Tip: Repacking App and the SoftwareDistribution folder

[contink]

Figured I'd post this one up as a tip as I've just discovered this little beauty with Windows update failing on a machine.

 

Turns out that when I did a repack using DAMSIS (scriptlogic MSI tool) of a legacy application, I left in the SoftwareDistribution folder and data it had gleaned during the recorded install.

 

For anyone who doesn't know, this folder is used by Windows/Microsoft Update to store cabs, logs for installs, etc...

 

 

Anyway, long story short... after I repaired the application today, using the MSI, it broke the SoftwareDistribution folder contents and I ended up with an error code: 0x80246001 whilst trying to use WinUpdates.

 

If you've found this out the hard way, a "how to" for an easy fix is here:

0x80246001

 

... as I said though the ultimate fix may be to clean up any MSI installers which may have that folder and any data within it that breaks things.

[srochford]

The other thing I'd do with the Automatic Updates service stopped is to delete c:\windows\windowsupdate.log - it gets huge and if you need to refer to it, it's always easier to trawl through a smaller log file.