HOW TO get a list of pending Windows Updates of a Server with No Internet access using PowerShell

To get a list of pending Windows Updates of a Server with No Internet access, follow these steps:

1. Download wsusscn2.cab from another pc/server with Internet Access
2. Copy the wsusscn2.cab file in the Server that has No Internet access
3. Open Windows PowerShell ISE as Administrator
4. Run following PowerShell script assigning to the variable $Wsusscn2FilePath the correct path where you saved the wsusscn2.cab file

$Wsusscn2FilePath = "c:\tempwsusscn2.cab"

$UpdateSession = New-Object -ComObject Microsoft.Update.Session  
$UpdateServiceManager  = New-Object -ComObject Microsoft.Update.ServiceManager  
$UpdateService = $UpdateServiceManager.AddScanPackageService("Offline Sync Service", $Wsusscn2FilePath, 1)  
$UpdateSearcher = $UpdateSession.CreateUpdateSearcher()   
  
Write-Output "Searching for updates... `r`n"  
  
$UpdateSearcher.ServerSelection = 3 
 
$UpdateSearcher.IncludePotentiallySupersededUpdates = $true 
  
$UpdateSearcher.ServiceID = $UpdateService.ServiceID.ToString()  
  
$SearchResult = $UpdateSearcher.Search("IsInstalled=0") 
  
$Updates = $SearchResult.Updates  
  
if($Updates.Count -eq 0){  
    Write-Output "There are no applicable updates."  
    return $null  
}  
  
Write-Output "List of applicable items on the machine when using wssuscan.cab: `r`n"  
  
$i = 0  
foreach($Update in $Updates){   
    Write-Output "$($i)> $($Update.Title)"  
    $i++  
}

The script will return the list of pending updates or the message “There are no applicable updates”.

You will need to download manually the updates from another pc/server with Internet access, copy and install them manually as described in my previous post:

HOW TO download SQL Server Service Packs or Windows Updates Offline Installers

The steps have been tested in Windows Server 2016.

Sources:
Using WUA to Scan for Updates Offline
Using WUA to Scan for Updates Offline with PowerShell

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