update-installer

Automated software updater for maintaining a collection of installers for VM deployments.

Features

• 🚀 Parallel Processing - Downloads multiple applications simultaneously
• 📊 Progress Tracking - Visual feedback during version checks and downloads
• 🔄 Resume Support - Uses BITS transfer with automatic resume capability
• 📝 Comprehensive Logging - Detailed logs with timestamps and severity levels
• ⚡ Smart Caching - Daily timestamp prevents redundant checks
• 🎯 Version Detection - Automatically detects and updates only outdated software
• 🛡️ Error Handling - Robust error handling with detailed error messages
• 🔌 Modular Design - Easy to add new applications

Usage

Basic Usage

# Load and run the update script
. .\Start-Update.ps1
Start-Update -Path "E:\software\apps\win\_install"

Advanced Options

# Force update even if already run today
Start-Update -Path "E:\software\apps\win\_install" -Force

# Enable disabled update scripts
Start-Update -Path "E:\software\apps\win\_install" -enableAll

# Specify custom log file location
Start-Update -Path "E:\software\apps\win\_install" -LogFile "C:\logs\update.log"

# Combine options
Start-Update -Path "E:\software\apps\win\_install" -Force -enableAll -Verbose

Supported Applications

Active Updaters

• 7-Zip
• AutoRuns (Sysinternals)
• BGInfo (Sysinternals)
• Brave Browser
• Git for Windows
• Notepad++
• Process Explorer (Sysinternals)
• VLC Media Player
• Visual Studio Code
• Wireshark

Disabled Updaters (enable with -enableAll)

• Audacity Portable
• Chrome
• Firefox
• GnuPG
• GPG
• Microsoft Office
• nVidia Drivers
• PowerShell Core
• PowerToys
• Python
• VMware Tools
• WinDirStat Portable

Logging

Logs are automatically created in the logs/ directory with timestamps:

• Format: update-yyyyMMdd-HHmmss.log
• Log levels: INFO, WARNING, ERROR, SUCCESS, DEBUG, VERBOSE
• Both console output and file logging

Example log output:

[2025-11-09 14:30:15] [INFO] Starting update process...
[2025-11-09 14:30:15] [INFO] Found 10 update scripts
[2025-11-09 14:30:20] [SUCCESS] Version checks completed: 10 results
[2025-11-09 14:30:20] [SUCCESS] Already latest: VS Code (VSCodeSetup-x64-1.105.1.exe)
[2025-11-09 14:30:20] [INFO] Update available: Git (Git-2.51.1-64-bit.exe -> Git-2.51.2-64-bit.exe)
[2025-11-09 14:30:45] [SUCCESS] Successfully downloaded: Git

Adding New Applications

Create a new script in .util\scripts\ following this template:

function main {
    param()
    
    # Fetch latest version info (example using GitHub API)
    $rest = Invoke-RestMethod "https://api.github.com/repos/owner/repo/releases/latest"
    $asset = $rest.assets | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "*pattern*" }
    
    $filename = $asset.Name
    $link = $asset.browser_download_url
    
    # Return: DisplayName, Filename, SearchPattern, DownloadLink, [Credentials]
    return "AppName", $filename, "AppName*.exe", $link
}

return main

Error Handling

The script includes comprehensive error handling:

• Network errors: Automatically retried with BITS
• Script failures: Logged and isolated (won't stop other updates)
• Timeout protection: 30-minute timeout per download
• State validation: Checks BITS transfer states
• Graceful degradation: Failed downloads don't affect successful ones

Requirements

• PowerShell 5.1 or later
• BITS (Background Intelligent Transfer Service)
• Internet connection
• Write permissions to target directory

Timestamp Management

The script creates a timestamp.txt file to prevent redundant updates:

• Format: yyyyMMdd
• Checked before each run
• Updated after successful completion
• Override with -Force parameter

Directory Structure

update-installer/
├── Start-Update.ps1          # Main script
├── README.md                 # This file
├── LICENSE                   # License information
├── logs/                     # Auto-generated logs
└── .util/
    ├── Copy-File.ps1         # BITS download wrapper
    ├── New-Dir.ps1           # Directory creation helper
    ├── Read-Timestamp.ps1    # Timestamp validation
    ├── Wait-JobWithProgress.ps1  # Job management
    ├── Write-Log.ps1         # Logging utility
    └── scripts/
        ├── update*.ps1       # Active update scripts
        └── disabled/
            └── update*.ps1   # Disabled update scripts

Troubleshooting

No updates found

• Check internet connection
• Verify script permissions
• Check logs for API errors

Download failures

• Verify disk space
• Check firewall settings
• Review BITS service status: Get-Service BITS

Permission errors

• Run PowerShell as Administrator
• Check write permissions on target directory

License

See LICENSE file for details