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Windows Update Command Line Troubleshooting

The Windows Update Command Line Troubleshooting repository will contain information and use cases for troubleshooting methodoligies and interactions with Windows Update via Powershell and Command Line

Get-Hotfix Commands​

Getting All Updates Done since Begining of Year

Get-Hotfix | Where-Object {$_.InstalledOn -gt "1/1/2026"} | Sort-Object -Property InstalledOn -Descending | Format-Table -AutoSize

Getting All Updates - Sorted by Date

Get-Hotfix | Sort-Object -Property InstalledOn -Descending | Format-Table -AutoSize

Getting All Updates via Windows Update API Query

$Session = New-Object -ComObject "Microsoft.Update.Session"; 
$Searcher = $Session.CreateUpdateSearcher(); 
$historyCount = $Searcher.GetTotalHistoryCount(); 
$Searcher.QueryHistory(0, $historyCount) | Select-Object Title, Date, ClientApplicationID, @{name="Operation"; expression={switch($_.operation){ 1 {"Installation"}; 2 {"Uninstallation"}; 3 {"Other"} }}}, Description | Out-GridView

DISM Guide​

DISM (Deployment and Imaging Service Module) is utilized for performing OS Repairs, Component Servicing, and other Repair Operations for Operating System Utilization

DISM Repair Commands - Online​

These commands utilize DISM in order to scan and repair functions and components on a computer

Check for Detected Corruption: Performs a quick check on the system for any previously flagged component store items which were marked as corrupted

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

Scan the Component Store for Corruption: Performs a Deep Scan on the Component Store for Corruption which has not been flagged yet

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

Scan and Repair System Corruption: Scans the Component Store and Repairs found Corruption Automatically

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

DISM Repair Commands - Local Source (ISO File)​

The following commands work like the Online Commands but use targeting of a Local ISO to repair components

Get Index for Windows Version for ISO: This command pulls the Index #s from a ISO File for the versioning of Windows it contains - This is necessary for doing any repair functionality

DISM /Get-WimInfo /Wimfile:{DriveLetter of Mounted ISO}:\sources\install.wim

Repairing System with Local ISO Files: This command utilizes the local ISO file in order to repair found corruption

DISM /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:WIM:{DriveLetter of Mounted ISO}:\sources\install.wim:{1,2,3,4 Index Version from Command Above}

You can add /LimitAccess to the end of the local command to have it replace only the corrupted files. Without it, all component files are replaced

DISM Reporting​

These Reporting Commands are utilized to output all packages on the machine

DISM /Online /Get-Packages /format:table
DISM /Online /Get-Packages /format:table > "C:\temp\packages.csv"

DISM Package Removal​

These commands will remove packages which are found using the reporting commands above

DISM /Online /Remove-Package /PackageName:[Name of Package]