PSWindowsUpdate is a powerful PowerShell module that allows system administrators and advanced users to manage Windows updates on their machines or across a network. This tool is particularly useful for automating the update process, managing update settings, and retrieving detailed information about available updates.

Introduction to PSWindowsUpdate

PSWindowsUpdate is not a built-in module in Windows PowerShell, so it needs to be installed from the PowerShell Gallery. This module provides a set of cmdlets that can be used to check, download, install, or hide updates on local or remote computers.

Installing PSWindowsUpdate

To get started with PSWindowsUpdate, you need to install it from the PowerShell Gallery. Follow these steps:

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator: You can do this by searching for PowerShell in the Start menu, right-clicking on it, and selecting "Run as administrator".

2. Install the module: Run the following command to install PSWindowsUpdate:

   Install-Module -Name PSWindowsUpdate -Force -AllowClobber

   The -Force parameter is used to suppress any prompts, and -AllowClobber allows the installation if there are any conflicting commands.

3. Import the module: After installation, import the module using:

   Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate

Using PSWindowsUpdate

Here are some common tasks you can perform with PSWindowsUpdate:

Check for Available Updates

To check for available updates on your system, use:

Get-WindowsUpdate

This command will list all updates that are available for your system.

Install Updates

To install all available updates, execute:

Install-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -AutoReboot

The -AcceptAll parameter automatically accepts all updates, and -AutoReboot allows the system to reboot automatically if required.

Exclude Specific Updates

If you want to exclude certain updates, you can specify them using the -NotKBArticleID parameter:

Install-WindowsUpdate -NotKBArticleID KB1234567

Replace KB1234567 with the actual KB number of the update you wish to exclude.

Schedule Updates

You can schedule updates to run at a specific time using Task Scheduler along with PSWindowsUpdate. First, create a script file, e.g., UpdateScript.ps1, with the following content:

Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate
Install-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -AutoReboot

Then, use Task Scheduler to run this script at your preferred time.

Conclusion

PSWindowsUpdate is a versatile tool for managing Windows updates via PowerShell. It offers flexibility and automation capabilities that are essential for system administrators managing multiple machines.