Win2003 SP1 - updates fail to install and are re-offered

[Nick Payne]

So far we are using WSUS only for servers (win2003 SP1 servers). On several
client servers when an install of updates from the system tray icon is
attempted, the install fails with a dialog saying "Updates were unable to be
successfully installed" and the update balloon reappears a couple of minutes
later for the same updates. Looking in WindowsUpdate.log on one server where
this happens shows the following (I am logged in as the domain administrator):

2005-09-20 13:56:22 1084 470 Agent ** START ** Agent: Installing updates
[CallerId = AutomaticUpdates]
2005-09-20 13:56:22 1084 470 Agent *********
2005-09-20 13:56:22 1084 470 Agent * Updates to install = 1
2005-09-20 13:56:22 1084 470 Agent * Title = <NULL>
2005-09-20 13:56:22 1084 470 Agent * UpdateId =
{AF82B597-FF3D-44F2-AFCB-85B79C098E49}.100
2005-09-20 13:56:22 1084 470 Agent * Bundles 1 updates:
2005-09-20 13:56:22 1084 470 Agent *
{6D546A4F-894B-4140-A0AA-5E26FE52EB5D}.100
2005-09-20 13:56:23 1084 470 Handler Attempting to create remote handler
process as domain\userid in session 1
2005-09-20 13:56:23 3740 ea4 Misc =========== Logging initialized (build:
5.8.0.2469, tz: +1000) ===========
2005-09-20 13:56:23 3740 ea4 Misc = Process: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
2005-09-20 13:56:23 3740 ea4 AUClnt FATAL: Error: 0x80004002. wuauclt
handler: failed to spawn COM server
2005-09-20 13:56:23 1084 470 Handler FATAL: 0x80004002: ERROR: Remote update
handler container process created (PID: 3740), but exited before signaling
event

Any suggestions on how to get things working on these servers?

Nick Payne

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

Hi,

See if reinstalling the Windows Update Agent using the standalone
installer solves the problem.

Download location for WindowsUpdateAgent20-x86.exe
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=43264

If it says "Install is not needed since Windows Update Agent is
already installed.", run the exe with the command line switch
/wuforce, like this:

WindowsUpdateAgent20-x86.exe /wuforce

If the above didn't help, you could try this:

Please put the following in a batch file, run it and see if things
start to work again:

--------------------8<----------------------
@echo off
%SystemRoot%\system32\net.exe stop wuauserv
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s %SystemRoot%\system32\jscript.dll
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s %SystemRoot%\system32\msxml3.dll
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s %SystemRoot%\system32\atl.dll
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s %SystemRoot%\system32\wuapi.dll
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s %SystemRoot%\system32\wuaueng.dll
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s %SystemRoot%\system32\wuaueng1.dll
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s %SystemRoot%\system32\wucltui.dll
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s %SystemRoot%\system32\wups.dll
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s %SystemRoot%\system32\wuweb.dll
%SystemRoot%\system32\net.exe start wuauserv
%SystemRoot%\system32\wuauclt.exe /detectnow
echo.
echo Finished!
echo.
pause
--------------------8<----------------------

Nick Payne wrote:

--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/default.mspx

[Nick Payne]

Thanks, your suggestion of running WindowsUpdateAgent20-x86.exe /wuforce
fixed the problem on the first two servers where I tried it. The install
without the /wuforce option just said that the agent was already installed.

Nick

[Torgeir Bakken (MVP)]

Hi,

Great, and thanks for posting back the solution :-)

Torgeir

[Toby]

I am having this problem too. I have tried both recommendations but the
issue continues. Here is a sample of the WIndowsUpdate.log from one of my
client machines. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Pre-Deployment Check Reporting client status.
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 450 AU AU received install approval from client for
1 updates
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 450 AU #############
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 450 AU ## START ## AU: Install updates
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 450 AU #########
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 450 AU # Initiating manual install
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 450 AU # Approved updates = 1
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 450 AU <<## SUBMITTED ## AU: Install updates /
installing updates [CallId = {5E5B8C07-F14A-44AB-8BBF-F65EF8420A97}]
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 38c Agent *************
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 38c Agent ** START ** Agent: Installing updates
[CallerId = AutomaticUpdates]
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 38c Agent *********
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 38c Agent * Updates to install = 1
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 38c Agent * Title = <NULL>
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 38c Agent * UpdateId =
{D359F493-0AAD-43FA-AF5C-6763326CD98F}.52
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 38c Agent * Bundles 1 updates:
2005-11-01 10:58:22 892 38c Agent *
{8812B971-640A-4108-93F7-BED7EFE62FBD}.52
2005-11-01 10:59:37 892 740 AU AU setting client response for sessionId 0x0
to 'Active'
2005-11-01 10:59:37 892 450 AU AU setting client response for sessionId 0x0
to 'Active'
2005-11-01 10:59:37 892 4a4 AU AU setting client response for sessionId 0x0
to 'Active'
2005-11-01 10:59:53 892 38c Handler Attempting to create remote handler
process as CKSDUSER\Tobym in session 0
2005-11-01 10:59:54 892 38c DnldMgr Preparing update for install, updateId
= {8812B971-640A-4108-93F7-BED7EFE62FBD}.52.
2005-11-01 10:59:55 872 318 Misc =========== Logging initialized (build:
5.8.0.2469, tz: -0800) ===========
2005-11-01 10:59:55 872 318 Misc = Process: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
2005-11-01 10:59:55 872 318 Misc = Module: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng.dll
2005-11-01 10:59:55 872 318 Handler :::::::::::::
2005-11-01 10:59:55 872 318 Handler :: START :: Handler: MSI Install
2005-11-01 10:59:55 872 318 Handler :::::::::
2005-11-01 10:59:55 872 318 Handler : Updates to install = 1
2005-11-01 10:59:55 872 318 Handler Extracting MSP file stored in CAB
MAINSP1op.Cab
2005-11-01 11:00:04 872 318 Handler MSI update
{8812B971-640A-4108-93F7-BED7EFE62FBD}.52 using binary-delta patch
2005-11-01 11:00:04 872 318 Handler : Batch installing 1 updates
2005-11-01 11:00:20 872 318 Handler List of MSPs in transaction:
2005-11-01 11:00:20 872 318 Handler
C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download\b024278cb3736a9995846194db7948f2\MAINSP1op.MSP
2005-11-01 11:00:20 872 318 Handler MSP final command line:
DISABLESRCPROMPT=1 LOCALCACHESRCRES=0 NOLOCALCACHEROLLBACK=1
REBOOT=REALLYSUPPRESS
2005-11-01 11:01:32 892 6cc Report Uploading 4 events using cached cookie,
reporting URL = http://cksdupdate/ReportingWebService/ReportingWebService.asmx
2005-11-01 11:01:32 892 6cc Report WARNING: Failed to upload events to the
server with hr = 80244008.
2005-11-01 11:01:32 892 6cc PT WARNING: ReportEventBatch failure, error =
0x80244008, soap client error = 8, soap error code = 0, HTTP status code = 200
2005-11-01 11:01:32 892 6cc Report WARNING: Reporter failed to upload
events with hr = 80244008.
2005-11-01 11:04:22 872 318 Handler MSP Error List:
2005-11-01 11:04:22 872 318 Handler 1: 1328 2: C:\Config.Msi\PT20.tmp 3:
-1072807676
2005-11-01 11:04:22 872 318 Handler : MSI transaction completed. MSI:
0x80070643, Handler: 0x8024200b, Source: No, Reboot: 0
2005-11-01 11:04:22 872 318 Handler : WARNING: First failure for update
{8812B971-640A-4108-93F7-BED7EFE62FBD}, transaction error = 0x8024200b, MSI
result = 0x80070643, MSI action = PatchFiles
2005-11-01 11:04:22 892 6cc AU >>## RESUMED ## AU: Installing update
[UpdateId = {D359F493-0AAD-43FA-AF5C-6763326CD98F}]
2005-11-01 11:04:22 892 6cc AU # WARNING: Install failed, error =
0x80070643
2005-11-01 11:04:22 872 318 Handler : WARNING: Operation failed at update
0, Exit code = 0x8024200B
2005-11-01 11:04:22 872 318 Handler :::::::::
2005-11-01 11:04:22 872 318 Handler :: END :: Handler: MSI Install
2005-11-01 11:04:22 872 318 Handler :::::::::::::
2005-11-01 11:04:24 892 38c Agent *********
2005-11-01 11:04:24 892 38c Agent ** END ** Agent: Installing updates
[CallerId = AutomaticUpdates]
2005-11-01 11:04:24 892 38c Agent *************
2005-11-01 11:04:24 892 6cc AU # Install call complete for all calls,
reboot required = No
2005-11-01 11:04:24 892 6cc AU #########
2005-11-01 11:04:24 892 6cc AU ## END ## AU: Installing updates [CallId
= {5E5B8C07-F14A-44AB-8BBF-F65EF8420A97}]
2005-11-01 11:04:24 892 6cc AU #############
2005-11-01 11:04:27 892 6cc Report REPORT EVENT:
{7FBFAC6E-793D-496C-8CFA-26C6C153B002} 2005-11-01
11:04:22-0800 1 182 101 {D359F493-0AAD-43FA-AF5C-6763326CD98F} 52 80070643 AutomaticUpdates Failure Content
Install Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update
with error 0x80070643: Office 2003 Service Pack 1.
2005-11-01 11:04:32 892 450 AU AU setting client response for sessionId 0x0
to 'Complete'
2005-11-01 11:04:33 892 618 AU #############
2005-11-01 11:04:33 892 618 AU ## START ## AU: Search for updates
2005-11-01 11:04:33 892 618 AU #########
2005-11-01 11:04:33 892 618 AU <<## SUBMITTED ## AU: Search for updates
[CallId = {826D767D-3F49-45B5-98F4-0982374ED62D}]
2005-11-01 11:04:33 892 6cc Agent *************
2005-11-01 11:04:33 892 6cc Agent ** START ** Agent: Finding updates
[CallerId = AutomaticUpdates]
2005-11-01 11:04:33 892 6cc Agent *********
2005-11-01 11:04:33 892 4a4 AU AU setting client response for sessionId 0x0
to 'Complete'
2005-11-01 11:04:33 876 2e4 AUClnt AU client got new directive =
'Shutdown', serviceId = {3DA21691-E39D-4DA6-8A4B-B43877BCB1B7}, return =
0x00000000