Most machines I support are Dell. I have been using Dell Support Assist to get driver updates done, but that’s slow and time consuming. SO, I’ve been looking into scripting the process. Dell Command Update has the ability to be run from PowerShell and I stumbled upon a script that seems to work, but I have to run it twice. I have rewritten a lot of the following script to make it work with Syncro, but note that I am not a scripting person.
This script will check if a Temp folder exists and if the Dell Command Update installer is present. I also altered it to check for if Dell Command Assist is already installed. After the checks, it will download and install Dell Command Update if it’s not already installed. Then, it’ll run a scan. The scan command and the update driver command are basically the same. This script will not install/update drivers currently, but all that would take is adding a line. I’ll add that command once I get this working better.
The problem: If the Temp folder and installer are not presant, the script will run all the way through, and error out when it comes time to read the XML file because it doesn’t seem to create it. However, the next time I run the script, it skips the download/install and just runs the scan, and then it works as intended. The output at the end and all the write-host commands are there for troubleshooting reasons.
I could split this up into 2 different scripts: 1) Install Dell Command Update and 2) Run Dell Command Assist, and it would work just fine. But, I’d like for it to be all in one script if possible.
$DownloadURL = "https://wolftech.cc/6516510615/DCU.EXE"
$DownloadLocation = "C:\Temp"
write-host "Download URL is set to $DownloadURL"
write-host "Download Location is set to $DownloadLocation"
$DCUExists = Test-Path "C:\Program Files\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe"
if (!$DCUExists) {
try {
$TestDownloadLocation = Test-Path $DownloadLocation
write-host "$DownloadLocation exists? $($TestDownloadLocation)"
if (!$TestDownloadLocation) { new-item $DownloadLocation -ItemType Directory -force
write-host "Temp Folder has been created"}
$TestDownloadLocationZip = Test-Path "$($DownloadLocation)\DellCommandUpdate.exe"
write-host "DellCommandUpdate.exe exists? $($TestDownloadLocationZip)"
if (!$TestDownloadLocationZip) {
write-host "Downloading DellCommandUpdate"
Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing -Uri $DownloadURL -OutFile "$($DownloadLocation)\DellCommandUpdate.exe"
write-host "Installing DellCommandUpdate..."
Start-Process -FilePath "$($DownloadLocation)\DellCommandUpdate.exe" -ArgumentList "/s" -Wait
write-host "DellCommandUpdate is now installed"
set-service -name 'DellClientManagementService' -StartupType Manual
write-host "Just set DellClientManagmentService to Manual"
}
}
catch {
write-host "The download and installation of DCUCli failed. Error: $($_.Exception.Message)"
exit 1
}
}
write-host "Running a Scan..."
Start-Process "C:\Program Files\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe" -ArgumentList "/scan -report=$($DownloadLocation)" -Wait
write-host "Scan Complete"
[ xml]$XMLReport = get-content "$DownloadLocation\DCUApplicableUpdates.xml"
#We now remove the item, because we don't need it anymore, and sometimes fails to overwrite
remove-item "$DownloadLocation\DCUApplicableUpdates.xml" -Force
$AvailableUpdates = $XMLReport.updates.update
$BIOSUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "BIOS" }).name.Count
$ApplicationUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Application" }).name.Count
$DriverUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Driver" }).name.Count
$FirmwareUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Firmware" }).name.Count
$OtherUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Other" }).name.Count
$PatchUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Patch" }).name.Count
$UtilityUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Utility" }).name.Count
$UrgentUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.Urgency -eq "Urgent" }).name.Count
write-host "Total Available Updates: $AvailableUpdates"
write-host "Bios Updates: $BIOSUpdates"
write-host "Application Updates: $ApplicationUpdates"
write-host "Driver Updates: $DriverUpdates"
write-host "Firmware Updates: $FirmwareUpdates"
write-host "Other Updates: $OtherUpdates"
write-host "Patch Updates: $PatchUpdates"
write-host "Utility Updates: $UtilityUpdates"
write-host "Urgent Updates: $UrgentUpdates"
(When Dell Command Update is not installed, and temp folder and is installer missing)
When I comment out the XML file delete command, I see that it’s not running the scan.
I am wondering if the script is not waiting for the install to complete, and it’s not running the scan command.
Figured out a way. I had to have the script wait a minute before running the DellCommandUpdate after it was installed.
Below is the new (functional script):
#This is to ensure that if an error happens, this script stops.
$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
### Set your variables below this line ###
$DownloadURL = "https://wolftech.cc/6516510615/DCU.EXE"
$DownloadLocation = "C:\Temp"
$Reboot = "enable"
### Set your variables above this line ###
write-host "Download URL is set to $DownloadURL"
write-host "Download Location is set to $DownloadLocation"
#Check for 32bit or 64bit
$DCUExists32 = Test-Path "C:\Program Files (x86)\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe"
write-host "Does C:\Program Files (x86)\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe exist? $DCUExists32"
$DCUExists64 = Test-Path "C:\Program Files\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe"
write-host "Does C:\Program Files\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe exist? $DCUExists64"
if ($DCUExists32 -eq $true) {
$DCUPath = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe"
}
elseif ($DCUExists64 -eq $true) {
$DCUPath = "C:\Program Files\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe"
}
if (!$DCUExists32 -And !$DCUExists64) {
$TestDownloadLocation = Test-Path $DownloadLocation
write-host "$DownloadLocation exists? $($TestDownloadLocation)"
if (!$TestDownloadLocation) { new-item $DownloadLocation -ItemType Directory -force
write-host "Temp Folder has been created"
}
$TestDownloadLocationZip = Test-Path "$($DownloadLocation)\DellCommandUpdate.exe"
write-host "DellCommandUpdate.exe exists in $($DownloadLocation)? $($TestDownloadLocationZip)"
if (!$TestDownloadLocationZip) {
write-host "Downloading DellCommandUpdate..."
Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing -Uri $DownloadURL -OutFile "$($DownloadLocation)\DellCommandUpdate.exe"
write-host "Installing DellCommandUpdate..."
Start-Process -FilePath "$($DownloadLocation)\DellCommandUpdate.exe" -ArgumentList "/s" -Wait
$DCUExists = Test-Path "$($DCUPath)"
write-host "Done. Does $DCUPath exist now? $DCUExists"
set-service -name 'DellClientManagementService' -StartupType Manual
write-host "Just set DellClientManagmentService to Manual"
}
}
$DCUExists = Test-Path "$DCUPath"
write-host "About to run $DCUPath. Lets be sure to be sure. Does it exist? $DCUExists"
Start-Process "$($DCUPath)" -ArgumentList "/scan -report=$($DownloadLocation)" -Wait
write-host "Checking for results."
$XMLExists = Test-Path "$DownloadLocation\DCUApplicableUpdates.xml"
if (!$XMLExists) {
write-host "Something went wrong. Waiting 60 seconds then trying again..."
Start-Sleep -s 60
Start-Process "$($DCUPath)" -ArgumentList "/scan -report=$($DownloadLocation)" -Wait
$XMLExists = Test-Path "$DownloadLocation\DCUApplicableUpdates.xml"
write-host "Did the scan work this time? $XMLExists"
}
if ($XMLExists -eq $true) {
[xml]$XMLReport = get-content "$DownloadLocation\DCUApplicableUpdates.xml"
$AvailableUpdates = $XMLReport.updates.update
$BIOSUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "BIOS" }).name.Count
$ApplicationUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Application" }).name.Count
$DriverUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Driver" }).name.Count
$FirmwareUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Firmware" }).name.Count
$OtherUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Other" }).name.Count
$PatchUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Patch" }).name.Count
$UtilityUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.type -eq "Utility" }).name.Count
$UrgentUpdates = ($XMLReport.updates.update | Where-Object { $_.Urgency -eq "Urgent" }).name.Count
#Print Results
write-host "Bios Updates: $BIOSUpdates"
write-host "Application Updates: $ApplicationUpdates"
write-host "Driver Updates: $DriverUpdates"
write-host "Firmware Updates: $FirmwareUpdates"
write-host "Other Updates: $OtherUpdates"
write-host "Patch Updates: $PatchUpdates"
write-host "Utility Updates: $UtilityUpdates"
write-host "Urgent Updates: $UrgentUpdates"
}
if (!$XMLExists) {
write-host "We tried again and the scan still didn't run. Not sure what the problem is, but if you run the script again it'll probably work."
exit 1
}
else {
#We now remove the item, because we don't need it anymore, and sometimes fails to overwrite
remove-item "$DownloadLocation\DCUApplicableUpdates.xml" -Force
}
$Result = $BIOSUpdates + $ApplicationUpdates + $DriverUpdates + $FirmwareUpdates + $OtherUpdates + $PatchUpdates + $UtilityUpdates + $UrgentUpdates
write-host "Total Updates Available: $Result"
if ($Result -gt 0) {
$OPLogExists = Test-Path "$DownloadLocation\updateOutput.log"
if ($OPLogExists -eq $true) {
remove-item "$DownloadLocation\updateOutput.log" -Force
}
write-host "Lets do it! Updating Drivers. This may take a while..."
Start-Process "$($DCUPath)" -ArgumentList "/applyUpdates -autoSuspendBitLocker=enable -reboot=$($Reboot) -outputLog=$($DownloadLocation)\updateOutput.log" -Wait
Start-Sleep -s 60
Get-Content -Path '$DownloadLocation\updateOutput.log'
write-host "Done."
exit 0
}
Problem with this one, is if a different version of DellCommandUpdate or Dell Update is installed, it’ll fail.
Looks like I am going to have to write in removal of incompatible versions.
Yeah, I see that this is probably the best way to go about it. Often times the DCU requires a reboot if it hadn’t been updated in a while, SO, that bit has to be done after hours.
I’ve never installed Chocolately separately before – does this Dell Command Update script work with the Syncro-included Chocolately, or does this require the full install of it?
I am just trying to get my Dell Command Updates going again, and am running into a strange error.
The script was failing, so I tried to run choco upgrade dellcommandupdate in interactive mode to see what the issue was.
Still fails, so I actually double clicked on the downloaded installer, and it fails saying “Dell Universal 4.7.1 is installed” or something.
Ok, uninstall that version (wich by the way does not appear in the start menu at all but is visible in Add/Remove programs), then run the script again.
This time it works and runs all the updates, the last of which is, you guessed it, a self update to DCU Universal 4.7.1 Argh
Rinse repeat… Always seems to be some reason DCU cannot be scripted. Has anyone else seen this of found a fix?
There is also a new choco install dellcommandupdate-uwp. From the notes on dellcommandupdate:
The latest I’ve seen from Dell is that they are discontinuing this version of the software and shifting everyone over to the UWP version (which is possibly what would happen if you allow it to self-update).
I’ll update the description of this package shortly to mention this. You’ll need to uninstall this package and install https://community.chocolate… if you want to continue using Chocolatey to update (assuming your machine can run the UWP version)
I have updated my scripts to uninstall the choco dellcommandupdate and any other dell command update I can find and then install dellcommandupdate-uwp. So far it is working.
[Remove-AppxPackage], COMException