[SOLVED] Windows Server 2012R2 not updating

[x BlueRobot]

I tried running Windows Update, but it's still showing that I don't have any updates pending.

It's probably because you don't have the latest SSU installed, which was 6.3.9600.19991, so let's install it again but hopefully this time it will install correctly. Could you please download the latest SSU from the Windows Update catalog and then run the .msu installer?

If it is successful, then please check for the latest updates again.

 

[kogermd]

No luck. I still get the "This update is not applicable to your computer" message when I attempt to install the KB.

 

[x BlueRobot]

Let's try and install it with DISM.

Install Update with DISM

1. Download the update MSU here: https://catalog.s.download.windowsu..._7f15c4b281f38d43475abb785a32dbaf0355bad5.msu
2. Copy the .msu file to a convenient location (such as %userprofile%\Desktop).
3. Click on the Start button and in the search box, type Command Prompt
4. When you see Command Prompt on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator
5. When command prompt opens, copy and paste the following commands into it, press enter after each
   
   cd %userprofile%\Desktop
   replace %userprofile%\Desktop with your path if different
   
   expand windows8.1-kb5001403-x64_7f15c4b281f38d43475abb785a32dbaf0355bad5.msu -f:* %userprofile%\Desktop
   
   DISM /Online /Add-Package /PackagePath:%userprofile%\Desktop\Windows8.1-KB5001403-x64.cab
   
6. You should receive the message:
   The operation completed successfully.
   Make sure to allow the computer to restart if prompted.
7. If you receive any other message:
   Post a screenshot of the Command Prompt window.
   Zip and attach the file %systemroot%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

 

[kogermd]

Unfortunately, that didn't work either. Here is the error message from running the dism command to install the KB:



Attached is the CBS log from when I ran the command.

 

[x BlueRobot]

Step#1 - Capture Process Monitor Trace
1. Download and run Process Monitor. Leave this running while you perform the next steps.
2. Try installing the SSU as before using DISM
3. Stop Process Monitor as soon as it fails. You can simply do this by clicking the square icon on the toolbar as shown below.

4. Select the File menu...Save... and save the file to your desktop. This is likely the default location. The name (unless changed) will be LogFile.PML. This is fine.
5. Zip up and provide the link to the LogFile.PML file as well as your CBS.log Examples of services to upload to are Dropbox or OneDrive or WeTransfer.

Could you also please provide the latest copy of your CBS hive as well?

 

[kogermd]

Here's the requested files. Also attached is the CBS.log from this run. Thanks.

LogFile.zip - Logfile.zip
Components.zip - COMPONENTS.zip

 

[x BlueRobot]

Components.zip - COMPONENTS.zip

Component Based Servicing (CBS) hive

 

[kogermd]

Doh! Sorry about that! One thing that I noticed in the CBS hive is that the Package_for_KB5001403 is back under CBS\ApplicabilityEvaluationCache, which I know that we removed previously with FRST.

CBS hive - CBS.zip

 

[x BlueRobot]

One thing that I noticed in the CBS hive is that the Package_for_KB5001403 is back under CBS\ApplicabilityEvaluationCache, which I know that we removed previously with FRST.

I thought that might be the case. Let's delete it again using SFCFix, you shouldn't run into permissions issues with it since SFCFix will run as the TrustedInstaller.

I couldn't see anything to which was adding the subkey back from your ProcMon log, although, it may have been added before we got the trace. After running SFCFix and if it has successfully removed the key, then please try and install the SSU using DISM while ProcMon is running.

 

[kogermd]

See attached for the ProcMon events. Also, I verified that SFC removed the registry key successfully and it did.

Also, I'm not sure if this is related or not but when I run Get-HotFix on the server, the last KB installed is KB5003209 (May 11, 2021—KB5003209 (Monthly Rollup)) which is the May 2021 monthly rollup - reading the "before installing this update" text, it says that if you receive your updates through Windows Update (which we do), that the latest SSU (KB5001403) will be offered automatically. Could that be what is causing the server to think that KB5001403 isn't applicable to the server?

 

[x BlueRobot]

Could that be what is causing the server to think that KB5001403 isn't applicable to the server?

Hmm, it shouldn't be, the SSU is an independent update with no prerequisites. I've managed to install the latest SSUs on many server machines with no other updates installed.

Just noticed that you have a few missing subkeys from your PackageIndex which might possibly be causing problems. Could you please run the attached SFCFixScript to replace them?

 

[kogermd]

So, it looks like maybe a case of good news, bad news. After applying the latest SFCFixScript, I was able to install KB5001403 on the server. I wasn't sure what to do after that, so I ran DISM and SFC. Attached is the latest CBS log from that as well as the SFCFix log. I'm still not seeing any new updates, so I'm not sure where to go next.

 

[x BlueRobot]

So, it looks like maybe a case of good news, bad news. After applying the latest SFCFixScript, I was able to install KB5001403 on the server.

I'm glad we've managed to get you on the latest SSU, we've made some significant progress from how your machine was before.

When you search for updates, I assume it just states that you're already up to date with no error? It may be worthwhile having a look at your Windows Update log, could you please open a powershell prompt and then enter the following cmdlet:

Get-WindowsUpdateLog

Please attach the log file it will produce.

 

[kogermd]

It may be worthwhile having a look at your Windows Update log, could you please open a powershell prompt and then enter the following cmdlet:

Get-WindowsUpdateLog

Please attach the log file it will produce.

For some reason, none of my Server 2012 R2 servers were recognizing the Get-WindowsUpdateLog command (although it seems like it should be a valid command for Server 2012). I resorted to running "cat $env:SystemRoot\WindowsUpdate.log" instead to consolidate the Windows Update logs. See attached.

 

[x BlueRobot]

The most prominent problem I can see is the following:

2022-04-20    21:44:52:050    4952    12b8    Agent    WARNING: Failed to evaluate Installed rule, updateId = {{210BEE2E-DBDB-4990-9F23-E5851E3CEA5A}.200}, hr = 80041010
2022-04-20    21:44:52:056    4952    12b8    Agent    WARNING: Failed to evaluate Installable rule, updateId = {{210BEE2E-DBDB-4990-9F23-E5851E3CEA5A}.200}, hr = 80041010
2022-04-20    21:44:52:240    4952    12b8    Agent    WARNING: Failed to evaluate Installed rule, updateId = {{759AA615-82D3-48B4-B4F6-E0337572FB2E}.200}, hr = 80041010
2022-04-20    21:44:52:246    4952    12b8    Agent    WARNING: Failed to evaluate Installable rule, updateId = {{759AA615-82D3-48B4-B4F6-E0337572FB2E}.200}, hr = 80041010
2022-04-20    21:44:53:179    4952    12b8    Agent      * Added update {7A5C13EE-ABA3-442A-8C61-BFF0E1B8AC06}.200 to search result
2022-04-20    21:44:53:179    4952    12b8    Agent      * Added update {337777D2-90E2-46D5-A2DA-06630B55E013}.200 to search result
2022-04-20    21:44:53:179    4952    12b8    Agent      * Found 2 updates and 99 categories in search; evaluated appl. rules of 1704 out of 2965 deployed entities
2022-04-20    21:44:53:182    4952    12b8    Agent    Reporting status event with 2 installable, 167 installed,  0 installed pending, 0 failed and 2 downloaded updates

The error code seems to correspond to:

SYNC_E_ITEM_HAS_NO_VERSION_DATA synchronizationerrors.h
# Operation is not valid as the specified item has no version
# data.

I've never come across this error before so I'm not completely sure how to resolve it.

Further down the log, the following appears:

2022-04-20    22:19:06:939    4952    d68    PT      + ServiceId = {3DA21691-E39D-4DA6-8A4B-B43877BCB1B7}, Server URL = <WSUS_SERVER_IP>/ClientWebService/client.asmx
2022-04-20    22:19:06:960    4952    d68    Agent    Reading cached app categories using lifetime 604800 seconds
2022-04-20    22:19:06:961    4952    d68    Agent    Read 0 cached app categories
2022-04-20    22:19:06:961    4952    d68    Agent    SyncUpdates adding 0 visited app categories
2022-04-20    22:19:10:222    4952    1bc4    Report    REPORT EVENT: {695223AB-6988-4E2A-B77A-BBC30D8D4938}    2022-04-20 22:19:05:222-0700    1    147 [AGENT_DETECTION_FINISHED]    101    {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}    0    0    <<PROCESS>>: cscript.exe    Success    Software Synchronization    Windows Update Client successfully detected 2 updates.
2022-04-20    22:19:10:222    4952    1bc4    Report    REPORT EVENT: {2E2C3B4D-B303-4CB1-A76C-EF7F43ED95B9}    2022-04-20 22:19:05:222-0700    1    156 [AGENT_STATUS_30]    101    {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}    0    0    <<PROCESS>>: cscript.exe    Success    Pre-Deployment Check    Reporting client status.
2022-04-20    22:19:10:224    4952    1bc4    Report    WARNING: CSerializationHelper:: InitSerialize failed : 0x80070002
2022-04-20    22:19:10:225    4952    1bc4    Report    WARNING: CSerializationHelper:: InitSerialize failed : 0x80070002

Which implies something is either corrupt or missing.

Things to try:

Navigate to the %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution folder and then check the ReportingEvents.log file. Open the file with Notepad or something similar, and then search for the following:

210BEE2E-DBDB-4990-9F23-E5851E3CEA5A
759AA615-82D3-48B4-B4F6-E0337572FB2E

If you're able to find either one then please see if it has an update name or KB number associated to it within that file. Otherwise, go to the Download directory of SoftwareDistribution and then check if those two GUIDs exist there.

If you're unable to find any of those updates, then please rename the SoftwareDistribution directory using the following instructions:

Rename SoftwareDistribution Folder

1. Click on the Start button and in the search box, type Command Prompt
2. When you see Command Prompt on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator
3. When command prompt opens, copy and paste the following commands into it, press enter after each
   
   

   net stop wuauserv
   net stop bits
   rename %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak
   net start wuauserv
   net start bits

   
   If there any issues, then please provide a screenshot of the Command Prompt window in your next post. This will force the Windows Update client to reevaluate all of the installed updates while it tries to see which ones are applicable or not. The Windows Update scan will take longer than usual because of this.
   
   If all else fails, then please gather a Process Monitor trace while scanning for updates.

 

[kogermd]

If you're able to find either one then please see if it has an update name or KB number associated to it within that file. Otherwise, go to the Download directory of SoftwareDistribution and then check if those two GUIDs exist there.

If you're unable to find any of those updates, then please rename the SoftwareDistribution directory

I did not see either GUID in the ReportingEvents.log file. I also didn't see them in the Download directory of Software. I then renamed the SoftwareDistribution folder to SoftwareDistribution.old (It looks like this was previously done as well back when we first discovered the issue - I assume that this was done by our hosting facility).

The Windows Update scan will take longer than usual because of this.

When I did a Check for Updates in Windows Update, I was getting an error last night... I thought that I had a screenshot of the error but apparently not. When I logged in this morning, there was no more errors, and it actually picked up the latest SSU update (KB5012672), so that's an improvement. But it's not showing the missing monthly/security updates, with the last one installed being KB5003209.

Thoughts?

 

[x BlueRobot]

(It looks like this was previously done as well back when we first discovered the issue - I assume that this was done by our hosting facility).

That wouldn't surprise me, it's a very common troubleshooting strategy which people do for Windows Update problems, yet unfortunately most people don't understand what it's meant to do. It's only really useful for when you've got issues with detecting or downloading updates.

When I did a Check for Updates in Windows Update, I was getting an error last night... I thought that I had a screenshot of the error but apparently not. When I logged in this morning, there was no more errors, and it actually picked up the latest SSU update (KB5012672), so that's an improvement.

Silly question, I assume you've installed the latest SSU now? Could you please provide the latest copy of your Windows Update log along with the CBS log? I wonder if the error code you saw was documented.

 

[kogermd]

Silly question, I assume you've installed the latest SSU now?

I actually did not install the SSU. It wasn't showing up last night because of the error that I was seeing in Windows Update. I just tried installing it today and received an error code 8007371B when it tried to install.

Could you please provide the latest copy of your Windows Update log along with the CBS log? I wonder if the error code you saw was documented.

It looks like the error code that I was receiving after renaming the SoftwareDistribution folder was 80244010. I saw that in the Windows Update log (attached). This is the Windows Update log prior to trying to install the SSU. That attempt was captured in the attached CBS log though.

 

[x BlueRobot]

2022-04-22 21:40:58, Info                  CSI    0000002d Changelist shadowed missing its manifest - Microsoft-Windows-ServicingStack, Version = 6.3.9600.19991, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral
2022-04-22 21:40:58, Error                 CSI    0000002e@2022/4/23:04:40:58.266 (F) base\wcp\componentstore\csd_winners.cpp(1211): Error STATUS_SXS_TRANSACTION_CLOSURE_INCOMPLETE originated in function OriginateManifestsMissingError expression: (null)
[gle=0x80004005]

This error is usually because of some minor registry corruption, could you please provide your COMPONENTS hive and your SideBySide subkeys as registry hive using the following instructions:

Retrieve Components Hive
1. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Config and locate the COMPONENTS file.
2. Please copy this file to your desktop.
Note: If you receive an error that this file is in-use, simply reboot your computer and try again.
3. Right-click on this file on your desktop and select Send To...Compressed (zipped) folder. This will create a file named COMPONENTS.ZIP on your desktop.
4. The file will likely be too large to upload here so please upload to a file sharing service. Examples of services to upload to are Dropbox or OneDrive or SendSpace and then just provide the link in your reply.

Export SideBySide

1. Click on the Start button and in the search box, type regedit
2. When you see regedit on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator
3. 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\SideBySide
   
4. Once selected, click File > Export....
5. Change the Save as type: to Registry Hive Files (.)
6. Name this file SxS (with no file extension) and save it to your Desktop.

Once done please upload this file via Dropbox or OneDrive or SendSpace.

 

[kogermd]

This error is usually because of some minor registry corruption

I wouldn't doubt it. One thing that I noticed is that there is no 6.3.9600.19991 folder under C:\Windows\Servicing\Version. I kind of expected after installing KB5001403 that I would see that folder show up there. Here are the files that you requested:

COMPONENTS.zip - COMPONENTS.zip
SxS - SxS