Windows Update is a crucial component of the Windows operating system, responsible for keeping your system up to date with the latest security patches, features, and improvements. While most users interact with Windows Update through the graphical interface, system administrators and power users may prefer managing updates via command line or PowerShell for automation and scripting purposes. This article will guide you through the process of managing Windows Updates using these tools.

Examples:

1. Checking for Updates via Command Line:

   To check for updates using the Command Prompt, you can use the wuauclt command. However, please note that wuauclt is deprecated in newer versions of Windows. Instead, you should use PowerShell or the Windows Update Agent API. For older systems, you can try the following:

   wuauclt /detectnow

   This command forces Windows to check for updates immediately.

2. Checking for Updates via PowerShell:

   PowerShell provides a more robust way to manage Windows Updates. You can use the Get-WindowsUpdate cmdlet from the PSWindowsUpdate module to check for updates:

   Install-Module -Name PSWindowsUpdate
   Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate
   Get-WindowsUpdate

   This series of commands installs the PSWindowsUpdate module, imports it, and checks for available updates.

3. Installing Updates via PowerShell:

   Once you've checked for updates, you can install them using the Install-WindowsUpdate cmdlet:

   Install-WindowsUpdate -AcceptAll -AutoReboot

   This command installs all available updates and automatically reboots the system if necessary.

4. Scheduling Updates via Task Scheduler:

   You can automate update checks by creating a scheduled task. Here’s a basic example using PowerShell to create a task that runs a script to check for updates:

   $Action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute 'PowerShell.exe' -Argument '-NoProfile -WindowStyle Hidden -Command "Get-WindowsUpdate"'
   $Trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At 3AM
   Register-ScheduledTask -Action $Action -Trigger $Trigger -TaskName "CheckWindowsUpdates" -Description "Daily check for Windows Updates"

   This script creates a scheduled task that runs daily at 3 AM to check for updates.

5. Viewing Update History via Command Line:

   To view the update history, you can use the wmic command:

   wmic qfe list brief /format:table

   This command lists all installed updates in a table format.