Windows update fails on W2K19 CORE.

Question

Hi everyone!

How can I troubleshooting a failed Windows update on a W2K19 CORE server? I keep trying to install the updates, the server downloads, install and ask for reboot but after I check it again nothing happens.... it asks to install the same updates again and again.

How can I troubleshoot it deeper?

Thanks

Answer 1

Might want to copy C:\windows\logs\WindowsUpdate to another server with internet access and use Get-WindowsUpdateLog with -ETLPath parameter.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/windowsupdate/get-windowsupdatelog?view=win10-ps

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Answer 2

Hi, thanks for you answer.

Sorry, but I didn't understand the reason for using the -ETLPath parameter. May you explain it? I would like some help to understand the generated log file, as it does not make any sense at all.

1600/12/31 20:00:00.0000000 572 3528 Unknown( 286): GUID=9033a99c-ae44-3722-7e11-a382a6444e2f (No Format Information found).
1600/12/31 20:00:00.0000000 572 3528 Unknown( 332): GUID=9033a99c-ae44-3722-7e11-a382a6444e2f (No Format Information found).
1600/12/31 20:00:00.0000000 572 1756 Unknown( 286): GUID=9033a99c-ae44-3722-7e11-a382a6444e2f (No Format Information found).
1600/12/31 20:00:00.0000000 572 1756 Unknown( 332): GUID=9033a99c-ae44-3722-7e11-a382a6444e2f (No Format Information found).
1600/12/31 20:00:00.0000000 572 3528 Unknown( 286): GUID=9033a99c-ae44-3722-7e11-a382a6444e2f (No Format Information found).

and goes on....

Thanks

Answer 3

Hi Dave Patrick,

Thanks for your answer.

By the way, it is not possible to download the symbols anymore ("We are no longer publishing the offline symbol packages for Windows."), so I tried the command below:

Get-WindowsUpdateLog -SymbolServer https://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols

But I got the same result: meaningless reading file.

What am I missing?

Thanks.

Answer 4

Hi Dave Patrick.

Thanks for your answer, as always.

The server in question has access to the Internet... it's frustrating as something so simple, knowing why the Windows server core update didn't work, can be so complicated, and how MS complicated something so simple, created so many dependencies... Well, I followed the steps of your last article copying the files to my workstation and guess what? It also didn't work.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/debugger/symbols-windows-update
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/debugger/using-a-manifest-file-with-symchk

I tried option 1, 2 and 3.

Regards.

Answer 5

copying the files to my workstation and guess what? It also didn't work

The symbols files are unlikely to match.

Also you mentioned "update on a W2K19 CORE server" but appear to be installing Server 2016 updates?

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