This further explained in Microsoft KB903262

A computer that is running Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP does not appear in the Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) console.

This issue occurs if the computer was set up by using a Windows 2000 image, a Windows Server 2003 image, or a Windows XP image in which the registry value for SusClientID is populated before it is deployed to client computers.

When you use Sysprep to generalize an image for a virtual machine, or when you use a unique SID-generating technology to create the images, the SusClientId registry value is not cleared if it is populated within the image before the image is deployed.

Note In WSUS 3.0, the client changes its SusClientID if the hardware configuration changes. For Windows Vista, for Windows Server 2008, and for later versions, Sysprep is changed to reset the SusClientID. Therefore, this problem affects only virtual machines that run pre-Windows Vista operating systems, or that were not created by using Sysprep.

Method 1: Change the Registry

Important

This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ ) How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. At the command prompt, type net stop wuauserv, and then press ENTER.
3. Click Start, click Run, type regedit in the Open box, and then click OK.
4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate

1. In the details pane of Registry Editor, delete the following registry entries:

PingID

AccountDomainSid

SusClientId

SusClientIDValidation

Note

Windows Update Agent 3.0 adds the SusClientIDValidation value. This value was released in May 2007. The other registry entries exist in both Windows Update Agent 2.0 and in Windows Update Agent 3.0.

1. Exit Registry Editor.
2. At the command prompt, type net start wuauserv, and then press ENTER.
3. At the command prompt, type wuauclt.exe /resetauthorization /detectnow, and then press ENTER.
4. Wait 10 minutes for a detection cycle to finish.
5. Start the WSUS console to make sure that the clients appear in the WSUS console.

Method 2: Use the Sysprep.inf file

If you already have a file that is named Sysprep.inf in the same folder as Sysprep.exe, follow these steps.

Note To resolve this problem, these steps must be applied before you generalize the image.

1. Double-click Sysprep.inf to open the file in Notepad.
2. Scroll down to find the [GuiRunOnce] section.
   
   Note If a [GuiRunOnce] section does not exist, create it by typing it at the end of Sysprep.inf file.
3. Underneath [GuiRunOnce], type the following text.
   
   Note These new commands are listed as "Command0" through "Command3." These designations are correct only if the [GuiRunOnce] section currently contains no commands. If there are already commands underneath [GuiRunOnce], change the “Commandx” entries in the new commands so that they begin with the next sequential number. For example, if the section already contains five commands that are listed as "Command0" through "Command4," number these new commands as "Command5" through "Command8."

Command0=”reg.exe delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate /v PingID /f”

Command1=”reg.exe delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate /v AccountDomainSid /f”

Command2=”reg.exe delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate /v SusClientId /f”

Command3=”reg.exe delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate /v SusClientIDValidation /f”

1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. On the File menu, click Exit.

Method 3: Create a Sysprep.inf file if you do not have the file

If you do not have a file that is named Sysprep.inf in the same folder as Sysprep.exe, follow these steps to create the file.

Note To resolve this problem, these steps must be applied before you generalize the image.

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Notepad.
2. Type the following text:

[GuiRunOnce]

Command0=”reg.exe delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate /v PingID /f”

Command1=”reg.exe delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate /v AccountDomainSid /f”

Command2=”reg.exe delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate /v SusClientId /f”

Command3=”reg.exe delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate /v SusClientIDValidation /f”

1. On the File menu, click Save.
2. Locate the directory in which the Sysprep.exe file is located.
3. Type Sysprep.inf in the File name box.
4. Select All Files in the Save as type box.
5. Click Save.
6. On the File menu, click Exit.