Exchange 2016 CU 21 Setup Failed

Question

I am installing CU 21 on Exchange 2016. We have one exchange server having all the roles in one box. I followed all the steps explained at https://www.alitajran.com/install-cumulative-update-exchange-2016/. The upgrade processed failed. Now I dont know what to do. Shall I reboot the server and try again?

Exchange Current CU is 16. It is already using .NET 4.8.
I am using administrator account which is a member of Schema Admins and Enterprise Admins.
I put the server in maintenance mode,PrepareSchema,PrepareAD,PrepareAllDomains and started the upgrade.
I got the following error during Language configuration was at 16% completion.

"An unexpected error has occurred and a Watson dump is being generated: Call cancelled
Call cancelled
The Exchange Server setup operation didn't complete. More details can be found in ExchangeSetup.log located in the
<SystemDrive>:\ExchangeSetupLogs folder."

There is no meaningful information in ExchangeSetupLog:
[09/23/2021 14:56:11.0016] [1] Setup has started to update MFL files.
[09/23/2021 17:03:06.0851] [1] Setup has finished updating MFL files.
[09/23/2021 17:03:06.0952] [1] [ERROR] Call cancelled
[09/23/2021 17:03:06.0953] [1] [WARNING] An unexpected error has occurred and a Watson dump is being generated: Call cancelled
[09/23/2021 17:03:14.0203] [1] [ERROR] Call cancelled
[09/23/2021 17:03:14.0203] [1] [ERROR] Call cancelled
[09/23/2021 17:03:14.0271] [0] [ERROR] Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
[09/23/2021 17:03:14.0318] [0] [ERROR] Call cancelled
[09/23/2021 17:03:14.0318] [0] [ERROR] Call cancelled
[09/23/2021 17:03:14.0318] [0] CurrentResult SetupLauncherHelper.loadassembly:444: 1
[09/23/2021 17:03:14.0320] [0] The Exchange Server setup operation didn't complete. More details can be found in ExchangeSetup.log located in the <SystemDrive>:\ExchangeSetupLogs folder.
[09/23/2021 17:03:14.0323] [0] CurrentResult main.run:235: 1
[09/23/2021 17:03:14.0324] [0] CurrentResult setupbase.maincore:396: 1
[09/23/2021 17:03:14.0325] [0] End of Setup

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Following is the log in ExchangeSetupWatson:
[09/23/2021 14:55:41.0637] [1] Finished updating performance counter strings
[09/23/2021 14:56:11.0016] [1] Setup has started to update MFL files.
[09/23/2021 17:03:06.0851] [1] Setup has finished updating MFL files.
[09/23/2021 17:03:06.0952] [1] [ERROR] Call cancelled
[09/23/2021 17:03:06.0953] [1] [WARNING] An unexpected error has occurred and a Watson dump is being generated: Call cancelled

---

There is no entry in the Server Event Log.

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I used the following commands for the upgrade process:

STOP ACCEPTING EMAILS

Set-ServerComponentState -Identity "EMAILSRVR" -Component HubTransport -State Draining -Requester Maintenance

SERVER MAINTENANCE MODE

Set-ServerComponentState -Identity "EMAILSRVR" -Component ServerWideOffline -State Inactive -Requester Maintenance

CHECK SERVER STATUS

Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus -Server "EMAILSRVR" | Where {$_.Status -eq "Mounted"}
Get-ServerComponentState "EMAILSRVR" | Select Component, State

PREPARE SCHEMA

D:\Setup.exe /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /PrepareSchema

PREPARE AD

D:\Setup.exe /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /PrepareAD

PREPARE AD DOMAINS

D:\Setup.exe /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /PrepareAllDomains

INSTALL CU 21

D:\Setup.exe /IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms /Mode:Upgrade

Answer 1

Hi @SKB ,

I checked the cmdlets above, they are good. Did you restart the server after put it into maintance mode?
And you could restart it now and use the SetupWizard(Setup.exe) to install the CU. See if that gives us some special information.

Best regards,
Lou

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Answer 2

I did not restart the server after putting it in the maintenance mode.

After the failed upgrade attempt, I restarted the server and started the CU upgrade by double clicking on the setup.exe (i did not right click and run as administrator). Installation went fine without any error.

I rebooted the server and "Security Update For Exchange Server 2016 CU21 (KB5004779)" was installed via windows updates. I rebooted the server and turned off the maintenance mode. Emails started working.

I have following issues:

1. Get-ExchangeServer shows AdminDisaplyVersion =Version 15.1 (Build 2308.8). However it should show up as 2308.14.
2. I ran the latest HealthChecker.ps1 and it shows the following vulnerabilities. Why would the vulnerabilities still exist when CU21 and latest SU have been installed.
   CVE-2021-1730 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-1730 for more information.
   CVE-2020-16969 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16969 for more information.
   CVE-2020-17083 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-17083 for more information.
   CVE-2020-17084 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-17084 for more information.
   CVE-2020-17085 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-17085 for more information.
   CVE-2020-17117 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-17117 for more information.
   CVE-2020-17132 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-17132 for more information.
   CVE-2020-17141 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-17141 for more information.
   CVE-2020-17142 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-17142 for more information.
   CVE-2020-17143 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-17143 for more information.
   CVE-2021-24085 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-24085 for more information.
   CVE-2021-26412 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-26412 for more information.
   CVE-2021-27078 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-27078 for more information.
   CVE-2021-26854 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-26854 for more information.
   CVE-2021-28480 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-28480 for more information.
   CVE-2021-28481 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-28481 for more information.
   CVE-2021-28482 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-28482 for more information.
   CVE-2021-28483 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-28483 for more information.
   CVE-2021-31195 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31195 for more information.
   CVE-2021-31198 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31198 for more information.
   CVE-2021-31207 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31207 for more information.
   CVE-2021-31209 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31209 for more information.
   CVE-2021-31206 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31206 for more information.
   CVE-2021-31196 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31196 for more information.
   CVE-2021-33768 See: https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-33768 for more information.
   CVE-2021-34470 PrepareSchema required: https://aka.ms/HC-July21SU

Answer 3

Appreciate your response,

1. No, SU was not showing up under control Panel-->Installed Updates. It was showing up under windows update history as successful.I downloaded the SU and started the install via CMD(Admin). Installation went fine. I rebooted the server both, Get-ExchangeServer and HealthSchecker script are reporting the exchange version 2308.8. I am not sure why it is not showing 2308.14. Now, it is reporting only one vulnerability (CVE-2021-1730/ https://aka.ms/HC-DownloadDomains)
2. Test-ProxyLogin ran clean. Are there any symptoms to check if system has been compromised?
3. MSERT.exe found 2 suspicions files which have been clean up. Subsequent runs of full system scan did not find any infections.
4. Windows-KB890830-x64-V5.93 also ran clean.
5. Defender full scan also did not find any infections.