Here's how I got it working... On a machine with Microsoft Update installed: create c:\msupdate stop the automatic updates service and rename the %windir%\softwaredistribution\datastore\datastore.edb file to datastore.old. start the automatic updates service so it creates a "clean" datastore.edb file (1mb) and then stop the service again. copy the datastore.edb file to c:\msupdate delete %windir%\softwaredistribution\datastore\datastore.edb rename %windir%\softwaredistribution\datastore\datastore.old to datastore.edb start the automatic updates service copy %windir%\system32\muweb.dll to c:\msupdate save the bolded text beneath as c:\msupdate\msupdate.cmd @echo off copy "muweb.dll" %windir%\system32 net stop wuauserv del %windir%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\DataStore.edb copy "DataStore.edb" %windir%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore regsvr32 /s muweb.dll net start wuauserv REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ZoneMap\Domains\microsoft.com" /v "*" /t REG_DWORD /d "2" /f REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ZoneMap\Domains\windowsupdate.com" /v "*" /t REG_DWORD /d "2" /f REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\1" /v "1001" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\1" /v "1809" /t REG_DWORD /d "3" /f REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\1" /v "1200" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\2" /v "1200" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\2" /v "1001" /t REG_DWORD /d "0" /f REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\2" /v "1809" /t REG_DWORD /d "3" /f Run the batch file in the folder during your unattended setup. This doesn't actually install the activex control but will silently install it the first time you visit the website and the user will be none the wiser.