After setting up a fresh Windows Server 2012 R2 x64 VM and installing Chrome as my first application, I noticed this concerning message in Server Manager's dashboard:

[X] Google Update Service (gupdate)
Google Update Service (gupdate) is stopped

This isn't actually an error - it's Windows Server being overly cautious. The Google Update service (gupdate) is designed to run automatically on client OS versions, but Server 2012's dashboard treats all stopped services as potential issues.

Technical Background

Google Chrome installs two services by default:

gupdate (Google Update Service) - Automatic Updates
gupdatem (Google Update Service Medium) - Manual trigger

On server OSs, these services are set to manual start by design to reduce background processes.

Option 1: Disable the Check

Edit the server's management configuration:

# PowerShell
Set-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ServerManager" -Name "DoNotPopWACConsoleAtSMLaunch" -Value 1
Restart-Service ServerManager

Option 2: Configure Services Properly

For systems where you want to keep Chrome updated:

# Set both services to auto-start
sc.exe config gupdate start= auto
sc.exe config gupdatem start= demand

# Alternatively disable them completely if unused
sc.exe stop gupdate
sc.exe config gupdate start= disabled
sc.exe stop gupdatem
sc.exe config gupdatem start= disabled

For environments where you need to deploy this setting across multiple servers:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\gupdate]
"Start"=dword:00000004

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\gupdatem]
"Start"=dword:00000003

After making changes, verify the service states:

Get-Service gupdate*,gpupdatem* | Select-Object Name,Status,StartType | Format-Table -AutoSize

The output should show either disabled or manual start type, and the dashboard warning should disappear after refresh.

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When you install Google Chrome on Windows Server 2012, the system dashboard displays an entry labeled "Google Update Service" with a status that appears as an error (typically showing as "Stopped" with a red X icon). This isn't actually an error condition - it's the expected behavior for how Chrome handles updates on server operating systems.

Windows Server 2012 intentionally prevents the Google Update Service (gupdate) from auto-starting due to:

• Server OS security policies that restrict automatic update services
• Different service management expectations for server environments
• Microsoft's recommended configurations for server roles

To confirm this isn't a real issue, check the service status via PowerShell:

Get-Service -Name gupdate | Select-Object Name, Status, StartType

Expected output:

Name    Status StartType
----    ------ ---------
gupdate Stopped Disabled

Option 1: Manual Update Management (Recommended)

Since servers should have controlled update cycles:

# Create a scheduled task for monthly Chrome updates
$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" -Argument "--update"
$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Monthly -At 3am -Days 1
Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName "ChromeManualUpdate" -Action $action -Trigger $trigger -User "SYSTEM"

Option 2: Service Modification (If Required)

For development environments where you want the service running:

# Change startup type to Manual (not recommended for production)
Set-Service -Name gupdate -StartupType Manual
Start-Service -Name gupdate

# Verify the change
Get-Service -Name gupdate | Select-Object Status, StartType

To prevent the dashboard alert while keeping updates manual:

# Disable the service completely via registry
New-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\gupdate" 
    -Name "Start" 
    -Value 4 
    -PropertyType DWORD 
    -Force

For system administrators deploying Chrome across multiple servers:

# MSI installation with update policies
msiexec /i GoogleChromeStandaloneEnterprise.msi /qn ^
    DISABLE_GOOGLE_UPDATE=1 ^
    ALLOWDOWNGRADE=1

Instead of relying on the dashboard, implement proper monitoring:

# PowerShell check for Chrome version
$chrome = Get-ItemProperty "C:\Program Files*\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
$chrome.VersionInfo.ProductVersion