Need to make command in batch script invisible to user

Question

I need help making GPupdate /force fully invisible to the user.

I've seen this in the past. Currently it answers a question to not log the user off the PC automatically but I would like to have the batch close visually but finish the gpupdate in the background.

@echo off
Title Internet Explorer Full Reset

::Close Internet Explorer tasks
taskkill.exe /f /im iexplore.exe

::Wait
timeout /t 4

::Performs reset on all settings for Internet Explorer
reg delete "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer" /f

::Wait
timeout /t 2

::Clear all temporary internet files
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 8

::Clear all cookies
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 2

::Clear all form data
RunDll32.exe InetCpl.cpl,ClearMyTracksByProcess 16

::Wait
timeout /t 1

:: Set IE to always check for new versions of pages automatically
::reg add "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /V SyncMode5 /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f

::Wait
timeout /t 1

::Enable favorites bar in Internet Explorer
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MINIE" /V "LinksBandEnabled" /D "00000001" /F

::Enable menu bar in Internet Explorer
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MINIE" /V "AlwaysShowMenus" /D "00000001" /F

::Enable command bar in Internet Explorer
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MINIE" /V "CommandBarEnabled" /D "00000001" /F

::Enable status bar in Internet Explorer
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MINIE" /V "ShowStatusBar" /D "00000001" /F

::Relaunch Internet Explorer
start iexplore.exe

::Update Group Policy to bring all Internet Explorer settings back into compliance
echo N | gpupdate /force

::Schedule task to reboot at 11:59PM
::schtasks /create /sc once /tn restart /tr "shutdown -r -f ""restart""" /st 23:59

::Message To User
msg * "Please restart your computer to complete configuration changes when you are next able."

If you close the window you will also close the running script. Your solution is to either minimise the window or to hide the window utilising another programming language/third party utility. — Compo, Mar 02 '17 at 15:03
isn't there a way to tell a command to run in the background instead of the foreground? — mcavanaugh418, Mar 02 '17 at 15:11
Not without using another scripting language like VBscript, or a third party program. — Squashman, Mar 02 '17 at 15:30
If async ok for you `gpupdate /force /wait:0` If minimized in another window ok for you `start /min gpupdate /force /wait:idntknow` — vitalygolub, Mar 02 '17 at 16:15
Possible duplicate of [How can I run a program from a batch file without having the console open after the program start?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/324539/how-can-i-run-a-program-from-a-batch-file-without-having-the-console-open-after) — phuclv, Mar 03 '17 at 02:15
a lot of duplicates: [How to call CMD without opening a window](http://stackoverflow.com/q/4277963/995714), [Launch a program from command line without opening a new window](http://stackoverflow.com/q/12010103/995714), [Run a batch file in a completely hidden way](http://superuser.com/q/62525/2413860)... — phuclv, Mar 03 '17 at 02:16

Matthew Horvath · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-03T13:20:12.113

I use a simple VBScript for cases like this. Use the command start "" "directory\update.vbs". The contents of the VBScript (named update.vbs) are as follows:

Const HIDDEN_WINDOW = 12 

strComputer = "." 
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _ 
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2") 
Set objStartup = objWMIService.Get("Win32_ProcessStartup") 

Set objConfig = objStartup.SpawnInstance_ 
objConfig.ShowWindow = HIDDEN_WINDOW 
Set objProcess = GetObject("winmgmts:root\cimv2:Win32_Process") 
errReturn = objProcess.Create("DIRECTORY\update.bat", null, objConfig, intProcessID)

Please note that you will have to replace DIRECTORY\update.bat with the file directory and name of your batch file. This should run it completely silently (user doesn't see a thing).

Need to make command in batch script invisible to user

1 Answers1