Tech Note | Applying Windows Updates to Q-SYS RoomSuite Collaboration Bar for Microsoft Teams Rooms
Learn how to effectively apply Windows updates to your Q-SYS RoomSuite Collaboration Bar for seamless Microsoft Teams Rooms performance.
Information
This article explains how Windows Update delivers updates to Teams Rooms devices, why some devices receive an update before others, and how to confirm the update installed.
Applies To
- Q-SYS RoomSuite Collaboration Bar for Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows
- Q-SYS UC-MTR-L2
How Teams Rooms Receives Updates in Windows
A Teams Rooms on Windows device receives four kinds of updates, each from a different source. OEM driver and firmware updates, such as this one, are published to Windows Update by the device manufacturer. Microsoft's management service then finds them there and deploys them to the rooms that need them (Microsoft Learn).
| Update Type | Published By | How it is deployed |
|---|---|---|
| Peripheral and device drivers and firmware (this update) | The device OEM, via Windows Update |
|
| Teams Rooms App | Microsoft |
|
| Windows quality and security updates | Microsoft via Windows Update | Installed automatically outside the Pro Management Portal rings |
|
Windows feature updates (new Windows versions) |
Microsoft via Windows Update | Unlocked only when a Teams Rooms app version that supports the new Windows version is installed |
How Update Reach Your Devices
The update installs overnight, and which path it takes depends on the room's Teams Rooms license (Microsoft Learn).
Teams Rooms Pro License
- QSC publishes the update to Windows Update.
- The Teams Rooms Pro Management Portal detects it and lists it under Updates for each room with applicable equipment.
- The update moves through your update rings in order (Staging, General, Executive, plus any custom rings), using each ring's deferment period, rollout duration, and test period (Update Rings).
- Each room installs it during its nightly maintenance window. On Teams Rooms on Windows, updates are orchestrated between midnight and 2:00 AM room local time (Teams Rooms on Windows).
Administrators can pause the update, retry failed installs, or use Force updates to install it sooner (Controlling updates).
Teams Rooms Basic / Legacy License
The device downloads the update from Windows Update and installs it during its automatic nightly maintenance window. No administrator action is needed.
In either case, the update shouldn't interrupt a meeting or prompt users in the room. If devices reboot during the day or show Windows Update messages, check the device's update configuration (see the next sections).
Why Some Devices Receive Updates Before Others
It's normal for identical devices to receive this update days apart. Two layers of staging control the timing.
Windows Update Staging
Drivers published for automatic delivery go through Microsoft's driver flighting and gradual rollout before they reach every applicable device (Driver flighting). During that period, Windows Update offers the driver to some devices and not yet to others.
Pro Management Portal Rings
For Pro-licensed rooms, each ring's rollout duration spreads the update over several nightly windows. A rollout duration of 1 day installs it on every room in the ring in one night (Specifying rollout timeline). Later rings show the update as Not Required until it progresses to them (Update states).
If a recently released update doesn't appear in the Pro Management Portal at all, an applicable device may not be in your earliest ring yet. Microsoft suggests waiting for the update to progress, or moving an applicable device to your earliest ring and waiting 24 hours (Where updates are populated from).
Management Settings That Can Block This Update
Teams Rooms devices are designed to manage their own updates. Custom Windows Update policies are the most common reason an update installs late, fails, or never installs.
Windows Update for Business (WUfB or WSUS)
Microsoft recommends disabling both on Teams Rooms devices. Either one prevents the Pro Management Portal from controlling the device's updates (Troubleshooting steps). This includes Intune update rings and Group Policy targeted at the device. With WSUS, the update only installs after an administrator approves it.
Restart Restrictions
If NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers is set to 1 under HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU, the device can't restart to finish updates. Teams Rooms devices always have a user signed in, so updates that need a restart never complete. Active hours settings can have a similar effect (Resolve Windows Update issues).
Driver Exclusions
Policies that exclude drivers from Windows Update (for example, ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate) block OEM driver and firmware updates, including this one.
Forced Windows Feature Updates
Don't upgrade Teams Rooms devices to a new Windows version by any other means, including overriding Microsoft's group policies. Teams Rooms delays feature updates during a validation period, and forcing one can leave the device unusable (Teams Rooms app and Windows versioning support).
Unsupported Windows Edition or Image
Devices must run Windows IoT Enterprise or Windows Enterprise on the General Availability Channel, using the OEM's base image. LTSC editions, Pro, and Home aren't supported.
Verify Update and Troubleshoot
Confirm Installed Version
Pro Management Portal
- Open the room
- Select Updates
The room's applicable updates and their status are listed there (Assign Rooms to Rings).
On Device
- Sign in to admin mode
- Open Device Manager
- Find [device category and name]
- Verify the name and version of the target update package is listed (reference Q-SYS release notes for this version info)
- Check Properties > Driver > Driver Version.
- You can also check Settings > Windows Update > Update history.
If Update Has Not Installed
- Check that the device is online and reporting. A room marked Unmonitored in the Pro Management Portal has a monitoring agent that can't reach Microsoft's cloud service. Without it, the portal can't evaluate or schedule updates for that room (Pro Management Portal).
- Check the update's status. Not Required means the update hasn't reached the room's ring yet, or doesn't apply to its equipment. Failed installs create an incident automatically. After fixing the cause, select Retry all failed (Controlling updates).
- Check update policies on the device, as described in the previous section.
- Check disk space and connectivity to Windows Update. Large updates can fail when the drive is low on space or when a proxy or firewall blocks Windows Update (Resolve Windows Update issues).
- Contact Q-SYS Technical Support or Create a Case if the update still doesn't install. Include the device serial number, the Teams Rooms app version, and the current driver version.
FAQ
Do I need to install this update manually?
No. It installs automatically through Windows Update during the nightly maintenance window, or through your Pro Management Portal rings.
Will the update interrupt meetings?
No. Updates install overnight. If a device restarts or shows update prompts during the day, check for custom update policies on the device.
Can I install it sooner?
Yes. Pro-licensed rooms can use Force updates in the Pro Management Portal, either immediately or the next time the room is free. You can also move a room to an earlier ring.
Why hasn't one of my rooms received it yet?
The update may still be rolling out, the room may be in a later ring, or a policy on the device may be blocking it. See Why some devices receive the update before others.
Do QSC Windows Update packages change the Windows version?
No. Windows feature updates on Teams Rooms are controlled by the Teams Rooms app version.