Server Essentials 2016 hasn't installed updates in months.

This issue appears to have started around mid-February. Would it be worthwhile to try to recover the registry from the February backup and attempt to export these specific keys using an offline registry viewer?
 
Step 1:
Warning: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on that particular machine. Do not run this script on another machine.

Download the attachment and extract it.
Open the extracted folder, double-click the file regfix.reg.
When prompted allow to change the registry settings.
Report the result.

Step 2:
Restart the machine.
Check Windows Update again and report the result.
Copy the files C:\Windows\logs\cbs\cbs.log and C:\Windows\logs\dism\dism.log to your desktop.
Zip the copied files and attach the zipfile to your next reply.

Step 3:
Would it be worthwhile to try to recover the registry from the February backup and attempt to export these specific keys using an offline registry viewer?
Click to expand...
Yes. Provide a copy of the SOFTWARE hive from that backup so I can have a look at it first.
Extract the file C:\Windows\System32\Config\SOFTWARE (no extension) from the backup and zip it.
Then upload the zip file (SOFTWARE.zip) to a file sharing website. Examples of services to upload to are Gofile or WeTransfer.
Note: Send the downloadlink in a private message as the SOFTWARE hive contains sensitive information!
 

Attachments

Result of running regfix:
Cannot Import "Drive:\Folder\regfix.reg":
Error accessing the registry.
I opened the .reg file in Notepad to look at the keys being imported. The "Packages" key only allows "Trusted Installer" to write to this key. I assume I should add Full Control to admin accounts. Please advise.


Result of reboot and running Windows Update:
Not performed as keys weren't imported.

Link to February "Software" hive will be sent via private message sometime today. There is a bit of effort to accomplish this.

Billy
 
The SOFTWARE hive from March 2 is broken but less broken than the current one.
The SOFTWARE hive from February 13 looks normal. I think we can use that one.

Please do following:
Step 1:
Backup your current SOFTWARE hive so we have a backup just in case something went wrong.

Step 2:
We need to repair 4 registry keys. This fix contains the first and smallest one.

WARNING! The following fix is specific to the user's system in this thread only. No one else should follow these instructions, as it could damage your system.
  • Download the attachment SFCFixScript.txt and save it on your desktop.
  • Save any work you have open, and close all programs.
  • Drag the SFCFixScript.txt file over the SFCFix.exe executable and release it.
    1p8eDnI.gif
  • SFCFix will launch, let it complete.
  • Once done, a file will appear on your desktop, called SFCFix.txt.
  • Open the file, then copy and paste its content in your next reply.
 

Attachments

Contents below:


SFCFix version 3.0.2.1 by niemiro.
Start time: 2024-12-22 18:02:55.297
Microsoft Windows Server 10 Build 14393 - amd64
Using .txt script file at C:\Users\xxxxxxxxx\Desktop\SFCFixScript.txt [0]




RegistryScript::
Successfully took ownership and permissions for registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\DriverOperations.
Successfully took ownership and permissions for registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\DriverOperations.

WARNING: Failed to create backup for registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\DriverOperations.

Successfully imported registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\DriverOperations.
Successfully imported registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\DriverOperations\0.

Successfully restored ownership and permissions for registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\DriverOperations.
Successfully restored ownership and permissions for registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\DriverOperations\0.
Successfully restored ownership and permissions for registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\DriverOperations.
RegistryScript:: directive completed successfully.




RegistryExport::
Failed to export registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\DriverOperations.
RegistryExport:: directive failed to complete successfully.




Failed to process all directives successfully.



Failed to generate a complete zip file. Upload aborted.


SFCFix version 3.0.2.1 by niemiro has completed.
Currently storing 2 datablocks.
Finish time: 2024-12-22 18:10:52.581
Script hash: I/39/iak6ZfDxBbpgF0Vedq5TbcOV4FvIpyIJjameuA=
----------------------EOF-----------------------
 
I'm not sure if the provided fix worked. Therefor please do following.

Export registry as hive
  • Click on the Start button and in the search box, type regedit
  • When you see regedit on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator.
  • When regedit opens, using the left pane, navigate to the following registry key and select it by clicking on it once.
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing

  • Once selected, click File > Export....
  • Change the Save as type: to Registry Hive Files (*.*).
  • Name this file ComponentBasedServicing (with no file extension) and save it to your Desktop.
  • Right-click on the saved file and choose Send To -> Compressed (zipped) Folder.
  • Attach the .ZIP file to your next post.
  • If the file is too large to upload here, please upload to Gofile or WeTransfer and just provide the downloadlink here.
 
Great, the registry fix did work. Next fix.

WARNING! The following fix is specific to the user's system in this thread only. No one else should follow these instructions, as it could damage your system.
  • Download the attachment SFCFixScript.txt and save it on your desktop.
  • Save any work you have open, and close all programs.
  • Drag the SFCFixScript.txt file over the SFCFix.exe executable and release it.
    1p8eDnI.gif
  • SFCFix will launch, let it complete.
  • Once done, a file will appear on your desktop, called SFCFix.txt.
  • Attach that file to your next reply.
 

Attachments

Great. Next fix.

WARNING! The following fix is specific to the user's system in this thread only. No one else should follow these instructions, as it could damage your system.
  • Download the attachment SFCFixScript.txt and save it on your desktop.
  • Save any work you have open, and close all programs.
  • Drag the SFCFixScript.txt file over the SFCFix.exe executable and release it.
    1p8eDnI.gif
  • SFCFix will launch, let it complete.
  • Once done, a file will appear on your desktop, called SFCFix.txt.
  • Attach that file to your next reply.
 

Attachments

How long should the scripts take to run? The most recent one has been running > 2 hours!
 
The latest script is smaller then the previous one so I expect it to run shorter.
Best to leave the tool running for another 2 hours at least.
 
Dialog was still open at 8:15AM ET this morning, but TaskManager showed 0% CPU usage (It was 25-30% last evening). Messed with it a bit (Maximize Window, Minimize Window, Switch to, etc), eventually it closed, and the log file appeared. So, all's well that ends well. Latest log file attached.
 

Attachments

Ok. The next fix is the biggest one, more than 3 times the previous one.

WARNING! The following fix is specific to the user's system in this thread only. No one else should follow these instructions, as it could damage your system.
  • Download the attachment SFCFixScript.txt and save it on your desktop.
  • Save any work you have open, and close all programs.
  • Drag the SFCFixScript.txt file over the SFCFix.exe executable and release it.
    1p8eDnI.gif
  • SFCFix will launch, let it complete.
  • Once done, a file will appear on your desktop, called SFCFix.txt.
  • Attach that file to your next reply.
 

Attachments

Script completed at 2:11AM ET this morning after running for almost 63 hours! Log attached.
 

Attachments

63 hours!. Wow, never heard a script took that long before.

Lets see the result of the 4 fixes.
Restart the machine.
Check Windows Update again and report the result.
Copy the files C:\Windows\logs\cbs\cbs.log and C:\Windows\logs\dism\dism.log to your desktop.
Zip the copied files and attach the zipfile to your next reply.
 
Provide a fresh copy of the registry hive:

Export registry as hive
  • Click on the Start button and in the search box, type regedit
  • When you see regedit on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator.
  • When regedit opens, using the left pane, navigate to the following registry key and select it by clicking on it once.
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing

  • Once selected, click File > Export....
  • Change the Save as type: to Registry Hive Files (*.*).
  • Name this file ComponentBasedServicing (with no file extension) and save it to your Desktop.
  • Right-click on the saved file and choose Send To -> Compressed (zipped) Folder.
  • Attach the .ZIP file to your next post.
  • If the file is too large to upload here, please upload to Gofile or WeTransfer and just provide the downloadlink here.
 
WARNING! The following fix is specific to the user's system in this thread only. No one else should follow these instructions, as it could damage your system.
  • Download the attachment SFCFixScript.txt and save it on your desktop.
  • Save any work you have open, and close all programs.
  • Drag the SFCFixScript.txt file over the SFCFix.exe executable and release it.
    1p8eDnI.gif
  • SFCFix will launch, let it complete.
  • Once done, a file will appear on your desktop, called SFCFix.txt.
  • Open the file, then copy and paste its content in your next reply.
 

Attachments

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