Update errors

[Sheridan]

Before I start reimaging (seems to be the stock fix to W10 issues these days) has anyone ever managed to fix any of these Windows Update errors:

 

Windows Update failed to check for updates with error 0x800704CF.

Windows Update failed to check for updates with error 0x80244007.

 

They seem to repeat in pairs on a lot of our W10 1703 machines.

[Sheridan]

Actually theres 3 errors logged in various sequences - the third is:

 

Windows Update Client failed to detect with error 0x80240439

 

Ah well I think I've tried WSUS reset trick that's ever been done, time for a reimage. Good to see that MS still can't get updates working on 10

Edited January 16, 2018 by Sheridan

[Chuckster]

Have you tried the following:

 

1. Stop the Windows Update service

2. Delete the contents within C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

3. Start the WIndows Update service

 

Thereafter check for updates and that ought to do the trick.

[Sheridan]

Have you tried the following:

 

1. Stop the Windows Update service

2. Delete the contents within C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

3. Start the WIndows Update service

 

Thereafter check for updates and that ought to do the trick.

 

Alas yes that was the first thing I did. I’ve also run the troubleshooter and run the script to do a full reset windows update. I’ve tried deleting the pcs from Wsus and resetting their ids, pretty much tried everything I’ve ever had to do in the past when updates stopped working.

 

It seems to be a w10 feature, when updates are broken, reimage unless of course you take Microsoft’s advice and runs sfc /scannow which has never fixed anything, ever!

[Sheridan]

Oddly all of these now appear in the WSUS console, as Windows 0.0 and status of 'Not yet reported'

 

From past experience thats pretty much game over - so despite having had the Jan 2018 CU manually applied the next stage is a new image

[Scryptor]

Any other suggestions how to fix this problem?

[Sheridan]

I've tried a couple of the usual scripts to reset Windows Update components but no joy. There is no way to update the Windows update client in W10 manually anymore so the only option is a new image - having said that this image is 4 months old and WU is failing on around 50% of the PCs it was installed on!

 

The log seems to show these messages - alas MS have no help on what causes them. To me it looks like its trying to connect directly rather than the wsus server?

 

2018/01/17 10:44:52.6142280 3008 1020 WebServices [0]0BC0.03FC::01/17/2018-10:44:52.614 [webserviceinfra]WS error: Serialization failure occurred when writing an element with WS_WRITE_OPTION '1', name 'RegisterComputer' and namespace 'http://www.microsoft.com/SoftwareDistribution/Server/ClientWebService'.

2018/01/17 10:44:52.6142287 3008 1020 WebServices [0]0BC0.03FC::01/17/2018-10:44:52.614 [webserviceinfra]WS error: Serialization failure occurred when writing a field with WS_TYPE '26 (0x1A)', WS_FIELD_MAPPING '2', name 'computerInfo' and namespace 'http://www.microsoft.com/SoftwareDistribution/Server/ClientWebService'.

2018/01/17 10:44:52.6142300 3008 1020 WebServices [0]0BC0.03FC::01/17/2018-10:44:52.614 [webserviceinfra]WS error: Serialization failure occurred when writing a field with WS_TYPE '17 (0x11)', WS_FIELD_MAPPING '2', name 'DeviceType' and namespace 'http://www.microsoft.com/SoftwareDistribution/Server/ClientWebService'.

2018/01/17 10:44:52.6142303 3008 1020 WebServices [0]0BC0.03FC::01/17/2018-10:44:52.614 [webserviceinfra]WS error: The character value 11 (0xB) is not valid.

2018/01/17 10:44:52.6142322 3008 1020 WebServices [0]0BC0.03FC::01/17/2018-10:44:52.614 [webserviceinfra]WS error: Fault occurred

2018/01/17 10:44:52.6142335 3008 1020 WebServices [0]0BC0.03FC::01/17/2018-10:44:52.614 [webserviceinfra]WS Error code: Client

 

 

Actually I found the cause of the above but it still doesn't get past the "Windows Update Client failed to detect with error 0x80240439"

 

If anyone else get the 'character value 11 (0xb) is not valid then check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System\BIOS, make sure that there isn't an invalid (in my case null) value in SystemFamily,SystemManaufacturer or SystemProductName.

 

I'm still stuck though on the 0x80240439 as none of the usual fixes are working.

Edited January 17, 2018 by Sheridan

[Sheridan]

Well we fixed it - took some finding though!

 

If anyone else sees this kind of error in our case it was actually caused by a dodgy entry in the BIOS, which was read into the registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System\BIOS\SystemProductName as a null entry.

 

Changing the entry manually seemed to temporarily get rid of the error, but on reboot the registry entry was null again. Having contacted the PC manufacturers we managed to get a utility to write a string into the BIOS to set the Product Name correctly. Reboot and the update service started worked again, and so far all of the affected PCs have appeared back in WSUS. It seems like a basic bit of error checking would be useful in the update service so that a null value doesn't scupper the whole thing, but there you go.

[ultima170387]

Well we fixed it - took some finding though!

 

If anyone else sees this kind of error in our case it was actually caused by a dodgy entry in the BIOS, which was read into the registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System\BIOS\SystemProductName as a null entry.

 

Changing the entry manually seemed to temporarily get rid of the error, but on reboot the registry entry was null again. Having contacted the PC manufacturers we managed to get a utility to write a string into the BIOS to set the Product Name correctly. Reboot and the update service started worked again, and so far all of the affected PCs have appeared back in WSUS. It seems like a basic bit of error checking would be useful in the update service so that a null value doesn't scupper the whole thing, but there you go.

 

Was the utility manufacturer specific? I have this issue on a number of Windows 10 1903 machines and the same Regkey is giving a dodgy entry. I've been trying all the usual solutions with renaming folders, resetting windows update etc but nothing seems to work. The machines do seem to update from Microsoft direct though without issue, just not through WSUS.

[PyROm]

Thanks, this fixed it for me on a batch of zoostorms with Gigabyte motherboards.. If it is an AMI bios, search for DMIEDIT_Utility it is a windows gui based editor, but there is also an included command line utility. I found that the productname on mine had corrupt text in it.