Get-LnvUpdatesRepo#

Builds a local Lenovo update repository compatible with Update Retriever and Thin Installer.

Synopsis#

Downloads Lenovo update metadata and packages for specified machine types and builds a local repository suitable for offline distribution or automated deployments.

Syntax#

Get-LnvUpdatesRepo -RepositoryPath <string> 
                   [-MachineTypes <string>] 
                   [-WindowsVersion <string>]
                   [-PackageTypes <string>]
                   [-RebootTypes <string>]
                   [-Severities <string>]
                   [-PackageList <string>]
                   [-RT5toRT3]
                   [-CloudRepo]
                   [-DeltaUpdate]

Description#

Get-LnvUpdatesRepo retrieves Lenovo update metadata and packages directly from Lenovo's public catalogs and stores them in an Update Retriever–style repository.

This cmdlet is intended for environments where:

Update Retriever cannot be used
Automated or scheduled repository creation is required
Offline or controlled update distribution is needed
Repository must be synchronized regularly with latest updates

The generated repository includes package folders, metadata catalogs, and detailed logs. It is compatible with Lenovo Update Retriever, Thin Installer, and custom deployment tools.

Parameters#

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`-RepositoryPath`	string	Yes	Path where the local repository is created. Will be created if it doesn't exist.
`-MachineTypes`	string	No	Comma-separated 4-character Lenovo machine types (e.g., `"21DD,21DE"`). Defaults to local system machine type.
`-WindowsVersion`	string	No	Target OS: `"10"` or `"11"`. Defaults to current system OS.
`-PackageTypes`	string	No	Comma-separated package type codes (e.g., `"2,3,4"`). Defaults to all types. See reference below.
`-RebootTypes`	string	No	Comma-separated reboot type codes (e.g., `"3,5"`). Defaults to all types. See reference below.
`-Severities`	string	No	Comma-separated severity codes (e.g., `"1,2"`). Defaults to all severities. See reference below.
`-PackageList`	string	No	Limit repository to specific package IDs (semicolon or comma-separated).
`-RT5toRT3`	switch	No	Convert Reboot Type 5 (delayed forced) to Type 3 (requires reboot). For task sequence scenarios. Cannot use with `-CloudRepo`.
`-CloudRepo`	switch	No	Create metadata-only repository referencing Lenovo CDN packages instead of downloading. Cannot use with `-RT5toRT3`.
`-DeltaUpdate`	switch	No	Download only new/changed updates since last run. Requires prior full run with same `-RepositoryPath`.

Package Type Reference#

Use comma-separated values with -PackageTypes:

1 – Application
2 – Driver
3 – BIOS
4 – Firmware

Reboot Type Reference#

Use comma-separated values with -RebootTypes:

0 – No reboot required
1 – Forced reboot
3 – Requires reboot (user prompt/task sequence compatible)
4 – Forced shutdown
5 – Delayed forced reboot

Common combinations: - "3,5" – Include updates that either require or delay reboot (standard deployment) - "3" – Only updates requiring reboot (conservative for production) - "1,4,5" – All forced reboot types (aggressive scheduling)

Severity Reference#

Use comma-separated values with -Severities:

0 – Default
1 – Critical (security-critical updates)
2 – Recommended (stability/feature improvements)
3 – Optional (convenience or cosmetic)

Output#

This cmdlet does not return objects to the pipeline. It creates a complete repository structure:

Package folders – Organized by machine type, Windows version, and category (Driver, BIOS, Firmware, Application)
database.xml – Master metadata catalog listing all packages, versions, dependencies, and file checksums
database.xsd – XML schema defining database structure for validation
Execution log – Detailed log file (LnvUpdatesRepo_TIMESTAMP.log) showing:
Packages downloaded/processed
Any conversions applied (e.g., RT5 to RT3)
Download errors or conflicts
Total size and package count

The repository is immediately usable by Update Retriever, Thin Installer, or custom deployment scripts.

Examples#

Example 1: Create full repository for multiple machine types#

Get-LnvUpdatesRepo -RepositoryPath "C:\Repository" `
                   -MachineTypes "21DD,21DE,21DG" `
                   -PackageTypes "2,3,4" `
                   -RebootTypes "3,5"

Downloads drivers, BIOS, and firmware for three ThinkPad models, including updates that require or delay reboot.

Example 2: Update existing repository (delta sync)#

Get-LnvUpdatesRepo -RepositoryPath "C:\Repository" `
                   -DeltaUpdate

Checks for new or changed updates and adds only those to the existing repository. Must match original repository parameters.

Example 3: Create cloud-based repository (metadata only)#

Get-LnvUpdatesRepo -RepositoryPath "C:\Repository" `
                   -PackageTypes "2,3,4" `
                   -CloudRepo

Creates a minimal repository that references packages from Lenovo CDN instead of downloading. Metadata is local; packages are fetched from cloud during deployment.

Example 4: Create repository for specific packages only#

Get-LnvUpdatesRepo -RepositoryPath "C:\Repository" `
                   -MachineTypes "21DD" `
                   -PackageList "LEN1234,LEN5678" `
                   -DeltaUpdate

Limits repository to two specific package IDs for targeted updates.

Example 5: Critical updates only for standard deployments#

Get-LnvUpdatesRepo -RepositoryPath "C:\StandardRepo" `
                   -Severities "1" `
                   -RebootTypes "3"

Creates conservative repository with only critical-severity updates that require reboot (no forced reboots).

Notes#

Initial Repository Creation#

First run should always use full download (no -DeltaUpdate)
Disk space required varies; typically 5–50 GB depending on machine types and severity filters
Initial download may take 30 minutes to several hours depending on bandwidth and package count
Network interruptions are resumable; re-running with -DeltaUpdate after a failure continues cleanly

Delta Updates#

-DeltaUpdate compares database timestamps to detect changes
Subsequent runs should use identical parameters (same -MachineTypes, -PackageTypes, -Severities) for predictable results
Delta runs complete much faster (minutes instead of hours) as only new packages are downloaded
Recommended for scheduled/automated repository maintenance

Repository Deployment#

Repository can be copied to offline media or distributed via file share
Update Retriever and Thin Installer directly consume the database.xml and package folders
For task sequences or custom tools, parse database.xml to enumerate available packages
Apply version control or backups to database.xml if repository serves multiple teams

CloudRepo Option#

-CloudRepo creates lightweight repository (metadata only, no large package downloads)
Packages are fetched from Lenovo CDN at deployment time
Useful for bandwidth-constrained environments or frequently-updated content
Deployment machines must have internet connectivity to CDN
Mutually exclusive with -RT5toRT3 (cloud packages retain original reboot type)

RT5toRT3 Conversion#

Use only for task sequence scenarios where delayed-reboot type cannot be honored
Converts Reboot Type 5 → Type 3 (requires reboot, allows user deferral in task sequence context)
Does not suppress reboot; only changes scheduling behavior
Mutually exclusive with -CloudRepo