Windows Server,  Windows XP

Run Windows Updates From The Command Line

Windows Updates can be run using a standard batch script. Do so using the wusa.exe is the command that runs updates that you specify. These updates are run using the wusa command, nested inside the Windows directory (%WINDIR%\SysNative to be exact). To run, specify the path to the package you’d like to install. In this case, I’ve mapped a drive to my updates, and placed each in a directory named after the update ID. To run, just run with the path to the .msu file:

wusa.exe U:\2862152\Windows8.0-KB2862152-x86.msu

To then uninstall the package (if you dare), use the /uninstall option. In this command, you don’t need to provide the path, only the kb number, along with the /kb option:

wusa.exe /uninstall /kb:2862152 /quiet /norestart

The package then completes. If needed, you will have to reboot the system. You can also indicate /warnrestart which prompts to restart or /forcerestart that automatically restarts the system without any warnings.

Packages can also be installed before a computer boots in 7 and 8 using the DISM.exe command with the /Add-Package option along with the Windows Automated Installation Kit.