Looking for command line upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 for multiple systems

I'm looking for a command line update for Windows 10 to 11 that can be pushed to a number of systems. The users are not local admins on their systems. I was able to create a command line using the Windows 11 update assistant that works, but when run from a 3rd party app push or as a scheduled task, does not give the user a chance to defer the reboot which causes a forced update without warning. The command line I found is c:\windows\temp\Windows11Update.exe /quietinstall /skipeula /auto upgrade /CopyLogs c:\build\win11upgradelog\Win11_FeatureUpdate.log. If the user is a local admin and they manually run the command, they get the option from the Windows update assistant with a 30 min countdown to defer the reboot. If they are not a local admin and the command is pushed and run as the system account (either direct or in a batch file done with scheduled task) all the user gets is the notification that the system is rebooting now. All the systems are Windows 11 ready so I know if will work. Seems like Microsoft has made the bulk push of this very difficult.

Since the Admin user's experience is what you want, why not set up the task to be run from Task scheduler using an Admin account's authority yet bypassing an Admin prompt?
Whilst I know nothing about the particular command you are running, I do have some Admin tasks set up in TS that allow a standard user to run them without any Admin prompt.
The standard user just runs a SchTasks command that points to the task in question and that task has had the Admin username-password & Run with highest privileges saved in its definition.
Elevated Shortcut without UAC - TenForumsTutorials

I don't know why you brought the System user into this situation.


Denis

Unfortunately, we are seeing the same thing when run from the task scheduler. It runs (and upgrades to Windows 11), but the user never sees the pop up from the application that gives them the option to defer the reboot. All they get is that the system is rebooting now with no other warning. If we can get that screen to appear so they can defer the reboot until they can save files, then we are set.

I suspect that since the end users are not admin, running that command as an admin locks them out from any interactivity.

A workaround might be to run 2 tasks, one to notify the user about the pending update, allowing them to defer (say from a batch file), which after the task is allowed, calls the second admin-only silent task that actually performs the update?

But a better option, IMO, would be to simply schedule the tasks for when the user is not working, so in the middle of the night, since it is both automated and unattended anyway.

I know nothing about the file Windows11Update.exe
Perhaps it has other switches that might help.

Just out of interest, where did you find documentation for this command? You didn't just dream up the switches you mentioned - /quietinstall /skipeula /auto upgrade /CopyLogs c:\build\win11upgradelog\Win11_FeatureUpdate.log


Denis

KeithK said:

/quietinstall

Click to expand...

What if you omit that?


Denis

Unfortunately, Microsoft has not published any of the switches for the Update Assistant. I found a number of other sites that have the information. They reverse engineered the application to find the switches. The links below are some of the sites. There was one that not only had the switches, but identified what each one does which I can't find the URL for. Good thought on removing the /quietinstall. I'm testing that now and will let you know.

Quick update without the /quietinstall, I can see it running in the task Manager, but not doing anything. I think it is waiting for EULA approval which does not show.

KeithK said:

/quietinstall. I'm testing that now

Click to expand...

The first link lists
/NoRestartUI
Perhaps that would suit your needs.


Denis

I did try /noRestartUI and discovered that is the reverse of what I need. When I manually ran the command line using an account with local Admin rights on a test system, that option completely suppressed the restart box below. The system just rebooted, no warning. That's the box I need to appear to the users.

I see.
So that switch is no 'restartui' rather than 'no restart' ui.


Denis

It appears that is correct. It suppresses that box completely.