Get-Windows Update Log

Module:
windowsupdate
Merges Windows Update .etl files into a single log file.

Syntax 

Get-WindowsUpdateLog
   [[-ETLPath] <String[]>]
   [[-LogPath] <String>]
   [[-SymbolServer] <String>]
   [-ProcessingType <String>]
   [-ForceFlush]
   [-WhatIf]
   [-Confirm]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Get-WindowsUpdateLog cmdlet merges and converts Windows Update .etl files into a single readable WindowsUpdate.log file. Windows Update Agent uses Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) to generate diagnostic logs. Windows Update no longer directly produces a WindowsUpdate.log file. Instead, it produces .etl files that are not immediately readable as written.

This cmdlet requires access to a Microsoft symbol server.

Examples

Example 1: Merge and convert Windows Update trace files 

PS C:\> Get-WindowsUpdateLog
Converting C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate into C:\Users\Admin\Desktop\WindowsUpdate.log 




    Directory: C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Temp\WindowsUpdateLog


Mode                LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                -------------         ------ ----
d-----        5/30/2015  10:02 PM                SymCache

Input
----------------
File(s): 
     C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate\WindowsUpdate.20150529.112451.395.1.etl
     C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate\WindowsUpdate.20150529.112502.723.1.etl
     C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate\WindowsUpdate.20150529.112524.191.1.etl
     C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate\WindowsUpdate.20150529.121921.075.1.etl
     C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate\WindowsUpdate.20150529.122031.684.1.etl
     C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate\WindowsUpdate.20150529.122432.434.1.etl
     C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate\WindowsUpdate.20150529.122432.434.2.etl
     C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate\WindowsUpdate.20150529.122432.434.3.etl
     C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate\WindowsUpdate.20150529.122432.434.4.etl
     C:\Windows\logs\WindowsUpdate\WindowsUpdate.20150529.122432.434.5.etl

0.00%8.33%16.67%25.00%33.33%41.67%50.00%58.33%66.67%75.00%83.33%91.67%100.00%

Output
----------------
DumpFile:           C:\Users\admin\AppData\Local\Temp\WindowsUpdateLog\wuetl.CSV.tmp.0

The command completed successfully. 

WindowsUpdate.log written to C:\Users\admin\Desktop\WindowsUpdate.log

This command merges and converts Windows Update trace files (.etl files) into a single readable WindowsUpdate.log file.

Optional Parameters

-Confirm

Prompts you for confirmation before running the cmdlet.

Type: SwitchParameter
Aliases: cf
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-ETLPath

Specifies an array of paths of Windows Update .etl files to convert into WindowsUpdate.log. The default value for this parameter is the Windows Update trace file directory for the current device. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • The full path of a directory that contains one or more .etl files.
  • The full path of a single .etl file.
  • A comma-separated list of full paths of .etl files.
Type: String[]
Aliases: PsPath
Position: 0
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-ForceFlush

Indicates that this cmdlet forces the Windows Update Agent on the current device to flush all of its traces to .etl files. This process stops the Update Orchestrator and Windows Update services. Running this cmdlet with this parameter requires administrative credentials. You can start Windows PowerShell with administrative credentials by using the Run as administrator command.

Type: SwitchParameter
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-LogPath

Specifies the full path to which Get-WindowsUpdateLog writes WindowsUpdate.log. The default value is WindowsUpdate.log in the Desktop folder of the current user.

Type: String
Position: 1
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-ProcessingType

Specifies the file type that Get-WindowsUpdateLog uses for temporary files that are created during intermediate processing. The acceptable values for this parameter are:

  • CSV (comma-separated values)
  • XML

By default, the value is CSV. The temporary files are in $env:TEMP\WindowsUpdateLog.

Type: String
Parameter Sets: CSV, XML
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-SymbolServer

Specifies the URL of Microsoft Symbol Server. By default, this value is the Microsoft public symbol server.

Type: String
Position: 2
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-WhatIf

Shows what would happen if the cmdlet runs. The cmdlet is not run.

Type: SwitchParameter
Aliases: wi
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False