Least annoying way to check auto updates in native app

Question

What would be the best approach?

So far I can think of:

• Super small WinMain exe in HKLM\Run that checks, say, twice a day

• Windows service that checks, say, twice a day

• Scheduled tasks (can't seem to find a way to start GUI task via user account, desktop isolation and stuff)

• Application itself (doesn't work if there are multiple exes, for example, as in Sysinternals Suite, many, many applications, one large suite)

Anything else? I want it to stay native and avoid being obtrusive or delay startup of the cold boot.

Answer 1

Larry Osterman posted something about this on his blog awhile back. The basic points:

• Twice a day is WAY too often to check for updates
• Windows Service is a terrible idea
• So is a small constantly running WinMain
• Make sure the user can turn it off easily. Otherwise you're just going to annoy a large subset of your users