Microsoft Windows - Install Updates And Restart (instead of Install and Shutdown)

I have a Windows box I would like to manage remotely. When I logged in this morning, the Start menu shows a ! next to the Shutdown button, notifying me there are updates to install. But the only option it gives me to install the updates is to then shutdown. Is there not a way to tell it to "install updates and restart" ?

Solution 1:

Yes. You can install all of the updates available - via either Windows Update in your Control Panel, or the yellow WU shield in the system tray near the clock. Then, when that's done, you can do a reboot from the Start Menu (or calling shutdown /r from the command line.)

The only other ways to automate it all in one step is via writing your own code (not just a simple script), or using add-on tools, free or commercial, from either MS or 3rd parties.

Solution 2:

I see this is an older question, but it's now possible to install updates and then reboot using Powershell. Specifically, you need to download and install the Windows Update PowerShell Module. Then, you can run the command Get-WUInstall -AcceptAll -AutoReboot (there are other switches and arguments to control what updates get installed). This will cause Windows to download updates, install them, and then reboot when finished. In my opinion, this is great for servers, because you can run one command and then walk away.