update and restart from powershell or command line

Erwin Pauwels 10

Dear all,

I've been looking for a solution on how to install feature updates from the command line or Powershell in windows 10/11.

I've already found the get-windowsupdate PS feature, this also reboots after installing windows updates, but for some reason feature updates (for example the 22h2 version update) isn't installed.

Also tried Usuclient RestartDevice or wuaclt doesn't seem to do much.

The only way to have the update installed is by physically connect to the device and click the button in windows updates "Reboot Now".

I'm basically looking for the code which triggers the "Reboot Now" in windows update so I can add this to my script/

thank you all.

Erwin

CARLOS VICTORINO 21 Reputation points

2024-03-16T23:55:33.14+00:00

I am also looking for this capability to install Windows 11, 23H2
At this point seems like the only way to do is to manually click the update and restart button
I have tried the following:

Restart-Computer -force

shutdown /r /t00

$CompObject = Get-WmiObject Win32_OperatingSystem -EnableAllPrivileges

$CompObject.reboot()

$CompObject.Win32Shutdown(6,0)

I do not what to use PSWindowsUpdate as this requires me download a dll on to workstations and redistribute.

For security reasons this is not a valid option.

2 answers

Dominique Schluep 410 Reputation points

2024-03-11T14:31:11.7133333+00:00
Hello Erwin Pauwels

Here are the commands for PSWindowsUpdate with PowerShell:

# Install the Windows Update module Install-Module -Name PSWindowsUpdate -Force # Import the Windows Update module Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate # Check for updates Get-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -Install -AutoReboot # Restart the system if updates require a reboot Restart-Computer -Force
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3 people found this answer helpful.
Erwin Pauwels 10 Reputation points

2024-03-12T10:51:34.8466667+00:00

Hi Dominique,

Thank you for your quick reply.

Unfortunately I've already got this far but without success.
The frustrating thing is that all updates install well, except the feature updates.

According to PSWindowsupdate it is installed an pending a reboot, but even if the PC autoreboots the feature update isn't installed.

I've noticed that the part where it start installing the new features before shutting down the first time doesn't happen.. It basically does an normal reboot.

Only when we physically take over the PC and go to settings - Update and security, we can click reboot now, and only than it starts with the installation and reboots accordingly.

Kind regards,

Erwin Pauwels

Nathan 0 Reputation points

2024-07-01T22:47:34.2+00:00

This is what seems to work for me as well:

# necessary to import-module and use get-windowsupdate, reverts to system settings after powershell closes Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope Process -Force # this gets the windows update package provider Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -MinimumVersion 2.8.5.201 -Force # by setting the psgallery to trusted before installing the module, it avoids a dialog Set-PSRepository -Name "PSGallery" -InstallationPolicy Trusted # here's the meat Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate Get-WindowsUpdate Install-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -Install
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CARLOS VICTORINO 21 Reputation points

2024-03-21T17:16:34.0966667+00:00

Edwin,

Take a look at these

https://dennisbabkin.com/blog/?t=how-to-enable-installation-of-updates-or-to-prevent-it-during-reboot-or-shutdown

https://community.spiceworks.com/t/programatically-rebooting-windows-and-applying-a-windows-10-feature-update/681628

This is what worked for me:

$WshShell = New-Object -comObject WScript. Shell $WshShell.RegWrite('HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator\InstallAtShutdown', '1', 'REG_DWORD')

Restart-Computer
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CARLOS VICTORINO 21 Reputation points

2024-03-22T16:09:49.71+00:00

No space between WScript. and Shell

CARLOS VICTORINO 21 Reputation points

2024-03-22T16:10:33.8666667+00:00

No space between WScript. Shell

Alexey Krasheninnikov 0 Reputation points

2024-11-14T09:50:23.5333333+00:00

No need for COM objects when you have PSDrive for HKLM and Set-ItemProperty cmdlet works there.

Set-ItemProperty HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Orchestrator -name InstallAtShutdown -value 1
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