PowerShell – Update-Help Fails to Update Modules

help-filespowershellupdateswindows update

On my computer (Win10 Enterprise x64, 1709) running Update-Help returns two errors:

update-help : Failed to update Help for the module(s) 'AutoSequencer, HostNetworkingService, WindowsUpdateProvider' with UI culture(s) {en-US} : Unable to retrieve the HelpInfo XML file for UI culture en-US. Make sure the HelpInfoUri property in the module manifest is valid or check your network connection and then try the command again.

At line:1 char:1
+ update-help
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : ResourceUnavailable: (:) [Update-Help], Exception
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnableToRetrieveHelpInfoXml,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.UpdateHelpCommand

update-help : Failed to update Help for the module(s) 'PrintManagement' with UI culture(s) {en-US} : Unable to connect to Help content. The server on which Help content is stored might not be available. Verify that the server is available, or wait until the server is back online, and then try the
command again.

At line:1 char:1
+ update-help
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (:) [Update-Help], Exception
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : UnableToConnect,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.UpdateHelpCommand

This is a problem because I'm scripting windows updates for the first time and having the help files for WindowsUpdateProvider is kind of important. Even if I knew how to find and fix the "HelpInfoUri" property, I wouldn't know what to set it to – a Google search for "WindowsUpdateProvider help" mostly returns people asking about this problem in various languages, with no solutions I can see. This likewise means I can't work around the problem by using online help. (Get-Help WindowsUpdateProvider -online returns a similar error.)

I am aware of the "PSWindowsUpdate" module but due to our processes, using a module that ships with Windows 10 would be preferable.

Best Answer

This is not unusual. It has happen to me many times. Since the first release of PowerShell/Monad.

So, don't stress over this, because you normally can't fix it (many times only the author can), and use the online web help version for the module that have issues, if there is any of course.

Not all modules have updatable help, or there are issues with the associated manifest, help links files.

So, as noted by the PimpJuiceIT, just use that command to ignore the error.

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