Can we configure Windows Update so patches can get installed automatically without users needing administrator privileges on the system?
Administrator privileges are required to install some Windows Updates, but it is possible to configure the settings so updates are installed automatically without granting admin privileges to user accounts. The key is that the process running the installation needs administrator rights. If you log on as an administrator and configure Windows Update to download and install updates on a regular schedule, it will run on that schedule with admin privileges, and the updates usually will install without user intervention. To configure Windows Updates on Windows 2000, open the Automatic Updates program from the control panel while logged on as administrator, choose the automatic install option and set the schedule using the dialog options. Windows XP users can launch the configuration program by right-clicking 'My Computer' to open the properties dialog and choosing the 'Automatic Updates' tab. Once configured, the system will automatically download and install Critical Updates from Microsoft, as long as the system is running at the scheduled time.