WinUpdateRemover

Safely remove Windows Updates with automatic restore point protection

[!] Administrator Privileges Required

This script requires administrator privileges for all operations except read-only functions. Run PowerShell as Administrator before using this script.

Quick Start

Run as Administrator:

iex ((New-Object Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://raw.githubusercontent.com/danalec/WinUpdateRemover/main/WinUpdateRemover.ps1'))

Usage

Interactive Mode

.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1

Command Line

# Remove specific KBs
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -KBNumbers "KB5053656","KB5055523"

# Check before removal
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -Verify -KBNumbers "KB5053656"

# Preview only
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -ListOnly

# Repair Windows Update
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -QuickFix

# Full diagnostics
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -Diagnostic

Parameters

Parameter	Description	Example
-KBNumbers	Target specific updates	"KB5063878"
-Verify	Check if updates are installed	-Verify -KBNumbers "KB5063878"
-QuickFix	Repair Windows Update service	-QuickFix
-Diagnostic	Run system analysis	-Diagnostic
-Force	Skip confirmations	-Force
-ListOnly	Preview without changes	-ListOnly
-UsePSWindowsUpdate	Use PSWindowsUpdate module	-UsePSWindowsUpdate -KBNumbers "KB5063878"
-HideUpdate	Hide update after removal	-KBNumbers "KB5063878" -HideUpdate
-DateRange	Remove by date range	-DateRange "2024-01-01"
-RemoteComputer	Target remote computer	-RemoteComputer "SERVER01" -KBNumbers "KB5055523"

Requirements

• Windows 10/11
• PowerShell 5.1+
• Administrator rights (required for most operations)
• System Restore enabled

Administrator Privileges

This script requires administrator privileges for:

• Creating system restore points
• Removing Windows updates
• Modifying Windows registry
• Managing Windows services
• Using Windows Update API

To run as administrator:

1. Right-click PowerShell and select "Run as administrator"
2. Or use: Start-Process powershell -Verb RunAs

Read-only operations (no admin required):

• List installed updates (-ListOnly)
• Verify if updates are installed (-Verify)
• Check blocking status (-CheckBlockStatus)
• Show blocking methods (-ShowBlockMethods)

Safety Features

• Automatic restore points
• Pre-removal verification
• Multiple removal methods
• Detailed logging
• SSU detection and warnings
• Remote computer validation
• Update hiding capabilities

Common Issues

Error	Solution
Access denied	Run as Administrator
0x800f0805	Run -QuickFix
Service errors	Run -EnableSystemRestore
Update not found	Verify exact KB format

Examples

Basic Usage

# Basic removal
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -KBNumbers "KB5053656"

# Batch removal (silent)
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -KBNumbers "KB5053656","KB5055523" -Force

# Check all blocked updates
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -CheckBlockStatus -a

# Emergency workflow
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -Verify -KBNumbers "KB5063878"
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -QuickFix
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -KBNumbers "KB5063878"

PSWindowsUpdate Integration

# Use PSWindowsUpdate module for removal
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -UsePSWindowsUpdate -KBNumbers "KB5063878"

# Hide updates after removal (requires PSWindowsUpdate)
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -KBNumbers "KB5063878" -HideUpdate

Date-Based Removal

# Remove all updates installed after specific date
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -DateRange "2024-01-01"

# Remove updates from last 30 days
$30DaysAgo = (Get-Date).AddDays(-30).ToString("yyyy-MM-dd")
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -DateRange $30DaysAgo

Remote Computer Support

# Remove updates from remote computer
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -RemoteComputer "SERVER01" -KBNumbers "KB5055523"

# Remote removal with PSWindowsUpdate
.\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -RemoteComputer "SERVER01" -KBNumbers "KB5063878" -UsePSWindowsUpdate

# Batch remote removal
$computers = @("SERVER01", "SERVER02", "WORKSTATION01")
foreach ($computer in $computers) {
    .\WinUpdateRemover.ps1 -RemoteComputer $computer -KBNumbers "KB5063878" -Force
}

Servicing Stack Updates (SSU) Warnings

The script automatically detects Servicing Stack Updates (SSUs) and Combined SSU/LCU packages that cannot be removed:

• SSUs are permanent system components required for Windows Update functionality
• Combined SSU/LCU packages contain both servicing stack and cumulative updates
• These updates will be skipped automatically with appropriate warnings
• Manual removal may be possible via Windows Settings → Update & Security → Update History → Uninstall Updates

Troubleshooting

General Issues

1. Run as Administrator
2. Check logs: %TEMP%\WinUpdateRemover_*.log
3. Use -Diagnostic for system analysis

Remote Computer Issues

Issue	Solution
Access denied	Ensure PowerShell remoting is enabled: Enable-PSRemoting -Force
Network connectivity	Verify computer name and network access
Authentication	Use appropriate credentials for remote access

PSWindowsUpdate Module

Issue	Solution
Module not found	Run with admin rights to auto-install: -UsePSWindowsUpdate
Import failure	Install manually: Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force

Date Range Issues

Issue	Solution
Invalid date format	Use ISO format: yyyy-MM-dd
No updates found	Verify date range includes actual update installations

License

Unlicense