WSUS + .NET 4.6 Issue

[Michael]

Hello all,

 

I thought I'd share what I discovered yesterday/today, with no reference to it online whatsoever!

 

Setup:

 

Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 (new install)

Installed IE11 + .NET 4.6

Proceeded to update via Microsoft Update (200 Updates)

Joined Domain, Promoted to DC then added other roles - DHCP, File, Print.

 

And finally, I then proceed to install the WSUS role, but does it work? Of course it doesn't.

 

Interestingly the most common event log error was 0x80070643, which in the context of WSUS points to a database permissions issue, despite being logged on as a Domain Admin and using WID (Windows Internal Database), rather than SQL Express or full SQL. I did try SQL Express 2014 with the same error/result.

 

After spending some considerable time looking into this, I then uninstalled .NET 4.6 and like magic, WSUS installs successfully. I then installed .NET 4.6 afterwards and WSUS continues to function as normal.

 

It would be interesting to know whether Server 2012 or Server 2012 R2 suffers from the same issue. As I say, I couldn't find any reference to this issue online! Has anyone else come across this?

[free780]

How come you are putting wsus on a DC?

[Michael]

How come you are putting wsus on a DC?

 

It's a small site with not a lot of budget. I've done this for numerous sites and it has no negative impact on DC roles.

[Steve21]

Interestingly the most common event log error was 0x80070643, which in the context of WSUS points to a database permissions issue, despite being logged on as a Domain Admin and using WID (Windows Internal Database), rather than SQL Express or full SQL. I did try SQL Express 2014 with the same error/result.

 

It's an issue with old versions of WSUS rather than the server etc. (Assuming you're using 3~ if 2008R2) It doesn't detect the new version of .NET so thinks there isn't any installed.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3045727

 

Steve

[Michael]

It's an issue with old versions of WSUS rather than the server etc. (Assuming you're using 3~ if 2008R2) It doesn't detect the new version of .NET so thinks there isn't any installed.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3045727

 

Steve

 

Thank you, you've confirmed my suspicions!

 

You can only get WSUS 3.2 for 2008 R2 and WSUS 4 for 2012 (as far as I know). It's not a major issue, as when you install RSAT on Windows 10, this includes the latest WSUS tools which communicates with your existing WSUS server instance (whatever it may be running). Very much like Group Policy, the Windows 10 version includes a few additions otherwise not available natively on 2008 R2 Group Policy. A good example of this is AppLocker.

[Steve21]

You'd think it would be like a one-line update thats required to fix it though Surely recognising that .NET 4.6 is installed can't be that hard haha

 

But aye as you mentioned official fix is "uninstall and reinstall" haha

 

Steve

[Michael]

You'd think it would be like a one-line update thats required to fix it though Surely recognising that .NET 4.6 is installed can't be that hard haha

 

But aye as you mentioned official fix is "uninstall and reinstall" haha

 

Steve

 

Well Microsoft haven't fixed the Windows 10 devices being listed as Windows Vista viewing from 2008 R2, but when using WSUS from a Windows 10 client running RSAT, the name appears fine. I think this is Microsoft's way of slowly discontinuing support for 2008 R2.

[free780]

Rapid release! You have to be on the latest.