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usoclient.exe usage

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018 2:34 PM

Commands are here (I could not get some working in 1607 14393.xxx , but that is probably due to Windows version)

http://myitforum.com/myitforumwp/2017/11/16/usoclient-command-line-scan-options/

But the main ones StartScan StartDownload StartInstall

work fine, but ONLY in user session. If the machine is on a login screen then they do not work,

I was attempting to get them run via SCCM or by FREE Specopssoft GPUpdate

Anybody knows if that is expected (or buggy) behavior?

Seb

All replies (10)

Friday, January 12, 2018 1:49 AM

Hi, 

This command isn’t meant to be called outside of the internal OS. Nobody outside the OS should be trying to run the usoclient directly.

Thanks for your understanding. 

Please remember to mark the replies as answers if they help.
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Saturday, January 13, 2018 7:28 AM

Strange thing to say!

Why not? Because some MS employee said so?

I need mote testing (I think at least StartScan works fully remotely)

And ofcourse it works fine with psexec (of course, at that point we are remotely "local")

Monday, February 19, 2018 1:52 PM

Ok, so while Specops Gpupdate FREE version has an option on right click Run Windows Update

it only runs (as seen inside of)

C:\Program Files\Specopssoft\Specops Gpupdate\Specopssoft.GPUpdate.Command.dll

 these commands (depending on OS)

     // Fields

    .field private static literal string TriggerWindowsUpdate = string('wuauclt /detectnow')
    .field private static literal string TriggerUsoClient = string('usoclient.exe startscan')

Depending on GPO settings for Windows Updates, it will eventually download/install, but that is no option for Install NOW

For this would be nice to have right click that executes C:\Windows\System32\USOClient.exe StartInstall

I do not know, maybe in full paid version they have it

So had to "bodge" it with PS script

#================================================================
$cred = Get-Credential

$in = Read-Host "Enter comma-separated computer list"
$computers = $in -split ','

$sessions = New-PSSession -ComputerName $computers -Credential $cred

Invoke-Command -Session $sessions {
C:\Windows\System32\USOClient.exe StartInstall    
}
Get-PSSession | Remove-PSSession
#================================================================

All I need is to supply (paste) a list of all machines that I would like the update to start installing instantly on.

It does the job nicely, just REMEMBER - only works when you have automatic updates enabled

Seb

Thursday, June 7, 2018 4:47 PM | 1 vote

So it's OK that Microsoft forces PC's to update, but a network Admin can't run a script to update PC's when WSUS chokes as usual?

Tuesday, July 3, 2018 9:38 AM | 1 vote

According to this Technet article, usoclient replaces wuauclt for scanning:

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/yongrhee/2017/11/09/wuauclt-detectnow-in-windows-10-and-windows-server-2016/

Some official MS clarification of wuauclt vs. usoclient as opposed to blogs and forum questions would be good.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018 2:10 AM | 2 votes

I have played around with this for hours and finally come up with a simple script to download install and reboot that works on Window 10 1803 :

https://www.urtech.ca/2018/11/solved-easily-script-windows-10-to-download-install-and-restart-for-windows-updates/

I hope this helps!

Ian Matthews www.urtech.ca www.commodore.ca

Tuesday, November 20, 2018 4:05 AM | 4 votes

I have now collected all the switches and explanations I can find and figure out from testing on USOClient and written them up https://www.urtech.ca/2018/11/usoclient-documentation-switches/ 

Again... I hope this helps

Ian Matthews www.urtech.ca www.commodore.ca

Friday, February 1, 2019 3:38 PM

Ian,

Thanks for all the information and hard work on this issue. I am just experimenting with your command findings now and they are wonderful.

I need to have my computer reach out to Microsoft for the updates, akin to clicking the link "Check online for updates from Microsoft Update"

Do you know if there is a way to get USOClient to look there?

Thanks for any information.

Jim

Tuesday, March 19, 2019 4:59 PM

"Check online for updates from Microsoft Update"

Hi Jim

... I need this too - did you find a solution?

Thanks

Tuesday, May 5, 2020 12:10 AM

I wish there were a SUPER DOOPER UPVOTE option.  Your posts are pure GOLD.  Thank you!  Such a rare find in this "Information Age" (MisInformation Age seems more fitting).  It is very strange that MS axed the wuauclt replacing it with USOClient, and in the process, MS offers no dcoumentation or even a help/man switch, and the onyl official statement MS provides on this new command is, "Don't use it.  It is meant for our internal use only."  That is just sheer creepy really.  We need someone to step up and give Windows and Google some serious competition and something better than Linux, and its zillion distros and contributors.  I think something like RedHat but perhaps something total new from teh ground up.  I saw an interesting effort to do this by a single individual many years ago, but sadly he died before he completed it.  The world needs a small biz start-up to build a totally new subscription-based OS with ZERO creepiness factor and yet with the ease of use of MS, and zero of the creepiness of MS and Google controlling and watching our every move even on simple manners such as allow us to install updates on our own schedule -- plum WEIRD.  I'd imagine this is likely due to the new approach that MS employs of caching updates on every users PC and grab updates from the nearest neighbor with the newest update.