Windows Update Manager

Discussion in 'MDL Projects and Applications' started by DavidXanatos, Aug 16, 2018.

  1. Whistler4

    Whistler4 MDL Member

    Jul 30, 2015
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    @DavidXanatos, I applaud your efforts to make this open source. I know you need to concentrate on getting the basics to work well, including effectively identifying and installing cumulative updates. But I'd like to suggest a future feature that you could be thinking about incorporating for most Windows users who aren't particularly tech savvy: A setting to allow automatic updates that blocks just Feature Updates. Perhaps it could be menu selection filtering categories of updates, something like High - No automatic updates, Medium - Security patches only, Low - All automatic updates except Feature Updates, Off (No Filter) - All automatic updates.

    I'm envisioning more mainstream acceptance and use of your program that would require less hands on and educated decision making.

    While many of us, and probably most readers of this forum, are able to understand and keep abreast of the dangers being reported about specific Windows update KBs, as well as troubleshoot and correct problems that some of those updates cause to our systems, most Windows users wouldn't know what to pick from the Windows updates that MS offers ("forces"?).

    @pf100 may be able to accomplish the above with the Wrapper Script, but it seems to me that it would be a good feature for the core program.
     
  2. DavidXanatos

    DavidXanatos MDL Senior Member

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    What would be great would be a few ideas how to structure the new GUI, since there will be much more options and settings than in wumt.

    For now I will go with some small tabs at the bottom left, but probably a stand alone configuration window would be better?
    And I will need some icons under a GPL compatible licence i can use for free.
    Unbenannt.png
     
  3. s1ave77

    s1ave77 Has left at his own request

    Aug 15, 2012
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    Indeed :D.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  4. rayleigh_otter

    rayleigh_otter MDL Expert

    Aug 8, 2018
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    UI looks good enough as it is, just like wumt is, Keep It Simple. :)
     
  5. Whistler4

    Whistler4 MDL Member

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    #66 Whistler4, Sep 2, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2018
    You've got a great vision for your program! I'm glad to know you think that selecting updates by category is doable.

    I also assume there could be some difficulty "separating the wheat from the chaff" (for example, is a "security update" really a security update?). One technique might be to screen out the updates that aren't subsequently included in the Windows Catalog, as suggested here:
    (Of course, every update in the Catalog won't always be safe, but the Catalog may best reflect the most valid updates.)

    While many of us have been burned by bad updates and might shudder to think of applying updates without picking and vetting them, automatic updates filtered by category may be the next best thing for the vast majority of normal users who aren't technically inclined. And there shouldn't be much concern about substituting your judgement for the users' judgement, because (a) the user would still make the final choice of allowing update by category (degree of risk of damaging system?) and (b) categorization in itself is a way of providing experienced advice as to which updates are safest. (MS may disagree ;).)

    Edit: I meant to comment also on (1) the GUI and configuration choices: I agree that to meet future complex goals, the program will probably have lots of options. Therefore, to keep the interface simple and not overwhelming, a configuration tab should link to an advanced configuration page. (2) Presence in the taskbar notification area or tray is important - a complaint I've read about programs that make changes to the operation of the system as they automatically run in the background is that users can forget they exist.
     
  6. pf100

    pf100 Duct Tape Coder

    Oct 22, 2010
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    #70 pf100, Sep 2, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2018
    wumgr is working great. Installing a Cumulative Update now. Update history has no empty entries!
    A few requests:

    1) Update Source defaults to Windows Update instead of Microsoft Update. Would like to be able to select Microsoft Update from command line, or make it default if available. Either one would be great because I'm not sure how that works exactly. I know with WUMT without Office installed it uses Windows Update, but if Office is installed it uses Microsoft Update. I have Office installed and wumgr defaulted to Windows Update, which if I understand this correctly it wouldn't offer Office updates. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.

    2) Offline Mode to download wsusscn2.cab is default. Would like to be able to select online or offline mode from command line.

    3) Pop up window to notify that reboot is needed.

    Code:
    This Tool is Open Source under the GNU General Public License, Version 3
    
    Windows Update Agent Version: 8.0 (10.0.14393.2368)
    Searching for updates
    Found 1 pending updates.
    Downloading Updates... This may take several minutes.
    Updates downloaded to %windir%\SoftwareDistribution\Download
    Installing Updates... This may take several minutes.
    Updates (Un)Installed succesfully
    Reboot is required for one of more updates.
    
     
  7. DavidXanatos

    DavidXanatos MDL Senior Member

    May 23, 2010
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    @pf100

    1) As far as I can tell wumt works no different then wumgr with regard to Microsoft update, you can select from the registered update services. If Microsoft update is registered on your system you should be able to select it in wumgt and it should remember your choice for the next start.
    If you update in offline mode office critical updates are included automatically.

    2) will add a switch for that to the next build

    3) ok
     
  8. pf100

    pf100 Duct Tape Coder

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    #72 pf100, Sep 2, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2018
    If wuauserv is disabled and wumgr says "Please enable the Windows Update Service and restart the tool", when I press OK I get a "wumgr has stopped working" window. LTSB 2016.

    Edit:
    In my previous post I should have said,
    I know with WUMT without Office installed it uses Windows Update by default, but if Office is installed it uses Microsoft Update by default.
    My concern is, If I start wumgr with the -update switch on a computer that wumgr has never been used before I'm just wondering if it'll offer Office updates since it defaults to Windows Update.
    This would be in a situation where wumgr is run as part of a script.
     
  9. DavidXanatos

    DavidXanatos MDL Senior Member

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    #73 DavidXanatos, Sep 3, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2018
    (OP)
    Ah I see. Ok, there is more than one way to fix that.
    We could eider (like wumt) select the default update service smartly,
    or we could always register "Microsoft Update" and choose it.

    About the command lien switch, there are two ways to implement it,
    -online "Microsoft Update"
    and
    -online "7971f918-a847-4430-9279-4a52d1efe18d"

    The first seams more convenient, but I did not test if the service names are localized that is different depending on your system language. I only have English installs in my VM's right now.
    The second variant uses the service ID's which are fixed

    Full list of services

    LOG: Microsoft Update: 7971f918-a847-4430-9279-4a52d1efe18d
    LOG: DCat Flighting Prod: 8b24b027-1dee-babb-9a95-3517dfb9c552
    LOG: Windows Store (DCat Prod): 855e8a7c-ecb4-4ca3-b045-1dfa50104289
    LOG: Windows Update: 9482f4b4-e343-43b6-b170-9a65bc822c77
     
  10. rpo

    rpo MDL Expert

    Jan 3, 2010
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    @DavidXanatos
    Great job. Are you going to offer a facility for localization (as does wumt)?
     
  11. DavidXanatos

    DavidXanatos MDL Senior Member

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    Yes, later.
     
  12. I want to clear some facts here.
    Is enterprise/education or server group policy regarding update 100% reliable even in feature update or outdated installation?
    will group policy settings have same effects if retail pro is converted to enterprise by entering product key/gvlk?
     
  13. DavidXanatos

    DavidXanatos MDL Senior Member

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    I haven't seen an enterprise/education or server windows ignore the GPO yet, I would also assume that if you convert an other version to an enterprise/education one it will also respect the GPO.
    M$ may of cause change that in future windows releases, but for now it works.
     
  14. pf100

    pf100 Duct Tape Coder

    Oct 22, 2010
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    #78 pf100, Sep 3, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2018
    I can't think of any instance where registering "Microsoft Update" and using it would cause any unwanted problems. In fact, I've seen one situation where Office was installed but WUMT defaulted to "Windows Update". It wasn't a WUMT problem because "Microsoft Update" somehow wasn't registered and I had to register it manually. But that may have been just a rare "glitch".
    But if you think a "smart default service" would be better then that's okay with me.

    I like language independent methods best. I think service ID's would be the way to go here.

    These service ID's could be added to your documentation and/or for anyone wanting to run wumgr from the command line and it would work in any language. It's just as easy to copy and paste "7971f918-a847-4430-9279-4a52d1efe18d" as it is "Microsoft Update" for someone knowledgeable enough to run wumgr from the command line.

    Edit: I see a potential problem where if "Microsoft Update" was selected from the command line, and "Microsoft Update" wasn't registered, wumgr wouldn't work. I guess that could be fixed by registering it if that command line was used. I'll let you handle that however you think is best.
     
  15. DavidXanatos

    DavidXanatos MDL Senior Member

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    I will do it like this
    -offline [download|no_download|download_new]
    download: download wsusscn2.cab
    no_download: use wsusscn2.cab present int he download directory
    download_new: download the wsusscn2.cab only if the one which is present is onder than a day
    -online [serviceID]

    we will also need an
    -install command
    I guess so I will add these to
     
  16. DavidXanatos

    DavidXanatos MDL Senior Member

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