Unexplained Windows 10 21H2 feature update failures

Question

I am near the end of a project to update all of my users to Win10 21H2 and have run into an inconsistent failure that I am having issues troubleshooting. I am performing the update on PCs with Win10 1909 via MEM task sequence (TS) and built it out following this template https://www.imab.dk/windows-as-a-service-sharing-my-precache-and-in-place-upgrade-task-sequences-20h2-edition-part-1. The TS that precaches the update and runs the Win10 compatibility scan completes successfully. On some random PCs, when the TS that applies the update runs, it will complete successfully but when checking the build number afterwards, I find the the update did not apply and it is still has 1909. Checking smsts.log shows zero failures when the TS executed. Every step, including the Upgrade Operating System step, reports that it completed successfully. On the same PC I find the c:\$WINDOWS.~BT folder is still present, indicating Windows did not clean it up after the update finished so something bad probably happened. I pulled the logs and ran setupdiag.exe against it and for some it has reported this

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SetupDiag: processing rule: FindRollbackFailure.

Error: SetupDiag reports rollback failure found.
Last Phase = Pre OOBE Boot
Last Operation = OOBE boot apply
Error = 0x8007042B-0x4000D
LogEntry: 2022-05-11 22:17:34, Error SP Operation failed: OOBE boot apply. Error: 0x8007042B[gle=0x000000b7]

Refer to "https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/Debug/system-error-codes" for error information.

SetupDiag found 1 matching issue.

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For a some, I have run setupdiag against the logs with the windows debug tools installed and when it gets to the DebugSetupCrash rule, it fails to complete and the log scandiag creates says this which hasn't helped.

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5/16/2022 7:18:18 PM: Debug: 1: DEBUGGER: ENTER: XcaDebugger:ExecuteCommand(): Timeout = 600000, Command = !analyze -v
5/16/2022 7:18:18 PM: Debug: 1: DEBUGGER: ERROR: XcaDebugger:ExecuteCommand(): Exception hit during function execution:
System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (0x80004005): The specified executable is not a valid application for this OS platform.
at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithCreateProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
at Microsoft.Internal.Deployment.SetupDiag.XcaDebugger.StartDebugger()
at Microsoft.Internal.Deployment.SetupDiag.XcaDebugger.ExecuteCommand(String DebuggerCommand, Int32 Timeout)
5/16/2022 7:18:18 PM: Debug: 1: DEBUGGER: EXIT: XcaDebugger:ExecuteCommand(): Timeout = 600000, Command = !analyze -v: Time to execute: 12ms

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I suspect the tool is trying to open one of the debugging tools meant for an ARM based system and I haven't found a way around it.

As for the 0x8007042B-0x4000D error, I have done my research and most forums had said to run the usual tools (sfc /scannow, chkdsk, DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth, etc) but I haven't had success with these. They may say they found a problem or they may not but in the end, the update will not apply. I have also read suggestions to do a clean boot but I think the intention for that is assuming the update will be done by making a USB from the win10 ISO and not via MEM.

Has anyone run into this and have any thoughts on how to troubleshoot further? Also does anyone have a clue as to why Windows doesn't report the failure to the TS or MEM?

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Hi Amanda,

I have connected to the machines in question, ran the ver command, and all are reporting build 18363 (Win10 1909). I am confident the issue is OS related. I cannot imagine that the mere presence of $WINDOWS.~BT is telling Windows which build number it currently has, though I will delete one and see if there is a change.

Thanks.

Answer 2

MikeG, have you been able to find a fix? I too have this same issue in my environment all computers that could not update are stuck at 18363. I've reinstalled SCCM, ran the Windows Update service repair scrip from Shawn Brinks and rebooted with no success. Would love to hear what else you have found.