WSUS Client reports 'couldn't connect to the update service' but then randomly connects succesfully!

MattC91 31 Reputation points
2021-10-20T13:16:54.4+00:00

I have a Windows 2016 server which when manually checking for updates from WSUS reports "We couldn't connect to the update service. We'll try again later, or you can check now. If it still doesn't work, make sure you're connected to the Internet."

However if I just leave the server overnight, it successfully communicates with the WSUS and reports 0 updates available.

In the server event viewer under Applications and Services Logs> Microsoft> Windows> Windows Update Client> Operational, I am receiving many Errors with Event ID 25 : 'Windows Update failed to check for updates' with error 0x80072EFD.

But then in amongst these errors, I am receiving random Information events Event ID 26: 'Windows Update successfully found 0 updates' and reports back to the WSUS.

I've tried deleting the server from WSUS and it re-registers no problem due to the applied group policies.

I've tried the Windows Updates Troubleshooting, I've tried without the firewall at either end, I've tried deleting the SoftwareDistribution folder, I've tried deleting SUSClientID Registry Settings, I've checked and checked again the settings on the network card.

The server does NOT have access to the internet as it runs medical software, however I have many other servers with identical group policy/ registry settings which are working with no issue.

Does anyone have any idea why the server may only sporadically check for updates at its own accord?

Windows Server
Windows Server
A family of Microsoft server operating systems that support enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.
12,170 questions
Accepted answer
  1. Adam J. Marshall 8,706 Reputation points MVP
    2021-10-20T14:24:51.353+00:00

    First - /detectnow is deprecated and doesn't do anything on Win10+ or Server2016+

    https://www.ajtek.ca/wsus/does-wuauclt-exe-detectnow-reportnow-work/

    Second - run the client side script (yes, I know you probably have done this) after deleting it from the WSUS MMC, and then if that still doesn't work, continue down the troubleshooting section.

    https://www.ajtek.ca/wsus/client-machines-not-reporting-to-wsus-properly/

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  1. Adam J. Marshall 8,706 Reputation points MVP
    2021-10-20T16:44:29.713+00:00
  2. MattC91 31 Reputation points
    2021-10-28T10:20:35.673+00:00

    Just as an update, it may save someone the days it took me to fix this:

    I got to the bottom of this in the end. Using $(New-Object -ComObject "Microsoft.Update.ServiceManager").Services | Select-Object Name, IsDefaultAUService I was able to monitor the default AU service as I made changes.

    I manually compared registry settings to other servers which were working and found a difference which was HKLM>Software>Microsoft>WindowsUpdate>UX>Settings > DeferUpgrade REG_DWORD which was set to 1.

    This was set to 0 on our other servers.

    The registry setting directly relates to the Windows Update advanced option 'Defer feature updates'. I'm annoyed it took me this long to find that this pesky switch was over riding my WSUS preferences set by group policy!!

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