MDT 2013 – Dell Command Update Integration

When installing your new computer, it can be difficult to keep everything updated. That is why we try to automate as much as possible.

I will show you the steps to automate BIOS, Firmware and Driver updates for Dell computers using the Dell Command Update program.

First things first, you need to have a working Task Sequence that doesn’t produce errors.

Step 1

Since all of this relies on the Dell Command Update application, we’ll need to download and prepare it for use.

Download Dell Command Update for Windows Universal from the link below.

Link: https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=cj0g9

After downloading the file, make sure you “Unblock” it in the file properties.

Step 2

Import in Dell Command Update application. You should be well versed on how this is accomplished so I’ll just provide the needed information below.

  • Application Name: Dell Command Update for Windows Universal
  • Command: Dell-Command-Update-Windows-Universal-Application_CJ0G9_WIN_4.7.1_A00.EXE /s

Step 3

We need to build the structure needed to allow only Dell computers to run these commands.

We will need to limit these commands running on Dell computers. This will entail building a group structure under “State Restore” in your chosen Task Sequence.

For simplicity’s sake we will structure it like this. Fee free to make it however you prefer.

State Restore/Custom Tasks OS/Dell

The group “Dell” will need some logic added.

  1. Select the group named Dell.
  2. Open the Options tab on the right.
  3. Click Add, then If statement.
    1. Select All conditions and click OK.
  4. In the big white box, select to highlight “If all conditions are true“.
  5. Click Add, then Task Sequence Variable.
    1. Set Variable to: MAKE
    2. Set Condition to: equals
    3. Set Value to: Dell Inc.
    4. Make sure there’s a period (.) at the end of the Value “Dell Inc.” then click OK.
  6. It should now look like this.

Your group structure is now setup. Onto the next step!

Step 4

Here we setup the install for Dell Command Update, then the steps to update the BIOS, Firmware, Drivers and associated applications.

This is what we are working towards, imaged below.

Application Install

  1. Select the group Dell then click Add, General, Install Application.
  2. Name this new application Install Dell Command Update.
  3. Select Install a single application and click Browse.
  4. Select the app Dell Command Update 4.4.0 and click OK.

BIOS and Firmware

  1. Select the group Dell then click Add then New Group and call it BIOS and Firmware.
  2. Select the group BIOS and Firmware then click Add, General, Run Command Line.
    1. Name: DCU – Scan for BIOS and Firmware Updates
    2. Command Line: "%ProgramFiles%\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe" /scan -updateType=bios,firmware
    3. Click the Option tab and set the success codes: 0 1 500 3010
  3. Select the group BIOS and Firmware then click Add, General, Run Command Line.
    1. Name: DCU – Install BIOS and Firmware Updates
    2. Command Line: "%ProgramFiles%\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe" /applyUpdates -reboot=disable -autoSuspendBitLocker=enable -updateType=bios,firmware
    3. Click the Option tab and set the success codes: 0 1 500 3010
  4. Select the group BIOS and Firmware then click Add, General, Restart computer.
    1. Click the Option tab.
    2. Click Add, then If statement.
    3. Select All conditions and click OK.
    4. In the big white box, select to highlight “If all conditions are true“.
    5. Click Add, then Task Sequence Variable.
      1. Set Variable to: _SMSTSLastActionRetCode
      2. Set Condition to: not equals
      3. Set Value to: 500

Drivers and Applications

  1. Select the group Dell then click Add then New Group and call it Drivers and Applications.
  2. Select the group Drivers and Applications then click Add, General, Run Command Line.
    1. Name: DCU – Scan for Driver and Application Updates
    2. Command Line: "%ProgramFiles%\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe" /scan -updateType=driver,application
    3. Click the Option tab and set the success codes: 0 1 500 3010
  3. Select the group BIOS and Firmware then click Add, General, Run Command Line.
    1. Name: DCU – Install Driver and Application Updates
    2. Command Line: "%ProgramFiles%\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe" /applyUpdates -reboot=disable -updateType=driver,application
    3. Click the Option tab and set the success codes: 0 1 500 3010
  4. Select the group Drivers and Applications then click Add, General, Restart computer.
    1. Click the Option tab.
    2. Click Add, then If statement.
    3. Select All conditions and click OK.
    4. In the big white box, select to highlight “If all conditions are true“.
    5. Click Add, then Task Sequence Variable.
      1. Set Variable to: _SMSTSLastActionRetCode
      2. Set Condition to: not equals
      3. Set Value to: 500

Schedule Monthly Updates
(optional)

  1. Select the group Dell then click Add, General, Run Command Line.
    1. Name: DCU – Schedule Monthly Updates
    2. Command Line: "%ProgramFiles%\Dell\CommandUpdate\dcu-cli.exe" /configure -scheduleMonthly=28,00:45
    3. Click the Option tab and set the success codes: 0 1 500 3010

Well, that’s it. Hopefully this information helps keep you a little bit more updated, at least when it comes to Dell hardware, than you were before.

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