WUAUCLT.EXE

A command line utility to control the Windows Update Automatic Update CLient

This utility is provided for all Windows operating systems prior to the release of Windows 10/Server 2016. It provides the ability to invoke an update scan or report statistics to a WSUS (Windows Software Update Service).

For reasons known only to Micrososoft, they did not include a help option (/?) as one of the parameters for this utility. I’ve only listed options that have a known effect to the client.

/DetectNow - To run an immediate poll of the WSUS server for updates
/resetAuthorization - To reset the authorization on the server and the client. In fact, it is a new registration on the WSUS server. Useful when the client registraation is corrupt, deleting it on the server and the command wuauclt /detectnow /resetAuthorization re-registered on the server with simultaneous request for list of updates
/reportnow To reset the statistics on the server the Other parameters are not so obvious and, most importantly, their application is not clear and usually causes no change
/ShowSettingsDialog - Displays the dialog to set the schedule for the installation of the updates
/ResetEulas - to reset the EULA for updates
/ShowWU - go to website of MS updates
/ShowWindowsUpdate - go to website of MS updates
/UpdateNow - Immediately starts the update process, clicking the same button in the notification window when updates are available.
/ShowWUAutoScan - unknown
/ShowFeaturedUpdates - unknown
/ShowOptions - unknown
/ShowFeaturedOptInDialog - unknown
/DemoUI - Show icon in tray - settings dialog schedule the installation of updates or setup, depending on the status.

Using this utility to force windows workstations/servers to check for or report back to WSUS can save you endless head aches and waiting.

Want to force windows to check for updates?

wuauclt.exe /detectnow

Client didn’t send a current report back to your WSUS server. Give it a kick in the pants.

wuauclt.exe /reportnow