Home Articles FAQ Error Codes Downloads Links

How does the WUA handle detection of KB832483?
KB832483 is not an operating system level update, it is an MDAC update, which makes it cross platform.

KB832483 (MS04-003) applies to all version of MDAC from v2.5 to v2.8.

v2.5 shipped with Windows 2000 Professional/Server
v2.6 shipped with SQL Server 2000
v2.7 shipped with Windows XP
v2.8 shipped with Windows Server 2003

If you read the metadata for this update "Security Update for Microsoft Data Access Components (KB832483)" you'll discover that the update is applicable to (paraphrased): Windows 2000 Family, Windows Server 2003 (all editions), and Windows XP family.

HOWEVER.... the update was included in Windows XP Service Pack 2. (I suspect it will also be included in Window Server 2003 Service Pack 1.) Therefore, the update is not needed by systems running Windows XP Service Pack 2. And, shortly, it will only be applicable to Windows 2000 systems. And, if Microsoft released the proposed post-SP4 rollup, and it's contained in that package, it will also be superceded for Windows 2000 systems.

However, even if the update is fully superceded, this update is an excellent example of how the built in intelligence of the WAU client will help us as update administrators. Because this update is applicable to all platforms prior to the current service pack, it would be tedious for many organizations to create a scenario where this update was not approved for XP SP2 systems (or Win2003SP1 and Win2000SP4 w/UR1), but still available to all others. It also demonstrates how, even in an organization where all XP systems are at the SP2 level, that one
would not want to "Decline all superceded" updates for Windows XP Service
Pack 2. Doing so would immediately make this update unavailable to Windows
2000SP4/2003RTM systems.

Because the AU client is now intelligent.. on XP SP2 systems it will recognize that it does not need this update, but on all other systems it will recognize that it does, and download and install it if the update is not already present.

It's also an example that, contrary to statements I made previously, not every update listed in the WSUS metadata is platform independent, and this is an example that would fit better with the scenario portrayed in the WSUS documentation.