.. _ansible.windows.win_updates_module: *************************** ansible.windows.win_updates *************************** **Download and install Windows updates** .. contents:: :local: :depth: 1 Synopsis -------- - Searches, downloads, and installs Windows updates synchronously by automating the Windows Update client. Parameters ---------- .. raw:: html
Parameter Choices/Defaults Comments
_output_path
string
Internal use only.
_wait
boolean
    Choices:
  • no ←
  • yes
Internal use only.
accept_list
list / elements=string
A list of update titles or KB numbers that can be used to specify which updates are to be searched or installed.
If an available update does not match one of the entries, then it is skipped and not installed.
Each entry can either be the KB article or Update title as a regex according to the PowerShell regex rules.
The accept list is only validated on updates that were found based on category_names. It will not force the module to install an update if it was not in the category specified.
The alias whitelist is deprecated and will be removed in a release after 2023-06-01.

aliases: whitelist
category_names
list / elements=string
Default:
["CriticalUpdates", "SecurityUpdates", "UpdateRollups"]
A scalar or list of categories to install updates from. To get the list of categories, run the module with state=searched. The category must be the full category string, but is case insensitive.
Some possible categories are Application, Connectors, Critical Updates, Definition Updates, Developer Kits, Feature Packs, Guidance, Security Updates, Service Packs, Tools, Update Rollups, Updates, and Upgrades.
Since v1.7.0 the value * will match all categories.
log_path
path
If set, win_updates will append update progress to the specified file. The directory must already exist.
reboot
boolean
    Choices:
  • no ←
  • yes
Ansible will automatically reboot the remote host if it is required and continue to install updates after the reboot.
This can be used instead of using a ansible.windows.win_reboot task after this one and ensures all updates for that category is installed in one go.
Async does not work when reboot=yes.
reboot_timeout
integer
Default:
1200
The time in seconds to wait until the host is back online from a reboot.
This is only used if reboot=yes and a reboot is required.
reject_list
list / elements=string
A list of update titles or KB numbers that can be used to specify which updates are to be excluded from installation.
If an available update does match one of the entries, then it is skipped and not installed.
Each entry can either be the KB article or Update title as a regex according to the PowerShell regex rules.
The alias blacklist is deprecated and will be removed in a release after 2023-06-01.

aliases: blacklist
server_selection
string
    Choices:
  • default ←
  • managed_server
  • windows_update
Defines the Windows Update source catalog.
default Use the default search source. For many systems default is set to the Microsoft Windows Update catalog. Systems participating in Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) or similar corporate update server environments may default to those managed update sources instead of the Windows Update catalog.
managed_server Use a managed server catalog. For environments utilizing Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) or similar corporate update servers, this option selects the defined corporate update source.
windows_update Use the Microsoft Windows Update catalog.
skip_optional
boolean
added in 1.8.0
    Choices:
  • no ←
  • yes
Skip optional updates where the update has BrowseOnly set by Microsoft.
Microsoft documents show that BrowseOnly means that the update should not be installed automatically and appear as optional updates.
state
string
    Choices:
  • installed ←
  • searched
  • downloaded
Controls whether found updates are downloaded or installed or listed
This module also supports Ansible check mode, which has the same effect as setting state=searched
use_scheduled_task
boolean
    Choices:
  • no ←
  • yes
This option is deprecated and no longer does anything since v1.7.0 of this collection.
The option will be removed in a release after 2023-06-01.

Notes ----- .. note:: - :ref:`ansible.windows.win_updates ` must be run by a user with membership in the local Administrators group. - :ref:`ansible.windows.win_updates ` will use the default update service configured for the machine (Windows Update, Microsoft Update, WSUS, etc). - By default :ref:`ansible.windows.win_updates ` does not manage reboots, but will signal when a reboot is required with the *reboot_required* return value. *reboot* can be used to reboot the host if required in the one task. - :ref:`ansible.windows.win_updates ` can take a significant amount of time to complete (hours, in some cases). Performance depends on many factors, including OS version, number of updates, system load, and update server load. - Beware that just after :ref:`ansible.windows.win_updates ` reboots the system, the Windows system may not have settled yet and some base services could be in limbo. This can result in unexpected behavior. Check the examples for ways to mitigate this. - More information about PowerShell and how it handles RegEx strings can be found at https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2007.11.powershell.aspx. - The current module doesn't support Systems Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). See https://github.com/ansible-collections/ansible.windows/issues/194 See Also -------- .. seealso:: :ref:`chocolatey.chocolatey.win_chocolatey_module` The official documentation on the **chocolatey.chocolatey.win_chocolatey** module. :ref:`ansible.windows.win_feature_module` The official documentation on the **ansible.windows.win_feature** module. :ref:`community.windows.win_hotfix_module` The official documentation on the **community.windows.win_hotfix** module. :ref:`ansible.windows.win_package_module` The official documentation on the **ansible.windows.win_package** module. Examples -------- .. code-block:: yaml - name: Install all updates and reboot as many times as needed ansible.windows.win_updates: category_names: '*' reboot: yes - name: Install all security, critical, and rollup updates without a scheduled task ansible.windows.win_updates: category_names: - SecurityUpdates - CriticalUpdates - UpdateRollups - name: Search-only, return list of found updates (if any), log to C:\ansible_wu.txt ansible.windows.win_updates: category_names: SecurityUpdates state: searched log_path: C:\ansible_wu.txt - name: Install all security updates with automatic reboots ansible.windows.win_updates: category_names: - SecurityUpdates reboot: yes - name: Install only particular updates based on the KB numbers ansible.windows.win_updates: category_name: - SecurityUpdates accept_list: - KB4056892 - KB4073117 - name: Exclude updates based on the update title ansible.windows.win_updates: category_name: - SecurityUpdates - CriticalUpdates reject_list: - Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool for Windows - \d{4}-\d{2} Cumulative Update for Windows Server 2016 # Optionally, you can increase the reboot_timeout to survive long updates during reboot - name: Ensure we wait long enough for the updates to be applied during reboot ansible.windows.win_updates: reboot: yes reboot_timeout: 3600 # Search and download Windows updates - name: Search and download Windows updates without installing them ansible.windows.win_updates: state: downloaded Return Values ------------- Common return values are documented `here `_, the following are the fields unique to this module: .. raw:: html
Key Returned Description
failed_update_count
integer
always
The number of updates that failed to install.

filtered_updates
dictionary
success
Updates that were found but were filtered based on blacklist, whitelist or category_names. The return value is in the same form as updates, along with filtered_reason.

Sample:
see the updates return value
 
filtered_reason
string
always
The reason why this update was filtered.
This value has been deprecated since 1.7.0, use filtered_reasons which contain a list of all the reasons why the update is filtered.

Sample:
skip_hidden
 
filtered_reasons
list / elements=string
added in 1.7.0
A list of reasons why the update has been filtered.
Can be accept_list, reject_list, hidden, category_names, or skip_optional.

Sample:
['category_names', 'accept_list']
found_update_count
integer
success
The number of updates found needing to be applied.

Sample:
3
installed_update_count
integer
success
The number of updates successfully installed or downloaded.

Sample:
2
reboot_required
boolean
success
True when the target server requires a reboot to complete updates (no further updates can be installed until after a reboot).

Sample:
True
updates
dictionary
success
Updates that were found/installed.
The key for each update is the id of the update.

 
categories
list / elements=string
always
A list of category strings for this update.

Sample:
['Critical Updates', 'Windows Server 2012 R2']
 
downloaded
boolean
added in 1.7.0
always
Was the update downloaded.

Sample:
True
 
failure_hresult_code
boolean
on install or download failure
The HRESULT code from a failed update.

Sample:
2147942402
 
failure_msg
string
added in 1.7.0
on install or download failure and not running with async
The error message with more details on the failure.

Sample:
Operation did not complete because there is no logged-on interactive user (WU_E_NO_INTERACTIVE_USER 0x80240020)
 
id
string
always
Internal Windows Update GUID.

Sample:
fb95c1c8-de23-4089-ae29-fd3351d55421
 
installed
boolean
always
Was the update successfully installed.

Sample:
True
 
kb
list / elements=string
always
A list of KB article IDs that apply to the update.

Sample:
['3004365']
 
title
string
always
Display name.

Sample:
Security Update for Windows Server 2012 R2 (KB3004365)


Status ------ Authors ~~~~~~~ - Matt Davis (@nitzmahone)