How to force Windows Server 2016 to check for updates

Question

Is there any programmatic way to force Windows to check for updates? I have installed an update using the Windows Update API but the following screen does not update.

The Windows Update API says that Reboot is required -

PS C:\Windows\system32> $rebootRequired = (New-Object -ComObject "Microsoft.Update.SystemInfo").RebootRequired

echo $rebootRequired
True

I have tried the following commands as administrator but none of them refreshed the screen -

wuauclt.exe /updatenow
wuauclt.exe /detectnow

Thanks!

Answer 1

The command line utilities in Windows 10 & Windows Server 2016 onwards have changed for Windows Update.

You have to use usoclient StartScan to start a scan.

There are other options as well:

• StartScan: Used to start scan
• StartDownload: Used to start download of patches
• StartInstall: Used to install downloaded patches
• RefreshSettings: Refresh settings if any changes were made
• StartInteractiveScan: May ask for user input and/or open dialogues to show progress or report errors
• RestartDevice: Restart device to finish installation of updates
• ScanInstallWait: Combined scan, download, and install
• ResumeUpdate: Resume update installation on boot

I wrote the more detailed blog post “Command Line Equivalent of wuauclt in Windows 10 / Windows Server 2016” at OMGDebugging!!!

Answer 2

Run the following from an elevated command prompt...

usoclient StartScan

Answer 3

The accepted answer doesn't work. What worked for me is this (in administrator prompt):

usoclient StartInteractiveScan

This refreshes the updates but it also starts installing them immediately. I haven't found a way around that.

Answer 4

It is an external tool, but we are using WuInstall (http://www.wuinstall.com)

The command to check would be

wuinstall /search

The command to install would be

wuinstall /install

With psexec you can also script it remotely to be used on multiple servers