In what is as close as it might ever come to a confession of fault, the Microsoft update services ended the push of Windows Desktop Search to Windows XP machines.

Stating that it was a ‘publishing process error’, Microsoft explained that the push onto enterprise networks was stopped. No word was given about the forced update for machines not using Windows Server Update Services. Perhaps a notice and explanation will be forthcoming.

Of course, those machines that had the update status changed from ‘let me know when updates are available’ to ‘update automatically’, and then had the WDS forced update, can still remove the software through Add-Remove programs applet.

Many reports of the indexing service slowing even the fastest machines appreciably have been found to be the WDS running after the forced download. Because many systems are updated during the very early morning hours, the indexing was started before morning use began.

One good thing that has happened because of the furor with WDS is that Microsoft has made the Live Photo Gallery application usable without the use of WDS. As of 10/26, there is no new installer for the Windows Live Services, but if the installer is started, and then the Photo Gallery is installed, the WDS application will be installed. Then removing the WDS will render the Photo Gallery unusable. Shortly thereafter, if your system is reset to ‘let me know when updates are available’ a balloon message will inform you of the Live Photo Gallery update. Download it. It will allow the program to be used without WDS on the machine, so that another indexing program can be run, if desired. (I suggest X1, my personal favorite - it got a great review from PC Magazine and a couple of others, and integrates well with Outlook, Outlook Express, and a couple of other e-mail programs. It slows the machine during the first indexing, but, after that is very minimally invasive, even on an early Athlon 950MHz machine with only 768 MB of RAM.)

-

Tags: windows desktop search, forced updates, wsus, wds 3.01, live photo gallery, microsoft, search program, x1, pc magazine