bklockwood

Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\* | `
  Where-Object {$_.Displayname -ne $null } | `
  Select-Object Publisher, DisplayName, DisplayVersion | `
  Sort-Object Publisher | `
  Format-Table -AutoSize `
  

bklockwood

#this works for win10; older windows may not have same-same wmi class members
$physmem = (Get-CimInstance Win32_PhysicalMemory | select BankLabel, DeviceLocator, Capacity, ConfiguredClockSpeed, Manufacturer, PartNumber | Format-Table -AutoSize)
$pfsettings = (Get-CimInstance Win32_PageFileSetting | Select-Object Name, InitialSize, MaximumSize | Format-Table -AutoSize)
$pfuse = (Get-CimInstance Win32_PageFileUsage | select Name, Status, CurrentUsage, PeakUsage | Format-Table -AutoSize)
$pfdiskuse = (Get-CimInstance Win32_PageFile | Select-Object Name, Status, Compressed, FileSize | Format-Table -AutoSize)
$diskdrives = (get-psdrive | ?{$_.Provider.Name -eq "FileSystem"} | Format-Table -AutoSize)
$autopf = (Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystem).AutomaticManagedPagefile
if ($autopf -eq $true) {
    Write-Output "Pagefile settings ARE DEFAULT (automatically managed)."       
} else {

bklockwood

Brief overview of how Windows Update (WU) works, as I understand it:

1. WU downloads a file called wsusscn2.cab from the MS content delivery network point nearest you. Depending on various network factors, this is usually completed within 10-60 seconds. (I have written a short script to manually verify this)
2. The cab file is cryptographically signed. This signature is checked, and the cab is extracted. The cab contains more cabfiles, also crypto-signed. Their signatures are checked and they are extracted.
3. These files are parsed against the live windows system to see which of the available updates actually need to be applied to this PC. WU tries to get is many patches into one 'install-and-reboot' operation as it can, but sometimes successive reboots will be needed.
4. After the processing is complete, a list of eligible updates is displayed, and the user is asked to choose which ones to install.
5. After user makes his/her choices and click the

bklockwood

$IE = new-object -ComObject "InternetExplorer.Application"
$webpage = "http://bestforpuzzles.com/daily-quick-crossword/puzzles/2016-04/dq1-2016-04-06.html"
$IE.Navigate($webpage)
$IE.ExecWB(6,2)

bklockwood

When WINVER says "Version 1511 (OS Build 10586.104)" ...

PS> (Get-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion').ProductName
Windows 10 Pro

PS> (Get-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion').ReleaseID
1511

PS> (Get-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion').CurrentVersion
6.3

bklockwood

From a fresh installed Windows 7 system, WU can take hours to deleiver the first list of updates. Some observations:

* If I use offlinewucheck (https://gist.github.com/bklockwood/716d9f582dd78a9e6e9e) on a VM, the download part (wsusscn2.cab) takes less 
  than a minute; local processing takes ~30 minutes. 
* Others report hours. One person reported 23 hours, on an i7 with SSD and 12GB of RAM!
* Unpacking wsusscn2.cab requires a fair amount of crypto (sig checks) and produces THOUSANDS of files.
* I have hazy memory of it overwhelming 2GB systems. Never completes at all; produces 'low virtual memory' errors.
* A system with most updates applied completes the task quickly.

Experiments to run:

bklockwood

function Get-UpdateList {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Gets an ISearchResult containing updates from Windows Update.

.PARAMETER Computername
The target computer. 
Cannot use an array of computernames here.
Defaults to the local PC.
   

bklockwood

function test-remoteicm {
    [CmdletBinding()]
    Param ()
    $true
    write-output "hello"
}

bklockwood

PS C:\> $wumethods = gcls -Namespace ROOT/Microsoft/Windows/WindowsUpdate -ClassName MSFT_WUOperationsSession
PS C:\> $wumethods.CimClassMethods

Name                     ReturnType Parameters                                                 Qualifiers
----                     ---------- ----------                                                 ----------
SetCallerID                  UInt32 {CallerID}                                                 {implemented}
ApplyApplicableUpdates       UInt32 {HResult}                                                  {implemented}
ScanForUpdates               UInt32 {OnlineScan, SearchCriteria, HResult, Updates}             {implemented}
ScanForUpdatesWithProxy      UInt32 {BypassList, BypassLocal, ProxyAddress, SearchCriteria...} {implemented}
DownloadUpdates              UInt32 {Updates, HResult}                                         {implemented}

bklockwood

#Activate Windows
slmgr.vbs /ato

#Enable RDP (don't require Network Level Auth)
set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server' -name "fDenyTSConnections" -Value 0 
set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp' -name "UserAuthentication" -Value 0 
Enable-NetFirewallRule -Name RemoteDesktop-UserMode-In-TCP

#Allow ping, v4 and v6
New-NetFirewallRule -Name Allow_Ping4 -DisplayName "Allow IPV4 Ping" -Protocol ICMPv4 -Enabled True -Profile Any -Action Allow