Winget-AutoUpdate on Windows server?

[dbennett2843]

Can Winget-AutoUpdate work on any version of Windows Server 2019 or 2022?

[Romanitho]

Hi,

I would say yes if Winget is installed on the server. But perhaps it’s not recommended, except for RDS servers?

[Romanitho]

It is possible to bypass metered connection checks. Furthermore, for servers, it is not an issue; you should never be on mobile data sharing. 😅
DONOTRUNONMETERED=0

[KnifMelti]

It's a standard issue with our VMware virtual servers

[MTC-Lab]

Same Problem here. All Virtual machines (Servers) are affected.
Metered Connection Detection is NOT working in WAU.
All virtual Interfaces (LAN) are detected as metered by WAU.
Is there any Solution? How is it possible to tun this wrong metered Connection detection off?
How, where? I´ve not understood how i can add parameters to the scripts.
Thank you for your hints.

[KnifMelti]

When installing with msi
DONOTRUNONMETERED=0 or Edit the regsetting

[MTC-Lab]

OK, this worked. REG Setting:
-- cut --
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Romanitho\Winget-AutoUpdate]
"WAU_DoNotRunOnMetered"=dword:00000000
-- cut --

[MTC-Lab]

Yes, it is running on Servers also.
I have it successful implemented at round about >30 Servers under VMWare/HyperV and Windows Server 2019 or 2022.

Install "WinGet" on the Servers via powershell Script
Install WAU per MSI
Set WAU_DoNotRunOnMetered"=dword:00000000 in the registry
Edit the Exclusion List in the Config file (at best delete everything listed there)
Execute the Task in the Task Scheduler.
Check the Logfile

[Romanitho]

just add DONOTRUNONMETERED=0 to your msi install command in your script:
msiexec /i WAU.msi /qn DONOTRUNONMETERED=0

[sergiu1223]

i have a problem with the "default_excluded_apps.txt" it reapears on a weekly basis....

[sergiu1223]

Hello everyone,
I have a question regarding the WAU installation on Windows Server 2019.

I'm experiencing an issue with the "default_excluded_apps.txt" file in the configuration folder. It seems that some vital updates are being skipped because of it.

I tried deleting the file, but it keeps reappearing. I also tried clearing its content, but that didn't work either.

Does anyone know how to manage or disable this file properly?

Thanks in advance!

[Romanitho]

The default is given as is. Create your own excluded_apps.txt with no apps if needed.

[MTC-Lab]

The Problem is: yes, all users will edit the excluded_apps.txt - also done by my side! (deleted everything inside this file) BUT with each Update of Romanitho/Winget-AutoUpdate, MY FILE will be overwritten with your defaults! Result is: At the Clients almost nothing will be updated. Please make it this way: If there is an existing edited File, don´t touch it by an update, also if the file is empty. And of course your default should be "nothing is excluded"! (File should be empty by default). The topic of your project is to update Software! If almost all major critical Softwares are exluded by default, this is nonsense.

…

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[KnifMelti]

[dbennett2843]

Quick clarifying question... if I create my own excluded_apps.txt, is the default_excluded_apps.txt ignored, or are both merged into a single list of excluded apps?

[KnifMelti]

Ignored

[Champ895]

Do we add the custom excluded_apps.txt under config or on the main winget folder under program files? I have it under config and it's still ignoring and using the default one

[Champ895]

Looks like it should be under the main folder

[Champ895]

Hey guys, how are you deploying this to your servers? GPO? and will this work on AVD (azure virtual desktop)? I have been having a hard time getting this working on system context. It seems to not work or run. If one of you can help me with how you have it deployed, that would be amazing!

I have the auto-updater with the MS store and admx template working find for other endpoints. It is just "not applicable" to AVD through Intune. If you have a script that I can use to get this working, that would be amazing. Thank you!

[KnifMelti]

We don't use any WAUConfig.xml...
You can use properties when installing the MSI, look in:
https://github.com/Romanitho/Winget-AutoUpdate?tab=readme-ov-file#advanced-installation

[Champ895]

#Requires -RunAsAdministrator

param(
[string[]]$BlacklistedApps = @(
"Microsoft.Office.Desktop",
"NitroSoftware.NitroPro"
)
)

$TempPath = "$env:TEMP\WAU_Deploy"
$GitHubRepo = "Romanitho/Winget-AutoUpdate"
$LogFile = "$env:ProgramData\WAU_Deploy.log"

function Write-Log {
param([string]$Message)
$Timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
"$Timestamp - $Message" | Tee-Object -FilePath $LogFile -Append
}

try {
Write-Log "Starting Winget-AutoUpdate deployment"

# Create temp directory
if (!(Test-Path $TempPath)) {
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $TempPath -Force | Out-Null
}

# Get latest release info from GitHub API
Write-Log "Fetching latest release information from GitHub"
$ApiUrl = "https://api.github.com/repos/$GitHubRepo/releases/latest"
$Release = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri $ApiUrl -UseBasicParsing

# Find MSI download URL
$MsiAsset = $Release.assets | Where-Object { $_.name -like "*.msi" }
if (!$MsiAsset) {
    throw "MSI file not found in latest release"
}

$MsiUrl = $MsiAsset.browser_download_url
$MsiPath = Join-Path $TempPath $MsiAsset.name

Write-Log "Downloading MSI: $($MsiAsset.name)"
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri $MsiUrl -OutFile $MsiPath -UseBasicParsing

# Prepare MSI property string for install
# Based on: https://github.com/Romanitho/Winget-AutoUpdate#advanced-installation
$BlacklistString = ($BlacklistedApps -join ",")
$msiProps = @(
    "BLACKLIST=$BlacklistString",
    "UPDATEFREQUENCY=Daily",
    "UPDATETIME=12:00",
    "UPDATEATLOGON=1",
    "REINSTALLONPOLICYUPDATE=1",
    "NOTIFICATIONLEVEL=SuccessOnly",
    "DESKTOPSHORTCUT=0",
    "STARTMENUSHORTCUT=0"
) -join " "

Write-Log "Installing Winget-AutoUpdate with properties: $msiProps"
$InstallArgs = "/i `"$MsiPath`" /quiet /norestart $msiProps"
$Process = Start-Process -FilePath "msiexec.exe" -ArgumentList $InstallArgs -Wait -PassThru

if ($Process.ExitCode -ne 0) {
    throw "Installation failed with exit code: $($Process.ExitCode)"
}

Write-Log "Deployment completed successfully"

} catch {
Write-Log "ERROR: $($_.Exception.Message)"
exit 1
} finally {
# Cleanup
if (Test-Path $TempPath) {
Remove-Item -Path $TempPath -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
}
}

[KnifMelti]

Where you found REINSTALLONPOLICYUPDATE=1 I don't know...
...just try it out yourself.

[Champ895]

Looks like it's working so far so good with a manual run.

[Champ895]

msi exclusion does not work. I guess I need to include the text file instead for excluded apps.