WSUS Console. Clients not appearing

[Dos_Box]

Its very strange. 2 Of my servers have been detacted and are visible within the console, and all the client PCs have the correct GPOs applied (and in the registry to point to the WSUS server), but none are appearing. I'm very puzzled. Ive spent a week trying to fix this, scouring the internet, to no avail. Deeply baffled. Has nayone else had thi shappen?

Oh, and I've tried the following before you suggest them.

Entering the server IP and port number instaed of the DNS name in the GPO config.

Resetting the clients and forcing them to register on the server with:

[Chris_Jones]

How do you deploy your client images? we had a similar issue when we used to deploy using ghost without syspreping the machines first.

We had to delete two registry keys in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entversion\Windowsupdate

AccountDomainSID
SusClientID
PingID

then when the machine was re-started these keys were re-created and all was well.

[Dos_Box]

How do you deploy your client images? we had a similar issue when we used to deploy using ghost without syspreping the machines first.

We had to delete two registry keys in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entversion\Windowsupdate

AccountDomainSID
SusClientID
PingID

then when the machine was re-started these keys were re-created and all was well.

Bingo. Cheers. Oh, and I use RIS\WDS BTW.

[Geoff]

Check you're using an up to date sysprep. Newer versions know about WSUS and clear these keys.

[tosca925]

Check you're using an up to date sysprep. Newer versions know about WSUS and clear these keys.

Can you enlighten me more on this Geoff?

Up to date sysprep meaning.............?

[Dos_Box]

I'm using WDS in legacy mode. I would have thought that would not be an issue.

[GrumbleDook]

Hmmm ... we have the exact same issue ... I will try the above fix.

I cannot find anything about it on Technet or the MS public news groups yet ...

[Geoff]

Sysprep version 1.1 will not clear the registry keys. Version 2.0 or later with the -reseal option will do though. The latest version of sysprep was included in the 'Windows XP SP2 Deployment Tools'.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

[PaulBM]

We've got one awkward laptop here regarding WSUS.

It doesn't have the PingID reg key and doesn't connect to the WSUS Server.

I've stopped the WSUS service and deleted the keys that are present, restarted the service, but no joy.
Then I tried removing it from the domain and rejoining, but still no luck.

Also, maybe related, Active Desktop generates an error if I try to set a web page. Our Science department have a system for messaging each other and it was setting that web page on Active Desktop that started this fault call and I noticed that WSUS wasn't working.

Edit:
Further testing and Hitachi's disk checker software reports the drive has a problem, so it's highly likely that is the primary cause of this fault.

[Michael]

Entering the server IP and port number instaed of the DNS name in the GPO config

You definitely need to put the servername http:// server name and specify the port only if you decided not to install WSUS in the default IIS website. You usually specify the same server settings in both GPO fields http:// server name:8080

I didn't think Sysprep reset WSUS SIDs but only Windows SIDs. They are two seperate things. Typical symptoms of duplicate WSUS SIDs are clients appearing then disappearing within the console. Using this script should resolve that.

And last but not least, check your Computer Objects are located in the right place to pick up the policies. I usually create sub OUs, like ground floor, first floor etc...

[tjb]

I've had the clients not showing up in WSUS 3.0 issue for a while now and I finally fixed it today using the fully documented fix from Microsoft:

A Windows 2000-based, Windows Server 2003-based, or Windows XP-based computer that was set up by using a Windows 2000, Windows 2003, or Windows XP image does not appear in the WSUS console