter 3. Configurations

%ANYDRV%\SystemUpdate3_x\

2. Create a new folder on a network share to use as the repository.
3. Share the new repository folder using the UNC path. The UNC path provides connectivity to all
computers that have been mapped to the repository. The format for the System Update UNC path is:
\\Server\Share\

for example:
\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

4. Set the access permissions of the new repository folder to read-only access for end users. Administrator
functions will require read and write access.
5. Navigate to the following registry location:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General\

Note: There will be a default key for the RepositoryLocation1 entry.
6. Create your local system repository as RepositoryLocation2 by doing the following:
a. From the Registry Editor main menu, click Edit and then click New.
b. Rename the string value as RepositoryLocation2.
c. Double-click the RepositoryLocation2 string.
d. Type the file path for the local system repository, for example:
%ANYDRV%\SystemUpdate3_x\

7. Create your network share repository as RepositoryLocation3 by doing the following:
a. From the Registry Editor main menu, click Edit and then click New.
b. Rename the string value as RepositoryLocation3.
c. Double-click the RepositoryLocation3 string.
d. Type the network share repository path of your server and share, for example:
\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

UNC
The user name and password used by System Update and Update Retriever to access a network share
should only be used by System Update and Update Retriever. If you map the repository location or log on to
it using the same user name and password that is used by System Update or Update Retriever, the MapDrv
utility used to connect to the network share will not be able to access the network share repository. If this
occurs, System Update and Update Retriever will fail in the attempt to access the network share repository.
For more information, see “Using the MapDrv utility” on page 80.

Version control for System Update
When a newer version of System Update is available, System Update connects to the Lenovo Help Center
Web site, detects and downloads the newer version, and then installs that version. This process is done
automatically, without user interaction, but can be disabled. For information about disabling the upgrade,
see “\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings” on page 16.
26

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

If you want to control the version of System Update available to your users, you can use your network
repository to store specific versions of System Update. Storing packages locally will enable the System
Update application to search for upgrades within your network repository.
Note: This version control function is compatible with System Update 3.02 and later versions.
To configure the registry for System Update version control, do the following:
1. Download the SSClientCommon.zip file from the following Lenovo Web site:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVAN-ADMIN#tvsu
2. Create a folder to use as a repository that will store update packages, for example:
\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

3. Extract the files from the SSClientCommon.zip file to your repository folder, for example:
\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\SSClientCommon\

4. Install System Update on the client computer.
5. Configure the registry keys on the client computer by doing the following:
a. Navigate to the following registry entry:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update\Preferences\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings

b. Double-click ServerName.
c. In the Value Data field in the Edit String dialog box, replace the HTTP server address with the UNC
path of your repository, for example:
\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

d. Click OK.
e. Navigate to the following registry entry:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update\Preferences\UserSettings\General

f. Double-click RepositoryLocation1.
g. In the Value Data field in the Edit String dialog box, replace the http server address with the UNC
path of your repository, for example:
\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

h. Click OK.

Configuring System Update with Active Directory
Active Directory is a directory service. The directory is where information about end users and resources is
stored. The directory service allows access so that you can manipulate those resources. Active Directory
provides a mechanism that gives administrators the ability to manage computers, groups, end users,
domains, security policies, and any type of user-defined objects. The mechanism used by Active Directory
to accomplish this is known as Group Policy. With Group Policy, administrators define settings that can
be applied to computers or users in the domain.
The following examples are settings that Active Directory can manage for System Update:
Chapter 3. Configurations

• Scheduler settings
• Mapped Network Drive settings

Administrative template files
The administrative template file (ADM file) defines policy settings used by applications on the client
computers. Policies are specific settings that govern the operation of applications. Policy settings also
define whether the end user will be allowed to set specific settings through an application.
Settings defined by an administrator on the server are defined as policies. Settings defined by an end
user on the client computer for an application are defined as preferences. As defined by Microsoft, policy
settings take precedence over preferences. When System Update checks for a setting, it will look for the
setting in the following order:
1. Computer policies
2. Computer preferences
As described previously, computer and user policies are defined by the administrator. These settings can be
initialized through a Group Policy in Active Directory. Computer preferences are set by the end user on the
client computer through options in the application's interface.
Note: If you are using an ADM file and the Group Policy Editor to set policy settings for System Update,
make sure that you are using the ADM file released specifically for each version. For example, if you are
customizing policies for System Update 3.2, you must use the ADM file designed for System Update 3.2.
Adding administrative templates
To add an ADM file to the Group Policy Editor, do the following:
1. On your server, launch Active Directory.
2. Click servername.com and then click Properties.
3. On the Group Policy tab, highlight New Group Policy Object and click Edit.
Note: You can also type gpedit.msc in the Open or Start Search box to launch the Group Policy Editor.
4. Under Computer Configuration, right-click Administrative Templates.
5. Click Add and then select the ADM file for System Update.
6. Click Close in the Add/Remove Templates dialog box.
7. Under Computer Configuration, click Administrative Templates. A new tab named System Update is
present. Then, you will be able to configure all the available settings.
Note: For Windows 2000 operating systems, if the policies under User Configuration are not visible in the
Group Policy Editor when you add a new ADM file, close and then reopen the Group Policy Editor. For
Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems, if the ThinkVantage policies for System Update are
duplicated when you add a new ADM file, close and then reopen the Group Policy Editor.
Defining manageable settings
The following example shows settings in the Group Policy Editor using the following hierarchy:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > ThinkVantage >
System Update > UserSettings > General > RepositoryLocation1

The ADM files indicate where in the registry the settings will be reflected. These settings will be in the
following registry locations:
• HKLM\Software\Lenovo\System Update
• HKLM\Software\Lenovo\Update Retriever

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Applying group policy immediately
To apply policy settings immediately after you configure the settings for the ADM file, do the following:
1. From the Windows Start menu, click Run.
2. Type gpedit.msc /force and then click OK.

Group Policy settings
The following tables provide policy settings for System Update.
User Settings
This table provides the settings for the User Settings policies.
Table 11. Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > ThinkVantage > System Update > User Settings
Policy

Setting

Description

Connection

User Name

This setting specifies the user name for connection.

User Password

This setting specifies the password for connection. It
stores the encrypted password of proxy.

Proxy/*/AutoConfigURL
Note: * refers to the amount
of proxy servers. The
amount must not exceed
five.

This setting stores the automatic configuration Uniform
Resource Locator (URL) path such as file://c:/Proxy1.pac
or http://10.10.1.1/Proxy1.pac.

Proxy/*/ProxyServer
Note: * refers to the amount
of proxy servers. The
amount must not exceed
five.

This setting stores the proxy server location such as
http=10.10.1.1:8080 or socks=10.10.1.1:1080.

Proxy/*/ProxyEnable
Note: * refers to the amount
of proxy servers. The
amount must not exceed
five.

This setting specifies whether proxy is enabled. “0”
stands for the disabled status and “1” stands for the
enabled status.

Repository Location

This setting specifies the repository location that update
packages will be downloaded from and installed. The
default setting is SUPPORTCENTER and enables
System Update to download updates from the Lenovo
Help Center. You can also specify a repository path on a
network share drive, and this will enable System Update
to search for update packages in the network share
repository folder. For more information on setting up
repositories, see “Repository configurations” on page 23.

UNC Max Attempts

This setting specifies the maximum number of local
repository authentication attempts allowed.

Ignore Local License

This setting enables you to show or hide the license
dialog when System Update is downloading and installing
an update package located in a repository folder such as
the network share repository.

General

• If YES, the license dialog will not be displayed when a
repository is used to store update packages.
Note: If you obtain packages directly from the Lenovo
Help Center and do not use a repository for update
package storage, the IgnoreLocalLicense value will
be ignored and the license dialog will be displayed.

Chapter 3. Configurations

Table 11. Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > ThinkVantage > System Update > User Settings
(continued)
• If NO, the license dialog will be displayed when a
repository is used to store update packages.
IgnoreRMLicCRCSize

This setting enables you to enable or disable the following
functions when System Update downloads update
packages from the Lenovo Help Center Web site:
• CRC: checks for file corruption of readme and license
agreement files when you download update packages
from the Lenovo Help Center Web site.
• File size: checks the file size of readme and license
agreement files.
You can set the value to YES or NO:
• If YES, System Update will ignore these files and will
not check for the file corruption and file size.
• If NO, System Update will check for the file corruption
and file size.
Note: System Update does not check file size and
corruption of readme files and license agreement files
when you download packages from a local repository
even if you set this value to NO.

NotifyInterval

This setting specifies the amount of time between restart
notifications when you download and install update
packages that require a reboot.
You can specify any value between 60 seconds and 86
400 seconds. By default, you will be prompted with a
restart notification every 300 seconds when you begin to
download and install an update package that forces a
reboot or defer the download and installation process.
System Update will use the default value when an invalid
value is set. For example, if you set a value greater than
86 400 seconds (24 hours), System Update will use the
default value of 300 seconds.

Scheduler
Note: System Update
for Windows 7 and later
operating systems provides
a weekly scheduler
setting. However, you also
can use the Task Scheduler
tool on Windows 7 and later
operating systems to create
a customized scheduler
for System Update to
provide more scheduler
options to achieve the
best scheduling practice.
For detailed information

Metrics Enabled

This setting enables or disables the Metrics collection.

Administrator Command
Line

This setting enables the administrator to specify the
desired command line when launching the tvsu.exe file
with the parameter /CM.

Scheduler Lock

This setting enables you to show, hide, disable, or lock
the Schedule updates option in the System Update user
interface.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

• If SHOW, the Schedule updates option is available in
the left navigation pane.
• If HIDE, the Schedule updates option is not visible
to the end user.
• If DISABLE, the Schedule updates option in the left
navigation pane is displayed but appears dimmed.
• If LOCK, the Schedule updates panel can be opened,
but the settings in it are disabled and cannot be
changed.

Table 11. Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > ThinkVantage > System Update > User Settings
(continued)
about using the Task
Scheduler tool on Windows
7 operating systems, see
“\UserSettings\Scheduler”
on page 21.
Mapped Network Drive

UNC

This setting specifies the UNC location for the mapped
network drive (format: \\server\share). The default value
is none.

User

This setting enables you to use the mapdrv.exe /view
command to create an encrypted value for this field. The
default value is none.

Password

This setting enables you to use the mapdrv.exe /view
command to create an encrypted value for this field. The
default value is none.

UCSettings
This table provides the settings for the General policy of System Update.
Table 12. Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > ThinkVantage > System Update > UCSettings > General
Policy

Setting

Description

Billboard

LiveFeed

This setting enables you to disable or enable System Update to
check the Live Feed to get the billboard setting. You can remove the
billboard function from System Update by clearing this value.

General

Disable

This setting is used to determine if System Update should ignore
requests to run System Update.
• If NO, System Update will run normally.
• If YES, System Update will not run.

General

Extras Tab

The Extras tab enables you to easily find the right software,
hardware, and solutions to help you keep your system up-to-date
and have your system to perform to its full capacity. System Update
analyzes your system and then recommends solutions that can be
used to enhance your system.
This setting enables you to show or hide the Extras tab on the
System Update user interface.
• If YES, the Extras tab will be displayed in the System Update
workspace.
• If NO, the Extras tab will not be displayed in the System Update
workspace.
The default value is YES.

This table provides the policy setting for the Update Thyself function of System Update.

Chapter 3. Configurations

Table 13. Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > ThinkVantage > System Update > UCSettings >
HTTPSHelloSettings
Policy

Setting

Description

HTTPSHelloSettings

Update Thyself

System Update checks the Lenovo Help Center Web site for
updates for itself, even if it is connecting to a network share
repository.
This setting is to enable or disable the Update Thyself
function. You can remove the Update Thyself function from
System Update by clearing this value.

Managing network share repositories with Active Directory
This section provides a description of the policy settings for the network share repository. Setting these
policies will prompt an end user for a user name and password when the System Update end user interface
is launched or when a scheduled update runs. When an end user authenticates into a domain and has
appropriate rights to access the network share repository, then no prompt for the user name and password
is displayed on the System Update end user interface.
Active Directory enables you to edit policy settings with the Group Policy Editor. To customize the settings
for network share repository folder, add the ADM file for System Update to the Group Policy Editor.
To add the ADM file and customize the settings, do the following:
1. Download the System Update ADM file from the Lenovo Web site at:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVAN-ADMIN#tvsu
Note: If you are using an ADM file and the Group Policy Editor to set policy settings for System Update,
make sure that you are using the ADM file released specifically for each version. For example, if you are
customizing policies for System Update 3.2, you must use the ADM file designed for System Update 3.2.
2. On your server, launch Active Directory.
3. Click servername.com and then click Properties.
4. On the Group Policy tab, highlight New Group Policy Object and click Edit.
Note: You can also type gpedit.msc in the Open or Start Search box to launch the Group Policy Editor.
5. Right-click Administrative Templates.
6. Select Add/Remove Templates.
7. Click Add and then select the tvsu.adm file.
8. Click Close in the Add/Remove Template dialog box. The ThinkVantage tab is created.
Note: Under the ThinkVantage tab, there is a System Update tab. If you do not see the applicable
policy, make sure that your Group Policy Editor is set to display all policy settings.
9. Navigate the Group Policy Editor to the following location:
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\ThinkVantage
\System Update\User Settings\General\Repository Location

10. Double-click Repository Location.
11. In the Local Repository Location 1 field, change the value from SUPPORTCENTER to your network
repository share, for example:
\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

12. Click Apply.
32

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Setting policies for multiple repositories
To set policies in the Group Policy Editor for multiple repositories, refer to the following example:
1. After adding the Administrative Template for System Update, navigate the Group Policy Editor to the
following location:
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\ThinkVantage
\System Update\User Settings\General\Repository Location

2. Double-click Repository Location.
3. In the Local Repository 2 field, type the file path for your local system repository, for example:
%ANYDRV%\SystemUpdate3_x\

4. In the Local Repository 3 field, type the network share repository path of your server and share,
for example:
\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

5. Click Apply.

System Update version control using Active Directory
If you want to control the version of System Update available to your users, you can use your network
repository to store specific versions of System Update. Storing packages locally will enable System Update
to search for upgrades within your network repository.
To configure Active Directory for System Update version control, do the following:
1. Download the SSClientCommon.zip file from the following Lenovo Web site:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVAN-ADMIN#tvsu
2. Extract the SSClientCommon.zip file to your repository folder.
3. After adding the Administrative Template for System Update, navigate the Group Policy Editor to the
following location:
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\ThinkVantage
\System Update\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings

4. Double-click Update Thyself.
5. Click Enabled.
6. In the Update Thyself text box, type the UNC path of your repository, for example:
\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

Note: If your repository folder requires authentication, set the polices for the Mapped Network Drive.
For information about the Mapped Network Drive policies, see “Group Policy settings” on page 29.
7. Click OK.
8. Deploy these settings to client computers.
Note: System Update version control is compatible with System Update 3.02 and later versions.

Chapter 3. Configurations

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Chapter 4. Working with System Update
This chapter provides information on working with update packages, using System Update, and downloading
the Web upgrade for System Update.

About System Update
When you search for updates using System Update, the request goes to a repository or the Lenovo Help
Center, depending on how System Update is configured. In response, System Update provides a list of
new candidate updates. Then System Update verifies which of the candidate updates are applicable to the
hardware and software on your computer and displays a list of applicable updates. System Update will
also display update packages in order of severity that are related to other update packages. Once you
select updates of interest, System Update downloads the updates from the repository or the Lenovo Help
Center, and then provides an installation method. If two or more update packages are related, System
Update downloads and installs all update packages.
Designed to help you keep your system up-to-date, System Update provides the following functions:
• Get new updates
• Install deferred updates
• Schedule updates

Extras tab
As a feature of System Update, the Extras tab enables you to easily identify the applicable software,
hardware, and solution offerings to help you keep your entire system performing to its full capacity.
System Update analyzes your system, and then recommends solutions that can be used to enhance your
system performance. Examples of what the Extras tab may recommend include:
• Memory upgrades
• Printer recommendations
• Warranty recommendations

System Update billboard
In various panels of the System Update user interface, there is a live feed billboard image provided by
Lenovo for customer registration. If you click this image, the registration process will begin. If you register,
you will receive important information about your system from Lenovo. You can turn this live feed off by
clearing the value in the registry. For more information on configuring this setting with the registry or the
ADM file, see Chapter 3 “Configurations” on page 13.
Note: The registration function is available to users in United States only.

Working with update packages
An update package is made by bundling several files together. An updates package consists of a
self-extracting installer program, an XML descriptor file that defines the update, one or more NLS readme
files, any package license file, and any optional detection modules.
Applicable update packages must match the triplet of a client computer. A triplet is the combination of the
operating system, machine type (MT), and operating system language. An example of a triplet value is:

Windows XP, 2373, US English

Note: If you have multiple machine type/model numbers selected in the Update Retriever main window, all
packages common to the multiple systems that you select in the Applicable Updates window will result
in a check mark next to each system. Clearing the check box for one system will clear the check boxes
for all of the systems.

Downloading and installing updates
You can download and install update packages from the following different locations:
• The Lenovo Help Center Web site
• The repository folder on a local system
• The repository folder on a network share
The following sections explain each location in detail, so that you can provide the best configuration for
your organization.

Using the Lenovo Help Center Web site
You can manually initiate a search for new updates using System Update. System Update notifies you that
the following information is communicated to determine the applicable update packages for your system:
• Operating system
• Machine type
• Operating system language
System Update will then provide a selectable list of updates. You will have the option to defer updates, so
you can download the update package and install it at a later time, or you can download the update package
and install it immediately. Once you select the updates to download and confirm the selections, the updates
will be downloaded and installed to your system.

Using the repository folder on a local system
You can set up your computer to store update packages locally. Do this by creating a folder on your
computer to use as the repository, and then change the repository path in the registry that points to that
repository on your local computer.

Using the repository folder on a network share
You can download and install new updates from a repository that resides on a network share. System
Update will retrieve the end user credentials (user name and password) needed for authentication from the
application properties as encrypted strings. If a user name and password does not exist, System Update will
still attempt to connect to the network share but will prompt the user to provide a user name and password.
Note: The user name and password properties can be managed by Active Directory. As the user name and
password must be encrypted when used as an application property, an administrator can use the Lenovo
supplied utility called MapDrv to generate encrypted strings for the user name and password using a
software key. For additional information about the MapDrv utility, see “MapDrv utility” on page 78.
The following keys are used to store the user name and password:
• HKLM\Software\Lenovo\MND\TVSUAPPLICATION\UNC=
• HKLM\Software\Policies\Lenovo\MND\TVSUAPPLICATION\UNC=

• HKLM\Software\Lenovo\MND\TVSUAPPLICATION\Pwd=

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

If an Active Directory policy is used, these values are stored at:
• HKLM\Software\Policies\Lenovo\MND\TVSUAPPLICATION\UNC=

• HKLM\Software\Policies\Lenovo\MND\TVSUAPPLICATION\User=

• HKLM\Software\Policies\Lenovo\MND\TVSUAPPLICATION\Pwd=

Working with license agreements
Upon searching for update packages, System Update will provide update packages to download and install.
Update packages can contain license agreements. If you store update packages in a repository, you can
save time and effort by using silent command scripts and by configuring System Update to recognize
these license agreements automatically. To configure System Update to recognize license agreements
automatically, set the following registry value to YES:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update
\Preferences\UserSettings\General\IgnoreLocalLicense

Note: Using silent command scripts to recognize license agreements works only if you use a repository
to store update packages. If you obtain packages directly from the Lenovo Help Center Web site, silent
command scripts will not be effective.

Using System Update
When using System Update to search for update packages, System Update will display search results in four
categories: Critical, Recommended, Optional, and Extra. This categorization also defines the severity level
of the package. For a description of each category, see the following:
• Critical packages are considered mandatory for your system to function properly. Failure to install these
packages could result in data loss, system malfunction, or hardware failure. You can choose to have
critical updates downloaded and installed automatically on a scheduled basis. A critical package can
be, for example:
– A hard disk drive firmware update that if not applied could result in hard disk drive failure.
– A BIOS upgrade that if not applied will result in system lags.
– A software patch to an application that if not applied could result in data loss on your system.
• Recommended packages are packages recommended by Lenovo to ensure your system working at
optimal performance. This severity level should be the default for most drivers. A recommended package
can be, for example:
– A video driver that corrects an issue that may cause blue screen issues.
– A BIOS update that contains minor fixes that may impact a small group of customers.
– A power management driver that will allow a mobile system to get the most out of its battery life.
• Optional packages will improve your computing experience, but are not necessary. An optional package
can be, for example:
– A tool that enables you to migrate files from one system to another such as the ThinkVantage® Rescue
and Recovery® program. The Rescue and Recovery program is not needed for your system to operate,
but provides benefit if you choose to install it.
– Any BIOS or driver upgrade that has been updated only to support newer systems and contains no
fixes.

Chapter 4. Working with System Update

• Extra packages can consist of software, hardware, or solution offerings to help you keep your entire
system performing to its full capacity. An extra package can be, for example:
– Memory upgrades
– Printer recommendations
– Warranty recommendations

Scheduling the search for updates
You have the option to manually initiate the search for new updates or schedule an automatic search for new
updates at a specified time interval when System Update is configured to search from custom repositories.
When you enable the automatic search for updates, you can define the package type, the search frequency,
and the time of day when System Update searches for new updates.
Using System Update, you will be enabled to do the following automatic searches on a scheduled basis:
•

“Automatic searching for new updates” on page 38

•

“ Automatic searching for and downloading new updates” on page 39

•

“ Automatic searching for, downloading, and installing new updates” on page 39

Configuring an automatic search
When you configure System Update to search for new updates automatically on a scheduled basis, the
following options are available:
• Schedule: You can choose to search for new updates weekly or monthly. For weekly checks, a day of the
week and time must be selected. For monthly checks, a date in the month and time must be selected.
• Notification: For recommended and optional updates, you can be notified when new updates are found
and have the choice to either download the updates or defer the download at a later time. For critical
updates, you can configure the application to automatically download and notify you after the download
is completed, or you can configure to download and install all new updates and to get notified after the
download and installation is completed.

Configuring the notification option for an automatic search
If performing an automatic search, you can configure the application with one of the following notification
options for critical, recommended, and optional updates:
• Provides notification when new updates are found so that you can manually initiate the download and
installation.
• Downloads and installs the new updates and provides notification when completed.
• Automatically downloads updates and notifies you when the updates are ready to install.
The notification is in form of a balloon tooltip.

Automatic searching for new updates
You can configure System Update to only search for updates from a custom repository on a specified
schedule. If new updates are found, you are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application icon in the
notification area. When you click the balloon tooltip, System Update will display the new updates. You can
also launch System Update by double-clicking the application icon.
If you right-click the application icon, two options are available: Launch and Exit. Selecting Launch will
start System Update and display the new updates. Selecting Exit will remove the application icon, and you
will no longer be notified when new updates are found until the next scheduled search for new updates.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Automatic searching for and downloading new updates
You can configure System Update to automatically search for and download new updates available to your
system on a specified schedule. New updates will be found and automatically downloaded to the local
cache of deferred updates. When the download is completed, you will be notified with a balloon tooltip from
the application icon in the notification area. If you click the balloon tooltip, System Update will be launched
and show the new updates that were downloaded and are ready to install. You can also launch System
Update by double-clicking the application icon.
You can right-click and select Launch or Exit. Selecting Launch will launch System Update and display
the new updates. Selecting Exit will remove the application icon, and you are no longer notified when new
updates were downloaded until the next scheduled search for new updates.

Automatic searching for, downloading, and installing new updates
You can configure System Update to automatically search for, download, and install new updates available
to your system on a specified schedule. New updates will be found and automatically downloaded and
installed to your system. When the installation is completed, you will be notified with a balloon tooltip
from the application icon in the notification area. If you click the balloon tooltip, System Update will be
launched and show the updates that were installed and the results. You can also launch System Update
by double-clicking the application icon.
You can right-click and select Launch or Exit. Selecting Launch will launch System Update and display the
results screen. Selecting Exit will remove the application icon, and you are no longer notified when new
updates were installed until the next scheduled search for new updates.

Viewing the download and installation history
You can view a history of updates that are downloaded and installed on your system. For each update, the
results of the download and installation are noted as either successful or failed.

Hiding and restoring hidden updates
Updates can be hidden, which means those specific updates will not be displayed as applicable in the
future. You can hide specific versions of an update.

Working with updates that force a reboot
When installing multiple updates and one of the updates forces a reboot, System Update will automatically
continue the installation at the next update after the reboot.

Keyboard shortcuts
The following table provides the keyboard shortcuts for the main functions of System Update:
Table 14. Keyboard shortcuts
Function

Shortcut

Get new updates

CTRL+U

Install deferred updates

CTRL+D

Schedule updates

CTRL+S

View installation history

CTRL+H

Restore hidden updates

CTRL+R

Chapter 4. Working with System Update

Table 14. Keyboard shortcuts (continued)
Function

Shortcut

CTRL+E

Context Help

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Chapter 5. Working with Update Retriever
This chapter provides information about setting up and using Update Retriever.

About Update Retriever
Update Retriever enables you to download update packages from the Lenovo Help Center Web site to a
network share repository folder. Your repository folder provides the storage for update packages. Once
configured, System Update can search your repository for update packages. This allows greater control of
the updates that are available over your network.
You can manually initiate the search for updates or schedule an automatic search for new packages at a
specified time interval. If performing an automatic search, you can configure Update Retriever to provide
notification when new updates are found so you can manually initiate the download or to automatically
download the new updates and provide notification when downloading is complete.

About update packages
Update Retriever enables you to modify or create update packages. An updates package consists of a
self-extracting installer program, an XML descriptor file that defines the update, one or more NLS readme
files, any package license file, and any optional detection modules. Each update package has an XML
descriptor file that contains metadata used to describe the conditions that must exist on the client computer
and how to install the update on the client computer. If an update meets the requirements you defined in the
XML descriptor file, it is considered an applicable update for the targeted system. An XML descriptor file
contains the necessary information for an update package to be recognized and handled by System Update.
Note: To modify an update package, you must use Update Retriever to edit the XML descriptor file. For
more information, see the Update Retriever help system.
The following list provides the metadata of an update package that you can customize using Update
Retriever:
• Package identity
– Package ID
– Name
– Version
– Vendor
– Release date
– Disk space needed to install the package
– Title, description, summary, and language of a package
– Version detection
– Target applications
• Installation detection
– Add/Remove programs
– BIOS
– BIOS date
– CPU address width

– Driver
– Embedded controller version
– External detection
– File date
– File existence
– File version
– Hard disk drive (HDD)
– Operating system and operating system languages
– OS
– OSLang
– OSNLang
– Plug-and-play adapter ID (PnPID)
– Registry key
– Registry key value
– Supported systems
– System vendor
• Assigning severity levels to update packages
– Critical
– Recommended
– Optional
• Installation setup and details
– Installation type
– Command
– Shell
– INF file
– One or more return codes indicating success or failure
– Reboot types
– Extract command
– Default language
– Manual installation details
– Uninstall details
• Defining the files that make up the update package
– Installer file
– External file
– Readme file
– License file and other system specific files

Update Retriever first time setup
When you launch Update Retriever the first time, you need to set up Update Retriever. To do the first
time setup of Update Retriever, do the following:

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

1. Launch Update Retriever.
Note: When you launch Update Retriever, you must be logged on as a user who belongs to a local
administrator group.
2. On the Welcome screen, specify a repository folder and set the logon information by doing the following:
a. Type or browse a repository path for the share drive used as the network share repository in the
Repository path field.
Note: The Welcome screen will not open the next time you launch Update Retriever. However, you
can change the repository path and default status of updates by using the Modify settings option in
the Update Retriever navigation pane.
b. Type a user name and password for the share drive used as the network share repository in the user
name and password fields.
3. In the Get new updates panel, click Add.
4. In the Add new systems window, set the triplet information for a system by doing the following:
a. Type the applicable machine type. You can find the machine type on the bottom of a notebook
computer or on the rear of a desktop computer.
b. Select the applicable operating system.
c. Select the applicable language.
d. Click Add and then click Save.
5. In the Get new updates panel, select the check box next to the applicable machine type you want to
search for update packages.
Note: If you want to search for update packages for all machine types, select the Select all check box.
6. Click Next and then click Finish to search for the applicable update packages. Update Retriever will
place the update packages in the designated repository folder.
Attention: If you find duplicate update packages in the network share repository, and these update
packages have different package contents, you can select all packages with corresponding names for a
given machine type when you are managing the contents of the network share repository.
Note: If you install Update Retriever on a notebook computer that is running the Windows 7 and later
operating systems in one country and then download update packages in another country, the license files
with those update packages may not be displayed correctly. To avoid this problem, do not download update
packages in any country except the one where you installed Update Retriever.

Using Update Retriever
With Update Retriever, you can manually initiate the search for update packages, or schedule an automatic
search for new update packages at a specified time interval.
The following sections provide information on using Update Retriever to search for update packages,
schedule an automatic search, view download history, and restore hidden updates.

Manual searching for new updates
You can manually initiate a search for new updates using a wizard-like interface. Update packages are
specific to the triplet value of each client computer. A triplet is the combination of the operating system,
machine type (MT), and operating system language. An example of a triplet value is:
Windows XP, 2373, US English

Chapter 5. Working with Update Retriever

For systems with various triplets, updates are assigned to matching machine types, operating systems, and
language values. The triplet value for an update is saved in the repository when the update is downloaded
from the Lenovo Help Center Web site by Update Retriever.
Once a triplet value is specified, Update Retriever searches the Lenovo Help Center Web site and displays a
list of packages targeted to the specified triplet value. After you search for updates, there will be a brief
time interval before you can select the applicable updates to download. Once you select the updates to
download, you can review your selections. After you confirm the selections, the updates will be downloaded
to a specified repository.

Scheduling the search for updates
You can configure Update Retriever to search for new updates automatically on a scheduled basis. The
scheduler initiates a search for new updates. The administrator is notified depending on how Update
Retriever was configured, in the form of an e-mail or a balloon tooltip from the application icon in the
notification area.

Configuring an automatic search
When you configure Update Retriever to search for new updates automatically on a scheduled basis, the
following options are available:
• Schedule: You can choose to search for new updates weekly or monthly. For weekly checks, a day of the
week and time must be selected. For monthly checks, a date in the month and time must be selected.
• Notification: For recommended and optional updates, you can be notified when new updates are found
and have the choice to either download the updates or defer the download at a later time. For critical
updates, you can configure the application to automatically download and notify you after the download
is completed, or you can configure to download and install all new updates and to get notified after the
download and installation is completed.

Automatic searching for new updates
If you are performing an automatic search for critical updates, you can configure the application to provide
notification when new updates are found so that you can manually initiate the download later, or to
automatically download the new updates and provide notification when the downloading is complete.
If you are performing an automatic search for recommended updates, you can configure the application to
provide notification when new updates are found so that you can manually initiate the download later.
Note: System Update will only allow updates to be installed on systems for which the update was designated.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Managing the repository
Update Retriever enables you to manage the updates in your repository.

Viewing updates in a repository
You can view updates in the repository by choosing Manage repository and then selecting Update view.
You can view updates by filtering by operating system, language, machine type, severity, and status. In
the Update view panel, you can sort the list of updates by update ID, title, version, reboot type, severity,
license, or status. You can select one or more packages and modify or delete them. You can also select
non-Lenovo packages and modify the triplets.

Modifying an update package
You can modify the reboot type, severity, license, and status of one or more update packages in the
repository.
The following table provides the values that you can set for the selected update package(s).
Table 15. The values for an update package
Option

Possible value

Reboot type

• (Blank)
• No reboot: reboot type 0
• Forces a reboot: reboot type 1
• Reserved
• Requires a reboot: reboot type 3
• Shut down: reboot type 4

Severity

• (Blank)
• Critical
• Recommended
• Optional

License

• (Blank)
• Display
• No display

Status

• (Blank)
• Test
• Active
Attention: You must change the value to Active to indicate that the
package is in production, so that System Update can recognize it.

Note: The default value was set in the first time setup of Update Retriever. You can set the default value
by using the Modify settings option in the Update Retriever navigation pane. See “Modifying settings”
on page 47.

Creating an update package
You can create an update package by clicking Create an Update in the Update view panel.
To create an update package, do the following:

Chapter 5. Working with Update Retriever

1. Build a single executable for source files with an installer, such as 7zip, WinZip, WinRar, Package
For The Web (PFTW), or MSI.
2. (Optional) Create a readme file that describes the update packages including the following:
• Reports with version history
• Minimum installation requirements
• Steps to install and uninstall
• Reports of changes from one version to a later version
• Issues that need to be communicated to the end user
Note: If a readme file does not exist in the update package, the update cannot be imported with
Update Retriever.
3. (Optional) Create a file that documents the license or End-User Licence Agreement (EULA) which the
end user must agree to before the package can be installed. System Update will present the contents of
this file to the end user before the package can be downloaded and installed.
4. Test the executable you created in step 1.
5. Create the XML descriptor file with Update Retriever. For more information, see the Update Retriever
help system.
6. From the Define files panel, add the installer such as an executable, a license file, a readme file, and
any optional or required files. Update Retriever automatically builds the package for you when you
complete the XML descriptor.
7. Verify the package created in the Update Retriever repository.
8. Import the package to the network share repository using Update Retriever. See “Importing an update
package into a network share repository” on page 46.
Note: For more information on creating an update package, see the Update Retriever help system.

Importing an update package into a network share repository
You can import custom updates that are built manually or customized with Update Retriever into a network
share repository using Update Retriever. When an update is imported, it is not assigned to a triplet. The
value for the triplet is listed as "Unassigned" for the machine type. You must assign custom updates to one
or more systems before they will be recognized by System Update.
To import an update package into the network share repository and reassign the triplet information, do
the following:
1. Launch Update Retriever.
2. Click Manage repository in the Update Retriever navigation pane.
3. Click Import updates.
4. Click Browse and navigate to your repository containing update packages.
5. Select your applicable update package and then click OK.
6. Select the check box to search subfolders (if the .xmls files are not in the root folder).
7. Click Next.
8. Review the updates that were found and then click Import.
9. Click Update view, and the imported updates are displayed as unassigned updates.
10. Select the check box for the updates and click Assign systems.
11. In the Assign system window, select the check box for the applicable triplets or select Select all.
12. Click Save.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Note: Each update must be in its own subfolder. If importing only one update, specify the folder that
contains that update. If importing multiple updates, put each update subfolder under a wrapper folder and
specify the wrapper folder during the import operation.

Assigning triplets to an update
You can assign custom updates to one or more systems. When viewing updates in the repository, you can
select one or more updates and assign those updates to one or more systems by selecting the relevant
triplets.

Generating a contents report of the network share repository
You can generate a report of the contents in the network share repository that will be in an Excel spreadsheet
format (CSV file). In this report, you can choose to include active updates, archived updates, hidden
updates, and test updates.

Modifying settings
You can set the default repository and the default update package status by using the Modify settings
option in the Update Retriever navigation pane.
• Update default status: The status of updates will be set to a specified value when updates are retrieved
from the Lenovo Help Center or imported to a local repository.
• Repositories: You can customize the location of the repository folder. If a network share is specified
using the UNC path, you can provide a user name and password to authenticate without requiring a
prompt when making the actual connection.

Viewing history
The View history function enables you to view the detailed information about the download history and
export history.
The download history provides detailed information about all updates that the ThinkVantage Update
Retriever has downloaded to the update repository, as well as updates that are hidden.
To view the download history, do the following:
1. Click View history in the left pane of the main window. The View History window opens.
2. Click the View download history link to view the following information:
• Title: The title of the update.
• Version: The version number of the update.
• Name: The name of the update.
• Downloaded Time: The date and time when the update was downloaded (not displayed for current
results).
The export history provides detailed information about updates that have been exported to the target folder.
To view the export history, do the following:
1. Click View history in the left pane of the main window. The View History window opens.
2. Click the View export history link to view the following information:
• Exported Time: The date and time when the update was exported.
• Status: Successful or Failed (followed by the cause of failure).
• Source Location: The directory where the driver update is saved in the repository.
• Target Location: The directory where the exported driver update is saved.
Chapter 5. Working with Update Retriever

• Subfolder Name: The name of subfolder where the exported driver update is saved. For the driver
update that fails to be exported, the subfolder name just indicates its title and version number.

Hiding updates
You can hide updates, which means that the hidden updates including the current and future versions will
not be displayed as relevant (from the Lenovo Help Center) in the future. You have two options:
• Hide just a specific version of an update
• Hide all future versions of an update
If in the future you want to have those updates displayed again, you can unhide them.

Exporting updates
The ThinkVantage Update Retriever enables you to export driver updates in your repository to a designated
target folder. During the export process, Update Retriever will extract each driver update to a subfolder.
Then, these extracted driver updates can be easily imported into common operating system deployment
tools such as Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager or LANDesk Management Suite for easy
integration and deployment.
Note: Before exporting updates, make sure you have downloaded the relevant driver updates for target
systems from the Lenovo Help Center to your repository.
To export the driver updates, do the following:
1. Click Manage repository in the left pane of the main window. The menu expands to show several
options for managing the repository.
2. Click Export updates to begin the process of exporting driver updates in the right pane of the main
window.
3. Type the directory of the target folder in the Folder field, or click Browse to locate the target folder. You
can create the target folder if it does not exist.
4. Click Next. Select a system from the Machine type/Operating system/Language list, and then select the
driver update(s) assigned to the system you selected, or select Select all to include all the updates
displayed.
5. Repeat step 4 for other systems if desired.
6. Click Finish. The export starts, and you can view the export progress in the right pane.
7. When the export completes, the results and the location link of the target folder are displayed. You can
click the results link to view the export history, and click the location link to open the target folder that
contains the extracted driver updates.
Note: When exporting updates from a repository located on the network instead of a repository on a local
drive, an Open File - Security Warning dialog will be displayed for each update that is to be extracted during
the export process. To prevent the dialog from being displayed, you can change the Local intranet settings in
the Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser, either temporarily or permanently as you need.
To change the Local intranet settings in the Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser, do the following:
1. Open the Microsoft Internet Explorer Web browser.
2. Click Tools and select Internet Options.
3. Click the Security tab.
4. Click the Local intranet icon and click Sites.
5. The Local intranet dialog box is displayed. If the Automatically detect intranet network check box is
selected, clear it and then select Include all network paths (UNCs). It is recommended that you also
select Include all local (intranet) sites not listed in other zones and Include all sites that bypass the
proxy server unless otherwise instructed by your system administrator.
48

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

6. Click OK to save the Local intranet settings.
7. On the Security tab, click Default level to view the default security level. If the security level is set to
Medium-low or Low, no other changes are necessary. Otherwise, go to step 8.
8. If the security level is set to High, Medium-high, Medium, or Custom, change the security level to
Medium-low (the default setting) by moving the security level slider. However, you can keep the security
level higher than Medium-low yet still be able to prevent the Open File - Security Warning dialog from
being displayed by customizing the security setting. To customize the security setting, do the following:
a. Click Custom level. The Security Settings-Internet Zone dialog is displayed.
b. Locate the Launching applications and unsafe files option.
c. Select Enable.
d. Click OK. A dialog box for confirmation is displayed.
e. Click Yes to confirm your selection.
f. Click OK to exit the Internet Options dialog box.

Keyboard shortcuts
The following table provides the keyboard shortcuts for the main functions of Update Retriever:
Table 16. Keyboard shortcuts
Function

Shortcut

Get new updates

CTRL+G

Update view (Show updates)

CTRL+U

Create reports

CTRL+R

Import updates

CTRL+I

Schedule updates

CTRL+S

Update view (Restore hidden updates)

CTRL+H

Update view (Manage archive)

CTRL+A

Modify settings

CTRL+E

View download history

CTRL+T

Chapter 5. Working with Update Retriever

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Chapter 6. Working with Thin Installer
This chapter provides information about using Thin Installer and configuring it to fit your needs.

About Thin Installer
Thin Installer is designed to help IT administrators keep the systems in their environment up-to-date. The
program searches for the updates from a repository created by the user. The repository can be on a local
hard disk drive, a network share, a Web share (HTTP), or external media such as a CD, DVD, or USB hard
disk drive. The program automatically recognizes the machine type of your computer, model number, and
other system information to determine whether the system needs the available updates. If two or more
updates are related, the program downloads and installs all updates. The program can be configured to
install updates either manually or automatically.
Thin Installer is a lighter version of System Update. Unlike System Update, Thin Installer does not require
installation, does not create any registry keys, and does not have any services. All the files related with Thin
Installer are located in a single folder.
Thin Installer is available on the Lenovo Support Web site at:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVAN-ADMIN#tvsu
Thin Installer is supported on the following operating systems:
• Windows 10
• Windows 8
• Windows 8.1
• Windows 7
Note: Thin Installer requires Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 or a later version.

Configuring Thin Installer
Thin Installer provides an XML file, ThinInstaller.exe.configuration, to configure settings. The XML file is
located at the root of the Thin Installer folder.
The default configuration is shown as follows:

EN
4096
NO
NO
YES
YES
NO
Active

Table 17. Description of configurable items
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

RepositoryPath

Specifies the repository path. By
default, Thin Installer searches for
updates in a subdirectory under the
Thin Installer folder.

Default value: blank

If specified, Thin Installer
searches for updates from
the specified repository
path.

LogPath

Specifies the log path. By default,
the log is created in a subdirectory
under the Thin Installer folder.

Default value: blank

If Thin Installer does not
have write access to the
specified log path, Thin
Installer will create the log
at the default location.

LanguageOverride

Specifies the language to be used.

Default value: EN

Changes the language to
the specified one.

Possible values:
• DA
• NL
• EN
• FI
• FR
• DE
• IT
• JP
• KO
• NO
• PT
• ES
• SV
• CHS
• CHT
BlockSize

Specifies the number of bytes to be
read each time data is downloaded.

Default value: 4096
Possible values:

Sets the number of bytes
to the specified one.

• 4096
• 8192
AskBeforeClosing

Prompts the user whether to close
Thin Installer.

Default value: NO
Possible values:
• YES
• NO

DisplayLicenseNotice

Enables you to skip the license
agreement that is displayed before
the update package pick list is
populated.

Default value: NO
Possible values:
• YES
• NO

• If YES, a dialog box will
prompt to ask whether
to close Thin Installer.
• If NO, no dialog box will
prompt to ask whether
to close Thin Installer,
and Thin Installer will
close directly.
• If YES, the license
agreement screen will
be displayed prior to the
update package pick
list.
• If NO, the license
agreement screen will
not be displayed.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Table 17. Description of configurable items (continued)
Configurable item

Description

Value

Action

IgnoreLocalLicense

Shows or hides the license dialog
when Thin Installer is downloading
and installing an update package.

Default value: YES

• If YES, the license
dialog will not be
displayed when Thin
Installer is downloading
and installing an update
package.

Possible values:
• YES
• NO

• If NO, the license
dialog will be displayed
when Thin Installer
is downloading and
installing an update
package.
Note: Some Microsoft
updates may require
the end user to accept
the license, and this
cannot be disabled by
the IgnoreLocalLicense
configurable item.
IgnoreRMLicCRCSize

Use this setting to enable or disable
the following functions when Thin
Installer downloads packages:
• CRC - checks the file corruption
of readme and license agreement
files when you download
packages.

Default value: YES
Possible values:
• YES

• If YES, Thin Installer
skips checking the
corruption or the size of
these files.

• NO

• If NO, Thin Installer
checks the corruption or
the size of these files.

Specifies whether Thin Installer
should create the log file named
ApplicabilityRulesTrace.log. See
“ApplicabilityRulesTrace.log” on
page 57.

Default value: NO

• If YES, Thin Installer will
create the log file.

Refers to the status of the update
packages. Set the value depending
on the status of update packages in
the repository.

Default value: Active

• File size - checks the file size of
readme and license agreement
files.
DebugEnable

ContentMode

Possible values:

• If NO, Thin Installer will
not create the log file.

• YES
• NO

Possible values:
• Active
• Test

• If Active, Thin Installer
will search the Update
Retriever repository for
update packages in
active status.
• If Test, Thin Installer
will search the Update
Retriever repository for
update packages in test
status.
Note: If there is no
database.xml file in
the Update Retriever
repository folder, Thin
Installer will ignore the
value of ContentMode
and search for all the
update packages.

Chapter 6. Working with Thin Installer

Using Thin Installer
To use Thin Installer, extract the executable from the Lenovo Support Web site and configure the path of the
repository. To create the repository, see Chapter 5 “Working with Update Retriever” on page 41. By default,
the program searches for updates in a subdirectory under the Thin Installer folder.

Figure 6. Default repository

To specify a different location, use the configuration file located in the Thin Installer folder or use the
command line parameters.
Note: If the repository location is specified in both the configuration file and the command line, the command
line will take higher precedence.
Thin Installer requires administrative privileges. If Thin Installer is invoked by a software distribution
agent, Thin Installer will run with the same privileges as the software distribution agent, which usually
has administrative privileges.
The following table provides the command line scripts for Thin Installer. %ANYPATH% denotes the directories
where the Thin Installer files are located.
Table 18. Command line scripts
Scripts

Description

%ANYPATH%\Thininstaller.exe /CM –search C
–action LIST

Searches the default repository for critical update
packages and notifies you with a balloon tooltip
from the application icon in the notification area
prior to installation.

%ANYPATH%\Thininstaller.exe /CM –search R
–action INSTALL

Searches the default repository for critical and
recommended update packages and installs those
that do not contain a license agreement.
If you do not set the value in the
DisplayLicenseNotice configurable item to
NO, you will be prompted to agree to a license
agreement before the update package pick list is
displayed.
You will be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the
update packages are installed.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Table 18. Command line scripts (continued)
Scripts

Description

%ANYPATH%\Thininstaller.exe /CM –search A
–action INSTALL -noicon

Installs all critical, recommended, and optional
packages that have no reboot requirement and
suppresses the balloon tooltip from the notification
area icon after the installation is completed.

%ANYPATH%\Thininstaller.exe /CM –search C
–action INSTALL –noicon
–includerebootpackages 1,3,4

Installs all critical packages with specified reboot
types without displaying a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the
installation is completed. Packages with a reboot
type will force the system to reboot or shut down.

%ANYPATH%\Thininstaller.exe /CM –search R
–action INSTALL –noicon
–includerebootpackages 1,3,4 -noreboot

Installs all critical and recommended packages
with specified reboot types without displaying a
balloon tooltip from the application icon in the
notification area after the installation is completed,
and suppresses the system reboot for packages
with reboot type 3.

%ANYPATH%\Thininstaller.exe /CM –search A
–action LIST –repository C:\MyRepository

Searches a repository for critical, recommended,
and optional update packages and notifies you
with a balloon tooltip from the application icon in
the notification area prior to installation.

%ANYPATH%\Thininstaller.exe /CM –search C
–action INSTALL –repository C:\MyRepository

Searches a repository for critical update packages
and installs those that do not contain a license
agreement.
If you do not set the value in the
DisplayLicenseNotice configurable item to
NO, you will be prompted to agree to a license
agreement before the update package pick list is
displayed.
You will be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the
update packages are installed.

%ANYPATH%\Thininstaller.exe /CM -search A
-action INSTALL -repository C:\MyRepository
-noicon -includerebootpackages 1,3,4
-noreboot

Searches a repository for critical, recommended,
and optional update packages and then installs
those with specified reboot types that do not
contain a license agreement.
If you do not set the value in the
DisplayLicenseNotice configurable item to
NO, you will be prompted to agree to a license
agreement before the update package pick list is
displayed.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from
the application icon in the notification area after
the update packages are installed. Reboot type 3
will suppress a system reboot.

Chapter 6. Working with Thin Installer

Table 18. Command line scripts (continued)
Scripts

Description

%ANYPATH%\ThinInstaller.exe /CM –search C
–action INSTALL –repository C:\MyRepository
–log "C:\MyLogFolder\MyLogFile.txt"

%ANYPATH%\ThinInstaller.exe /CM –search R
–action INSTALL –repository C:\MyRepository
–noicon –includerebootpackages 1,3,4
-noreboot

Searches a repository for critical and
recommended update packages and then installs
those with specified reboot types that do not
contain a license agreement.
If you do not set the value in the
DisplayLicenseNotice configurable item to
NO, you will be prompted to agree to a license
agreement before the update package pick list is
displayed.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from
the application icon in the notification area after
the update packages are installed. Reboot type 3
will suppress a system reboot.

%ANYPATH%\Thininstaller.exe /CM -search A
-action INSTALL -repository C:\MyRepository
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4 -showprogress
-noreboot

Searches a repository for critical, recommended,
and optional update packages and then installs
those with specified reboot types that do not
contain a license agreement.
If you do not set the value in the
DisplayLicenseNotice configurable item to
NO, you will be prompted to agree to a license
agreement after the search is completed.
Progress bars will be displayed to indicate the
installation progress for each update and the
overall progress. Reboot type 3 will suppress a
system reboot.

%ANYPATH%\Thininstaller.exe /CM -search A
-action LIST -repository C:\MyRepository
-showprogress

Searches a repository for critical, recommended,
and optional update packages and displays a
progress bar while searching the repository for
updates.

Notes:
1. The BIOS installation requires user’s attention and cannot be deployed in unattended mode.
2. The BIOS installation forces the system to reboot and cannot be suppressed by the command line
parameter –noreboot.
3. Thin Installer installs the BIOS updates after all other updates to reduce the number of reboots.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Return error codes
Thin Installer returns error code 0 for success and error code 1 for any of the following conditions during
the deployment of the updates.
• The specified repository is not found.
• The XML schema validation fails for the update package.
• The CRC validation fails for the executable file of the update package.
• The update package installation fails.
• Thin Installer itself fails.
Example:
@echo off
CMD /C Exit 0
"%SystemDrive%\Program Files\Thininstaller\Thininstaller.exe" /CM -search A
-action install -includerebootpackages 1,3,4 -repository "C:\MyRepository"
–displayprogress –noreboot -noicon
if "%ERRORLEVEL%"=="1" @echo "Error Level 1...Fail"
if "%ERRORLEVEL%"=="0" @echo "Error Level 0...Successful"

Logs
Thin Installer creates the following logs during the deployment:
• %Temp%Setup Log Y-M-D.txt
• ApplicabilityRulesTrace.log
• Update_log_YYMMDDHHMMSS.txt

%Temp%Setup Log Y-M-D.txt
This log is created by default under the %temp% directory and maintains the history of Thin Installer's
installation process.

ApplicabilityRulesTrace.log
This log is created when the DebugEnable configurable item in the configuration file is set to Yes. This log
helps to find why a particular update is not applicable to the client computer. For each update, there are
two entries in this log:
• DetectInstall: If True, this indicates that the update already exists on the client computer. If False, this
indicates that the update does not exist and may be applicable to the client computer.
• Dependencies: If True, this indicates all dependencies are met. If False, this indicates one or more
dependencies are not met. Dependencies can be the combination of the operating system, 32-bit or
64-bit, registry keys, the version, or any prerequisites. This log is created in the subdirectory under
the Thin Installer folder.

Update_log_YYMMDDHHMMSS.txt
By default, this log is created in the subdirectory under the Thin Installer folder.

Windows 7 and later operating systems considerations
When Thin Installer finishes installing an update package with reboot type 1 or 4, the system reboots
automatically. If there are any update packages remaining to be installed, the program continues to install
these update packages automatically after the reboot.

Chapter 6. Working with Thin Installer

With considerations for Windows 7 and later operating systems, after you log in to the Windows desktop,
the UAC might stop the program from continuing to install the remaining update packages. To install the
remaining update packages, you need to manually click the Windows has blocked some startup programs
message on the system tray and select Run blocked program to run Thin Installer.
Note: If the Windows has blocked some startup programs message does not display on the system tray,
you need to manually run Thin Installer, search for the remaining update packages, and install them.

Web server configuration
The IIS (Internet Information Server) 6.0 or above does not serve unknown MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail
Extensions) types. When Thin Installer requests a MIME type that is not defined on the Web server, for
example, .sys, the MIME type needs to be added to the MIME type list on the Web server. To add the MIME
type, refer to the detailed procedure available on the following Web site at:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc725608(WS.10).aspx

Best practices
For best practices of working with Thin Installer, see “Scenario 8 - Working with Thin Installer” on page 64 in
Chapter 7 “Best practices” on page 59.

Uninstalling Thin Installer
No registry keys or temporary files relating to Thin Installer are created when the program finishes installing
update packages. Therefore, to uninstall Thin Installer, you only need to delete the repository folder and all
related files.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Chapter 7. Best practices
This chapter provides step-oriented scenarios to help you understand the update process. The scenarios
provided in this chapter are:
“Scenario 1 - Managing the update process” on page 59
“Scenario 2 - Deploying specific update packages” on page 60
“Scenario 3 - Deploying to non-Lenovo systems” on page 62
“Scenario 4 - Disabling the Web upgrade for System Update” on page 62
“Scenario 5 - Installing specific update packages with the MSDOS prompt” on page 63
“Scenario 6 - Deploying update packages to client computer repositories” on page 63
“Scenario 7 - Working with firewalls and the scheduler function” on page 64
“Scenario 8 - Working with Thin Installer” on page 64

Scenario 1 - Managing the update process
The following steps provide the best practices for managing the update process using System Update
and Update Retriever. For conceptual information about the update process, see “Managing the update
process” on page 1 .

Step 1 - Installing the programs
Complete the following steps to install System Update and Update Retriever:
1. Create a new folder on the server to use as the repository.
2. Share the new repository folder using the UNC path. The UNC path provides connectivity to all
computers that have been mapped to the repository. The format for a UNC path is:
\\server\share

for example:
\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

3. Set the access permissions of the new repository folder to read-only access for end users.
4. Download Update Retriever to the administrator computer. Update Retriever can be downloaded from
the following Lenovo Web site:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVAN-ADMIN#tvsu
5. Install Update Retriever silently by entering the following command for each program at the command
prompt:
[Update Retriever installation file name].exe/VERYSILENT /NORESTART

When you launch Update Retriever, you must be logged on as a user who belongs to a local
administrator group.

6. Download System Update from the following Lenovo Web site:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVAN-ADMIN#tvsu
7. Install System Update silently by entering the following command at the command prompt:
[System Update installation file name].exe/VERYSILENT /NORESTART

Note: System Update for Windows 7 and later operating systems provides a weekly scheduler
setting. However, you also can use the Task Scheduler tool on Windows 7 and later operating systems
to create a customized scheduler for System Update to provide more scheduler options to achieve the
best scheduling practice. For detailed information about using the Task Scheduler tool on Windows
7 operating systems, see “\UserSettings\Scheduler” on page 21.

Step 2 - Customizing the programs
Customize the settings for System Update with Active Directory or the registry. For additional information
about how to customize System Update with the registry, see “Configuring System Update with the registry”
on page 14. For information about how to customize System Update using Active Directory, see “Configuring
System Update with Active Directory” on page 27.

Step 3 - Working with the programs
Complete the following steps to download packages to your network, edit XML descriptor files using Update
Retriever, and then download and install packages using System Update:
1. Get update packages with Update Retriever.
2. Edit the XML descriptor file of the update packages using Update Retriever.
3. Import the update packages back into the network share repository using Update Retriever.
4. Use System Update to search the network share repository for update packages.
5. Download and install update packages to client computers.

Scenario 2 - Deploying specific update packages
For enterprises that choose to deploy specific update packages to client computers, you can configure
System Update, Update Retriever, and repository folders to deploy only the update packages that you have
selected. The following step-by-step instructions provides you with procedures to create repository folders,
configure System Update, and work with Update Retriever to deploy specific update packages.

Creating repository folders
To create repository folders to store update packages, do the following:
1. Create a new repository folder on a server that System Update will use to obtain specific update
packages for client computers.
2. Share the repository folder using the UNC path. The UNC path provides connectivity to all computers
that have been mapped to the repository, for example:
\\Server_X\SystemUpdate_repository\

3. Set the access permissions of the new repository folder to read-only access for end users.
4. Create another new folder on a server to use as a repository for update packages downloaded from the
Lenovo Help Center Web site with Update Retriever.
5. Share the repository folder using the UNC path, for example:

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

\\Server_X\UpdateRetriever_repository\

Configuring System Update on client computers
To configure System Update to download specific update packages to client computers, do the following:
1. On client computers, navigate to the following registry entry:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update\Preferences\
UserSetting\General\RepositoryLocation1

2. Change this setting by replacing the default value, SUPPORTCENTER, with your server and share name
of the System Update repository folder that you created in step 1 of “Creating repository folders” on
page 60, for example:
\\Server_X\SystemUpdate_repository\

Note: You can also use Active Directory to deploy this registry change using Group Policy. For more
information about working with Active Directory and Group Policy, see “Configuring System Update with
Active Directory” on page 27.

Working with Update Retriever
Complete the following steps to use Update Retriever to download update packages from the Lenovo Help
Center Web site to your Update Retriever repository that you created in step 4 under “Creating repository
folders” on page 60:
1. Launch Update Retriever on an administrator system.
2. On the Welcome screen, complete the following First time setup requirements:
a. In the Repository path field, type the directory path for the new Update Retriever repository that
you created in step 4.
b. In the User name and Password fields, type the user name and password for the network share
drive used as Update Retriever repository.
3. In the Get new updates panel, click Add.
4. In the Add new systems window, complete the following steps for the triplet settings:
a. Type the applicable machine type. You can find the machine type on the bottom of a notebook
computer or on the rear of a desktop machine.
b. Select the applicable operating system.
c. Select the applicable language.
d. Click Add and then click Save.
5. In the Get New Updates panel, select the check box for the applicable machine type. To import all
machine type update packages, select the Select all check box.
6. Click Next and then click Finish to search for applicable update packages. Update Retriever will place
the update packages in the designated repository folder.

Deploying the packages
After you have created your repository folders, configured System Update on client computers, and
downloaded update packages with Update Retriever, complete the following steps to deploy specific
update packages to client computers:
1. In the Modify Settings panel of Update Retriever, change the Repository path to the System Update
repository path that you created in step 1 under “Creating repository folders” on page 60.
Chapter 7. Best practices

2. Using Update Retriever, import your update packages into the System Update repository.
Note: For additional information about how to import update packages into a repository folder, see
“Importing an update package into a network share repository” on page 46.
3. Launch System Update on client computers.
4. Use System Update to search the System Update repository for update packages.
Note: Make sure that you assign machine types to update packages after you import the update
packages into a repository folder. This enables System Update to search for update packages specific
to the machine type. For more information about importing update packages, see “Importing an update
package into a network share repository” on page 46.
5. Download and install update packages to client computers.

Scenario 3 - Deploying to non-Lenovo systems
Update packages originating from the Lenovo Web site cannot be deployed to a non-Lenovo system.
Complete the following steps to create custom packages that can be deployed to non-Lenovo systems:
1. Install Update Retriever and System Update on an administrator computer.
2. Reboot the computer after installation.
3. Run the install.bat file to install the required hotfixes.
4. Launch System Update to get the machine type of the non-Lenovo systems, for example:
‘Machine type’ = ‘Presario R3000’

5. Launch Update Retriever and set the repository path.
Note: Enter user name and password if required for the repository.
6. Add systems for assigning the updates and save the machine information of the non-Lenovo systems.
Enter the machine family information consisting of the first four letters or the last four letters of the
machine type and model.
7. Create a package for the non-Lenovo systems using Update Retriever.
Note: Add the Supported Systems method in the Dependencies section of the XML descriptor
file to apply the updates to a particular model.
8. Save the XML descriptor.
9. Import the package to the Update Retriever repository and assign the updates to the triplets of the
non-Lenovo systems. See “Importing an update package into a network share repository” on page 46.
10. Configure the System Update repository.

Scenario 4 - Disabling the Web upgrade for System Update
System Update checks the Lenovo Help Center Web site for upgrades of itself, even if it is connected to a
local repository on either the local system or a network share. If there is no internet connectivity, System
Update will not check for its application upgrade.
To disable this feature, do the following to clear the registry value:
1. Navigate to the following registry entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update
\Preferences\UCSettings\HTTPSHelloSettings\ServerName

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

2. Delete the ServerName string value, for example:
https://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pcbs/agent/

3. Click OK.

Scenario 5 - Installing specific update packages with the MSDOS prompt
You can install specific update packages for System Update using the MSDOS prompt. To install specific
update packages, do the following:
1. Create a new folder named installtxt on your local hard disk drive, for example:
C:\installtxt

2. With Notepad, create a TXT file named installList.txt.
3. In the TXT file, type the package IDs for the target client computers, for example:
1rg807ww
7ad123ww
7bwc14ww
bs09az00ibm
css7upgrade2_ww
kb896613tc

4. Save the TXT file in the C:\installtxt folder.
5. From the MSDOS prompt, go to the System Update installation path:
C:\Program Files\Lenovo\System Update\
6. Type the file path, the application executable file name, and the name of the TXT file, for example:
tvsu.exe /package "C:\installtxt\ installList.txt"

7. Press Enter.

Scenario 6 - Deploying update packages to client computer repositories
An alternative to using a network share drive repository is to deploy packages to client computer repositories.
Complete the following steps to deploy update packages to client computer repositories:

Step 1 - Setting up the administrator system
To set up your administrator system, do the following:
1. Create a new folder on a network share drive or your administrative system to use as a repository
for storing update packages.
2. Launch Update Retriever and set the repository path.
Note: Enter user name and password if required for the repository.
3. Get new updates from the Lenovo Help Center Web site.
4. Create another folder to use as the client computer repository.
5. Using Update Retriever, import your update packages into your client computer repository.
Note: For additional information about how to import packages into a repository folder, see “Importing
an update package into a network share repository” on page 46.

Chapter 7. Best practices

6. Deploy the folder being used as the client computer repository to client computers.

Step 2 - Configuring System Update on client computers
To configure System Update to download specific packages to client computers, do the following:
1. On client computers, navigate to the following registry entry:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update\Preferences\
UserSetting\General\RepositoryLocation1

2. Change this setting by replacing the default value, SUPPORTCENTER, with your client computer
repository path, for example:
%ANYDRV%\SystemUpdate_repository\

Scenario 7 - Working with firewalls and the scheduler function
When you utilize security programs with a firewall, make sure that the security application enables Internet
access to the System Update scheduler function. To enable the Internet access to the System Update
scheduler function, do the following:
1. Allow System Update to communicate through your firewall application.
2. Navigate to the following path: %PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update
3. Enable the following programs:
• TvsuCommandLauncher.exe
• Tvsukernel.exe
Note: System Update for Windows 7 and later operating systems provides a weekly scheduler
setting. However, you also can use the Task Scheduler tool on Windows 7 and later operating systems to
create a customized scheduler for System Update to provide more scheduler options to achieve the best
scheduling practice. For detailed information about using the Task Scheduler tool on Windows 7 operating
systems, see “\UserSettings\Scheduler” on page 21.

Scenario 8 - Working with Thin Installer
Thin Installer always first checks for the database.xml file in the repository folder. If you have created a
repository using Update Retriever, the database.xml file is created in the same folder. The database.xml file
associates each machine type, operating system, and language with the update packages. In the absence
of the database.xml file in the repository, Thin Installer assumes all update packages in the repository are
candidate packages. Candidate packages are packages that may be applicable to client computers. Refer
to Chapter 5 “Working with Update Retriever” on page 41 to learn more about Update Retriever.

Deploying the packages using USB, CD, or DVD media
This method is ideal for standalone installation of update packages by a system administrator.
1. Create a repository folder with update packages that need to be installed on the client computer.
2. Install Thin Installer as a parent folder of the repository folder as created in step 1.
3. Copy the folder structure to any external media such as a USB key, a CD, or a DVD.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

4. Launch the ThinInstaller.exe file and select the update packages that need to be installed.

Deploying the update packages using a network share repository
This is a convenient way of managing different types of systems using a central repository. The client
computer should have read access to the network share repository.
1. Create the repository folders and download the update packages with Update Retriever on the network
share. For information about how to use Update Retriever, refer to “Step 1 - Installing the programs”
on page 59.
2. Install Thin Installer on a client computer.
3. Push a command script to the client computers to run the ThinInstaller.exe file from the network share.
For information about available options, refer to “Using Thin Installer” on page 54.

Deploying the update packages using a system management tool
This method is useful when the update packages for systems are already known.
1. Create a repository folder with system-specific update packages that need to be deployed.
2. Extract the Thin Installer executable as a parent folder of the repository folder as created in step 1.
3. Use the system management tool to build a module out of the above folder structure and deploy.
Note: The error code returned by Thin Installer can be used to track the status of the update packages
on target systems.

Integrating Thin Installer with the ImageUltra Builder program
This is the ideal way to deploy common drivers and applications during an image rollout. The system
administrator maintains one central repository and one image for different types of systems.
1. Create a network share repository and install Thin Installer. For information about how to create a
repository folder on a network share, refer to “Creating repository folders” on page 60.
2. Create a batch file to run the Thin Installer executable file from the network share drive.
3. Create an ImageUltra Builder module, audit boot type, and use the batch file created in step 2.
4. Add the module to the ImageUltra Builder Base Map.
5. Deploy the image. Thin Installer will install the drivers and applications on the client computers.
Notes:
1. Network drivers still need to be installed before Thin Installer can access the network share repository.
2. You may be required to install some drivers using the ImageUltra Builder program.
The other option is to build the ImageUltra Builder module, audit boot type, use update packages and Thin
Installer, and deploy with the image. In this case, update packages will be run locally instead of from the
repository.
To learn more about the ImageUltra Builder program, go to the following Web site:
http://www.lenovo.com/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-61432#image

Integrating Thin Installer with a Sysprep Image
This scenario is the same as integrating Thin Installer with the ImageUltra Builder program except that the
image is rolled out without using the ImageUltra Builder program.
1. Create a network share repository and install Thin Installer. For information about how to create a
network share repository, refer to “Creating repository folders” on page 60.
Chapter 7. Best practices

2. Create a batch file to run the Thin Installer executable file from the network share drive.
3. Deploy the image. Thin Installer will install the drivers and applications on the client computers.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Appendix A. Command line parameters
This chapter provides information about command line parameters, search modes, notification parameters,
and the MapDrv utility.

Automatic search
The following table provides the registry entries and values that an automatic search can use to search for
updates from a repository folder on a local system, a network share, a removable devices, or the Lenovo
Help Center Web site.
Table 19. Repository location and command line
RepositoryLocation registry entry

Command line

Repository searched

RepositoryLocation Where %N% is
a number between 1 and 20.

SUPPORTCENTER

Lenovo Help Center
Web site

RepositoryLocation Where %N% is
a number between 1 and 20.

\\Server_X\TVSU_repository\

Network share
repository

RepositoryLocation Where %N% is
a number between 1 and 20.

%ANYDRV%\SystemUpdate3_x

Local system repository

RepositoryLocation Where %N% is
a number between 1 and 20.

%XMEDIA%\SystemUpdate3_x

Repository on any
removable device

Note: When you download or install update packages that have individual package license agreements,
those update packages are not processed because you are not able to approve the individual package
license agreements. Further, if you have not previously indicated that you do not want to see the license
agreement in the future, the license agreement will be displayed prior to the download.

Command line scripts
The following table provides the command line scripts supported by System Update when using the default
repository location, SUPPORTCENTER.
Table 20. Command line scripts
Scripts
%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action DOWNLOAD

Description
Searches the repository for critical updates and
downloads those that do not contain a license agreement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
downloaded.
Searches the repository for critical updates.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action LIST

You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area prior to downloading and
installation.

Table 20. Command line scripts (continued)
Scripts
%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action INSTALL

Description
Searches the repository for critical updates and installs
those that do not contain a license agreement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
installed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action LIST

Searches the repository for critical and recommended
updates.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area prior to downloading and
installation.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action DOWNLOAD

Searches the repository for critical and recommended
updates and downloads those that do not contain a
license agreement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
downloaded.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action INSTALL

Searches the repository for critical and recommended
updates and installs those that do not contain a license
agreement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
installed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action LIST

Searches the repository for critical, recommended, and
optional updates.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area prior to downloading and
installation.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action DOWNLOAD

Searches the repository for critical, recommended, and
optional updates and downloads those that do not
contain a license agreement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
downloaded.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Table 20. Command line scripts (continued)
Scripts

Description

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action INSTALL

Searches the repository for critical, recommended, and
optional updates and installs those that do not contain a
license agreement and a reboot requirement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
installed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action INSTALL -noicon

Installs all critical packages that have no reboot
requirement and suppresses the balloon tooltip from
the notification area icon after the installation has been
completed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action INSTALL -noicon

Installs all critical and recommended packages that have
no reboot requirement and suppresses the balloon tooltip
from the notification area icon after the installation has
been completed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action INSTALL -noicon

Installs all critical, recommended, and optional packages
that have no reboot requirement and suppresses the
balloon tooltip from the notification area icon after the
installation has been completed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action INSTALL -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4

Installs all critical packages with specified reboot types
and suppresses the balloon tooltip from the notification
area icon after the installation has been completed.
Packages with a reboot type will force the system to
reboot or shut down.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action INSTALL -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4

Installs all critical and recommended packages with
specified reboot types and suppresses the balloon tooltip
from the notification area icon after the installation has
been completed.
Packages with a reboot type will force the system to
reboot or shut down.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action INSTALL -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4

Installs all critical, recommended, and optional packages
with specified reboot types and suppresses the balloon
tooltip from the notification area icon after the installation
has been completed.
Packages with a reboot type will force the system to
reboot or shut down.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action INSTALL -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4 -noreboot

Installs all critical packages with specified reboot types,
suppresses the balloon tooltip from the notification
area icon after the installation has been completed, and
suppresses the system reboot for packages with reboot
type 3.

Appendix A. Command line parameters

Table 20. Command line scripts (continued)
Scripts

Description

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action INSTALL -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4 -noreboot

Installs all critical and recommended packages with
specified reboot types, suppresses the balloon tooltip
from the notification area icon after the installation has
been completed, and suppresses the system reboot for
packages with reboot type 3.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action INSTALL -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4 -noreboot

Installs all critical, recommended, and optional packages
with specified reboot types, suppresses the balloon
tooltip from the notification area icon after the installation
has completed, and suppresses the system reboot for
packages with reboot type 3.

The following table provides the command line scripts supported by System Update when using a repository
to store update packages. If you do not specify the repository, System Update will go to the default
repository.
Table 21. Command line scripts
Scripts

Description
Searches a repository for critical updates.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action LIST -repository
C:\MyRepository

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action DOWNLOAD -repository
C:\MyRepository

You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area prior to downloading and
installation.
Searches a repository for critical updates and downloads
those that do not contain a license agreement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
downloaded.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository

Searches a repository for critical updates and installs
those that do not contain a license agreement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
installed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action LIST -repository
C:\MyRepository

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Searches a repository for critical and recommended
updates.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area prior to downloading and
installation.

Table 21. Command line scripts (continued)
Scripts
%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action DOWNLOAD -repository
C:\MyRepository

Description
Searches a repository for critical and recommended
updates and downloads those that do not contain a
license agreement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
downloaded.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository

Searches a repository for critical and recommended
updates and installs those that do not contain a license
agreement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
installed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action LIST -repository
C:\MyRepository

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action DOWNLOAD -repository
C:\MyRepository

Searches a repository for critical, recommended, and
optional updates.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area prior to downloading and
installation.
Searches a repository for critical, recommended, and
optional updates and downloads those that do not
contain a license agreement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
downloaded.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository

Searches a repository for critical, recommended, and
optional updates and installs those that do not contain a
license agreement and a reboot requirement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You are notified with a balloon tooltip from the application
icon in the notification area after the updates have been
installed.

Appendix A. Command line parameters

Table 21. Command line scripts (continued)
Scripts
%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository -noicon

Description
Searches a repository for critical updates and installs
those that do not contain a license agreement and a
reboot requirement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the updates
have been installed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository -noicon

Searches a repository for critical and recommended
updates and installs those that do not contain a license
agreement and a reboot requirement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the updates
have been installed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository -noicon

Searches a repository for critical, recommended, and
optional updates, and installs those that do not contain a
license agreement and a reboot requirement.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the updates
have been installed.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4

Searches a repository for critical updates and then installs
those that do not contain a license agreement with
specified reboot types.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the updates
have been installed.
Packages with a reboot type will force system to reboot
or shut down.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Table 21. Command line scripts (continued)
Scripts
%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4

Description
Searches a repository for critical and recommended
update packages, and then installs those that do not
contain a license agreement with specified reboot types.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the updates
have been installed.
Packages with a reboot type will force system to reboot
or shut down.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4

Searches a repository for critical, recommended, and
optional update packages, and then installs those that
do not contain a license agreement with specified reboot
types.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the updates
have been installed.
Packages with a reboot type will force system to reboot
or shut down.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search C -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4 -noreboot

Searches a repository for critical updates and installs
those that do not contain a license agreement with
specified reboot types.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the updates
have been installed.
Reboot type 3 will suppress a system reboot.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search R -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4 -noreboot

Searches a repository for critical and recommended
updates then installs those that do not contain a license
agreement with specified reboot types.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the updates
have been installed.

Appendix A. Command line parameters

Table 21. Command line scripts (continued)
Scripts

Description
Reboot type 3 will suppress a system reboot.

%PROGRAMFILES%\Lenovo\System Update\Tvsu.exe /CM
-search A -action INSTALL -repository
C:\MyRepository -noicon
-includerebootpackages 1,3,4 -noreboot

Searches a repository for critical, recommended, and
optional updates and then installs those that do not
contain a license agreement with specified reboot types.
You are prompted to agree to the license agreements
before the download starts if you have not disabled the
license agreement dialog box.
You will not be notified with a balloon tooltip from the
application icon in the notification area after the updates
have been installed.
Reboot type 3 will suppress a system reboot.

When System Update is performing an automatic search through a proxy server with authentication and
no user name or password has been saved, no dialogs will be displayed to the end user. An error will be
logged to the System Update log file and System Update will shut down. If the user name and password has
been saved, System Update will try to connect the proxy server using the saved user name and password
information. If there are errors with the connection or performing the automatic search, the errors will be
logged to the System update log file and System Update will be shut down.
Whenever System Update is about to download and install a set of updates containing one or more
packages that require automatic reboot or shutdown of the target system, no warning message is displayed
informing the end user about the reboot or shutdown.
Note: Command line scripts may be changed in later releases. If you use silent command line scripts and
a repository to store update packages, to recognize update packages with license agreements, set the
following registry value to YES:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update
\Preferences\UserSettings\General\IgnoreLocalLicense

For System Update 5.07.0032 and its later versions, users cannot run command lines directly on client
computers using administrative privileges. Users have to run command lines through Group Policy settings
on the Active Directory server by doing the following:
1. Download the System Update Administrator Tools package from the following Web site and install the
package to your Active Directory server:
https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/thinkvantage_en/zb59_tvsu_win7_win8_admin029.exe
2. Do one of the following:
• For the administrative XML template (ADMX) file: Copy the tvsu.admx file from
C:\SWTOOLS\TOOLS\Admin to C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions. Then Copy the tvsu.adml file from
C:\SWTOOLS\TOOLS\Admin\en-us to C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions \en-US.
• For the ADM file: Right-click Administrator Templates to add the ADM file. For more information,
see “Adding administrative templates” on page 28.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

3. Run gpedit.msc on the Active Directory server to launch the Group Policy Editor and locate
Administrator Command Line as shown:

4. Enable and configure Administrator Command Line with desired command line and then click OK. For
example, you can type /CM -search C -action INSTALL -includerebootpackages 1,3,4 -noicon -noreboot
-nolicense -defaultupdate as shown:

5. Apply your group policy settings to client computers. For more information, see “Applying group policy
immediately” on page 29.
6. On client computers, run the command line tvsu.exe /CM.

Search modes
The following table provides a list of search modes supported by System Update.

Appendix A. Command line parameters

Table 22. Search modes
Search mode

Description
Enables System Update to search for critical updates.

-search C

-search R

-search A

Enables System Update to search for critical and
recommended updates.
Enables System Update to search for critical,
recommended, and optional updates when searching
the Lenovo Help Center.
Note: If you are using a network share repository, use
the -search A command. Then System Update will
search for critical, recommended, and optional update
packages from the network share repository folder.

Notification parameters
The notification parameter used on the command line specifies the way System Update handles update
packages and then notifies you when packages have been processed.
The following table provides the parameters and their descriptions.
Table 23. Notification parameters
Parameter
-action LIST

Description
Enables System Update to notify you with a balloon
tooltip from the application icon in the notification area
when update packages are available on the Lenovo Help
Center Web site.
If you click the balloon tooltip, System Update displays
the license agreement dialog box, or the Updates for
Your System panel. If you select the Do not show again
check box in the license agreement dialog box, System
Update will not display this dialog box again.

-action DOWNLOAD

Enables System Update to notify you with a balloon
tooltip from the application icon in the notification area
when update packages have been downloaded to your
system and are ready for installation.
If you have not selected the Do not show again check
box, System Update will prompt you to approve a license
agreement prior to downloading. After downloading,
System Update notifies you with a balloon tooltip. When
you click the balloon tooltip, System Update will display
the Install Deferred Updates panel and enable you to
install updates of interest.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Table 23. Notification parameters (continued)
Parameter

Description

-action INSTALL

Enables System Update to notify you with a balloon tooltip
from the application icon in the notification area when
update packages have been downloaded and installed.
If you have not selected the Do not show again check
box, System Update will prompt you to approve a license
agreement prior to downloading. After downloading and
installing update packages, System Update notifies you
with a balloon tooltip. To view the status of the download
and installation process, click the balloon tooltip and
System Update displays the message, saying "Your
system has been updated."
If an update package has a reboot type 1 or 4, System
Update prompts you with a balloon tooltip at designated
intervals to notify you that a package will restart your
system. The designated interval for the restart notification
is set in the registry with the NotifyInterval setting
in Table 9 “\UserSettings\General” on page 18. If an
update package has a reboot type 3, System Update
will download and install the update package and then
prompts you with a restart notification but does not
continue with restart notifications at designated intervals.
Otherwise, it will download and install the update
packages, and then display the result.

-SCHEDULER

Enables System Update to run from the scheduler
function.
Note: This parameter is a registry entry that has to be
updated in the registry and not on the user interface.

-repository

Enables you to specify the repository folder to store
update packages.
System Update will search for update packages stored in
the repository folder you specified.

-NoIcon

Enables you to turn off the balloon tooltip that will be
displayed when packages are found, downloaded, or
installed with System Update.

-IncludeRebootPackages 1,3,4

Enables System Update to install update packages with
the specified reboot types.
The reboot type can be 1, 3, or 4. The following list
provides the value for reboot types supported by System
Update:
• 1: The reboot that is forced by the package.
• 3: The reboot that is required for the package to take
effect. The software distribution client will force a
reboot after all packages are installed.
• 4: The shutdown that is forced by the package.

-NoReboot

Enables System Update to prevent a reboot after the
system installs an update package with reboot type 3.
However, this parameter cannot suppress a reboot or
shutdown when packages have a reboot type 1 or 4.

Appendix A. Command line parameters

Table 23. Notification parameters (continued)
Parameter
-clearhistory

-clearsettings

-showprogress

Description
Enables you to control whether the history and session
folder are preserved or deleted during an upgrade or
over-installation. The default is to preserve the history
and session folder.
Enables you to control whether configurable settings
are preserved or deleted during an upgrade or
over-installation. The default is to preserve your settings.
Enables Thin Installer to display the progress bar during
the process of searching and installing updates. The
updates are preselected by the administrator, and users
cannot deselect the updates. The update progress screen
will close when the installation is completed. No screens
or icons will be displayed to indicate the results.
Note: System Update does not support this setting.

Example:
tvsu.exe /CM -search A -action INSTALL -IncludeRebootPackages 1,3,4

The following list provides a description of the search mode and notification methods used:
• -search A - searches for critical, recommended, and optional packages.
• -action INSTALL - installs the update packages.
• -IncludeRebootPackages 1,3,4 - downloads and installs update packages that require a reboot.
Notes:
1. If you do not include -IncludeRebootPackages 1,3,4, System Update will not detect packages that
require a reboot.
2. To configure System Update to recognize license agreements automatically when you are using a local
repository but not the Lenovo Help Center Web site, set the following registry value to YES:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Lenovo\System Update
\Preferences\UserSettings\General\IgnoreLocalLicense

For more information about working with license agreements, see “Working with license agreements” on
page 37. If you do not set this registry setting to YES, System Update will not detect packages with
license agreements when using command scripts.

MapDrv utility
The MapDrv utility provides network share related functions for System Update. To define the network share
information, use the MapDrv utility to connect or disconnect network shares. The MapDrv utility maintains
network share information in a registry key that is protected by administrator access only. The network
share information includes the network share name (in UNC format), user name (saved in the registry as an
encrypted string), and the password (saved in the registry as an encrypted string).
The MapDrv utility can be found in the System Update installation directory. The default installation directory
is located at c:\Program Files\Lenovo\System Update.
The network share information is stored in the following registry entry:
HKLM\Software\Lenovo\MND\TVSUAPPLICATION

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

If an Active Directory policy is used, these values are stored in the following registry entry:
HKLM\Software\Policies\Lenovo\MND\TVSUAPPLICATION
The strings stored in the TVSUAPPLICATION key are:
Table 24. The MapDrv settings and values
String

Description

UNC

The value of this string specifies the stored network share.

User

The value of this string specifies the stored encrypted user name
for this share.

Pwd

The value of this string specifies the stored encrypted password
for this share.

NetPath

The value is generated by the MapDrv utility to indicate the
actual connection path. It might be in IP dotted format if the
ServerName string is not working. The actual connection path
may not be the same as the stored UNC value.

The MapDrv utility also enables an administrator to use the encryption engine to generate an encrypted user
name and password, which can be used to pre-populate network share information on multiple systems.
Using the encryption engine in this manner does not update the registry on the system.

Command line interface
The command line interface to the MapDrv utility is as follows:
mapdrv / /unc /user /pwd
[/timeout ] [ /s]
Table 25. Parameters
Parameter

Description

/function

Identifies the function to provide. Valid values are store, connect, disconnect, and
display.

app id

/unc sharename

Identifies the application. The value specified is used to form the registry key name that
contains the network share information, for example: TVSUAPPLICATION.
Identifies the network share name to store. The share name should be in the UNC
form, for example:
\\myserver\myshare
Specifies the user name to store.

/user username
Specifies the password to store.
/pw password
Specifies the connection timeout value to store. The default is 30 seconds.
/timeout seconds
Enables a silent operation.
/s

The return code is 0 if an operation was successful. Otherwise, the return code is greater than 0.

Appendix A. Command line parameters

When the MapDrv utility is launched with no parameters, the end user will be prompted for the network
share, user name and password, and then MapDrv will attempt to connect to the specified network share
using the specified credentials.

Using the MapDrv utility
The following sections provide ways that you can use the MapDrv command.

Displaying encrypted user name and password strings
This function displays the registry key of the network share information where the encrypted user name and
password is stored. Using the /display function will not store the user name and password in the registry.
You need to copy the encrypted user name and password to the appropriate registry key.
mapdrv /view /user /pwd

Example:
mapdrv /view TVSUAPPLICATION /user temp/pwd password
app id: TVSUAPPLICATION
user: temp
pwd: password

This command captures the encrypted user name and password to set up the repository with UNC path
with authentication.

Storing network share information for a ThinkVantage application
This function stores the network share information in the registry using to define the subkey from
the main MapDrv registry key:
mapdrv /store /unc /user /pwd
[/timeout ]

This sets the UNC, user name, and password values in the registry.

Connecting to the network share for a ThinkVantage application
Connect the network share for the specified ThinkVantage application:
mapdrv /connect [ /s]

Connects to the share using the UNC, user name, and password values in the registry. The actual
connection UNC is output to the NetPath value.

Disconnecting the network share for a ThinkVantage application
The following command disconnects the network share for the specified ThinkVantage application if the
application is currently connected:
mapdrv /disconnect

Performs a net use /d [NetPath stored in registry] to disconnect the network connection.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

Appendix B. Notices
Lenovo may not offer the products, services, or features discussed in this document in all countries. Consult
your local Lenovo representative for information on the products and services currently available in your
area. Any reference to a Lenovo product, program, or service is not intended to state or imply that only that
Lenovo product, program, or service may be used. Any functionally equivalent product, program, or service
that does not infringe any Lenovo intellectual property right may be used instead. However, it is the user's
responsibility to evaluate and verify the operation of any other product, program, or service.
Lenovo may have patents or pending patent applications covering subject matter described in this
document. The furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents. You can send
license inquiries, in writing, to:
Lenovo (United States), Inc.
1009 Think Place - Building One
Morrisville, NC 27560
U.S.A.
Attention: Lenovo Director of Licensing
LENOVO PROVIDES THIS PUBLICATION “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS
OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT,
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Some jurisdictions do not allow
disclaimer of express or implied warranties in certain transactions, therefore, this statement may not apply
to you.
This information could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Changes are periodically
made to the information herein; these changes will be incorporated in new editions of the publication.
Lenovo may make improvements and/or changes in the product(s) and/or the program(s) described in this
publication at any time without notice.
The products described in this document are not intended for use in implantation or other life support
applications where malfunction may result in injury or death to persons. The information contained in this
document does not affect or change Lenovo product specifications or warranties. Nothing in this document
shall operate as an express or implied license or indemnity under the intellectual property rights of Lenovo
or third parties. All information contained in this document was obtained in specific environments and is
presented as an illustration. The result obtained in other operating environments may vary.
Lenovo may use or distribute any of the information you supply in any way it believes appropriate without
incurring any obligation to you.
Any references in this publication to non-Lenovo Web sites are provided for convenience only and do not in
any manner serve as an endorsement of those Web sites. The materials at those Web sites are not part of
the materials for this Lenovo product, and use of those Web sites is at your own risk
Any performance data contained herein was determined in a controlled environment. Therefore, the
result in other operating environments may vary significantly. Some measurements may have been made
on development-level systems and there is no guarantee that these measurements will be the same
on generally available systems. Furthermore, some measurements may have been estimated through
extrapolation. Actual results may vary. Users of this document should verify the applicable data for their
specific environment.

Trademarks
The following terms are trademarks of Lenovo in the United States, other countries, or both:
Lenovo
The Lenovo logo
Rescue and Recovery
ThinkPad
ThinkVantage
Intel is a trademark or registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and
other countries.
Microsoft, Active Directory, Internet Explorer, and Windows are trademarks of the Microsoft group of
companies.
Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others.

System Update Solution Deployment Guide

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