Advanced troubleshooting tips for content distribution

Article
12/05/2023

This article provides some advanced troubleshooting tips to help you identify and solve content distribution issues.

Original product version: Configuration Manager current branch, Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager

Enable verbose logging

PkgXferMgr.log

For Package Transfer Manager, verbose logging provides more information in the log about content copy process, file hashes, and job scheduling. Verbose logging can be enabled by setting the following registry value to 0:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Tracing\SMS_PACKAGE_TRANSFER_MANAGER\LoggingLevel

For Package Transfer Manager, debug logging provides more information about the content copy process. Debug logging can be enabled by setting the following registry value to 1:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Tracing\SMS_PACKAGE_TRANSFER_MANAGER\DebugLogging

Note

These registry change(s) do not require a restart of SMS_Executive service.
Client logs (includes pull DP and management point logs)

Verbose logging can be enabled by setting the following registry value to 0:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\CCM\Logging\@GLOBAL\LogLevel

Debug logging can be enabled by setting the following registry value as REG_SZ with value True:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\CCM\Logging\DebugLogging\Enabled

The CCM log size can be increased to 5M by setting the following registry value to 5242880 (decimal)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\CCM\Logging\@GLOBAL\LogMaxSize

Additionally, you can edit the DWORD value for the following registry value to increase the number of history log files to be retained:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\CCM\Logging\@GLOBAL\LogMaxHistory

Note

These registry change(s) require a restart of SMS Agent Host service.
StateSys.log

Verbose logging for StateSys.log can be enabled by setting the following registry value to 1:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\COMPONENTS\SMS_STATE_SYSTEM\Verbose logging

Note

This registry key change does not require a restart of SMS_Executive service.
(Global - site server only) SQL queries

To get information about SQL queries executed by ConfigMgr components, SQL tracing can be enabled by setting the following registry value to 1:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Tracing\SqlEnabled

This registry value adds SQL trace logging for all site server logs. This should only be done temporarily while troubleshooting, and should be disabled after getting the relevant logs.

Note

This registry change does not require a restart of SMS_Executive service.
(Global - site server only) Enable log archiving

There are occasions when the issue does not reproduce on demand and while waiting for the issue to reproduce, there's a risk of logs rolling over. In these situations, enabling log archiving can be useful as it allows you to have more historical logs. This is only relevant for site server logs.

Log archiving can be enabled by setting the following registry values:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Tracing\ArchiveEnabled = 1

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Tracing\ArchivePath = <ArchiveLocation>

After enabling log archiving, ConfigMgr will archive the rolled over logs to the <ArchiveLocation>, and will keep 10 copies of each log.

To increase the number of copies maintained for a specific component when log archiving is enabled, set the following registry value to 20:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Tracing\COMPONENT_NAME\LogMaxHistory

Note

These registry change(s) require a restart of SMS_Executive service.
(Per log - site server only) Increase log file size

To increase log file size for an individual log to 50 MB, set the component-specific registry value to 52428800 (decimal):

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Tracing\COMPONENT_NAME\MaxFileSize

Note

This registry change requires a restart of SMS_Executive service.

Resend compressed copy of a package to a site

When a package is first distributed to a site, DistMgr sends a compressed copy of the package to the site. After the package is extracted in the content library on the site, the local copy of the content is used to send the package to DPs as long as the same package version is being distributed to the DPs in the site.

There are a few occasions where it's necessary to force a site to resend the compressed copy of a package to a specified site. Most notably, this is required when:

Content is missing from content library (PkgLib, DataLib, or FileLib) on a primary or secondary site server itself.
DistMgr.log consistently complains about the content not having arrived from the parent site (for example: 'The contents for the package CS100026 hasn't arrived from site CS1 yet, will retry later').

In most cases, the message 'The contents for the package CS100026 hasn't arrived from site CS1 yet, will retry later' is logged temporarily while the package content is in transit. When you see this message, review the Sender/Despooler logs to ensure that there are no issues with site communications. Review Distribute a package to DP across sites to understand the log flow.

How does DistMgr know if the current site has a copy of the package installed

DistMgr checks if there is a Type 1 row in PkgStatus for the package for the package version in question. If there is a Type 1 row for the site with Status = Installed, the local copy of the package content is used to send to the DPs. If there is no Type 1 row in PkgStatus, it means that the package content is not yet installed on the site server.

Does redistribute package to DP colocated on the site server cause the compressed copy of the package to get resent

No. Redistributing the package relies on the site already having the package content in the package source directory. If the package was sent to the site at some point and marked as Installed, then a redistribute action on the DP colocated on the site server doesn't do anything as DistMgr thinks that the content is already installed and the following line will be logged in DistMgr.log:

The distribution point is on the siteserver and the package is a content type package. There is nothing to be copied over.

What if the content is missing in the content library on the package source site

If the content is missing in the content library on the package source site, then resetting the SourceVersion will not help. The only way to repopulate the missing content is to update the package. Updating the package causes the package source site to take a package snapshot from the package source location and write the content to the content library.

How do I force the package source site to resend the compressed copy of the package to a specific site

After confirming that the package source site has the required content, it's possible to force the package source site to resend the package PCK file to a specific site by setting SourceVersion to 0 for the Type 1 row in PkgStatus for the affected site. This row can be identified by running the following SQL query on the package source site's database after replacing the PACKAGEID and SITECODE of the desired package and site:

SELECT * FROM PkgStatus WHERE Type = 1 AND ID = 'PACKAGEID' AND SiteCode = 'SITECODE'

After confirming that this query returns a unique and correct row, running the below query will reset SourceVersion for this row to 0:

UPDATE PkgStatus SET SourceVersion = 0 WHERE Type = 1 AND ID = 'PACKAGEID' AND SiteCode = 'SITECODE'

After resetting the SourceVersion to 0 for the Type 1 row, redistributing the package to any DP in the affected site will force the package source site to resend the compressed copy of the package to the affected site.

Note

It is very important to run the above query on the site that owns the package, i.e., the package source site.

Relevant tables for content distribution

SMSPackages - Contains a list of all packages

Interesting columns:

Column	Values
Action	0 - NONE 1 - UPDATE 2 - ADD 3 - DELETE 4 - VALIDATE 5 - CANCEL
PackageType	0 - Regular Package 3 - Driver Package 4 - Task Sequence 5 - Software Updates Package 6 - Device Settings Package 7 - Virtual App Package 8 - Content Package (Application) 257 - Operating System Image 258 - Boot Image 259 - OS Installation Package 260 - VHD Package

PkgServers - Contains a list of all the packages along with the DPs they are currently targeted to.

Interesting columns:

Column Values

Action 0 - NONE
1 - UPDATE
2 - ADD
3 - DELETE
4 - VALIDATE
5 - CANCEL

PkgStatus - Contains a list of the current package status for each package for each DP.

Interesting columns:

Column	Values
Type	1 - SITE (MASTER) 2 - DP (COPY) Type 1 rows are created for each site the package is targeted to. PkgServer for this row is the site server FQDN. Type 2 rows are created for each DP the package is targeted to. PkgServer is the DP NALPATH.
Status	0 - NONE 1 - SENT 2 - RECEIVED 3 - INSTALLED 4 - RETRY 5 - FAILED 6 - REMOVED 7 - PENDING REMOVE (Not Used) 8 - REMOVE FAILED 9 - RETRY REMOVE

DistributionJobs - Contains a list of Package Transfer Manager Jobs along with their current state.

Interesting columns:

Column	Values
Action	0 - NONE 1 - UPDATE 2 - ADD 3 - DELETE 4 - VALIDATE 5 - CANCEL
State	0 - PENDING 1 - READY 2 - STARTED 3 - INPROGRESS 4 - PENDING RESTART 5 - COMPLETE 6 - FAILED 7 - CANCELED 8 - SUSPENDED

DistributionPoints - Contains a list of all the distribution points.

Interesting columns:

Column Values

Action 0 - NONE
1 - UPDATE
2 - ADD
3 - DELETE
4 - VALIDATE
5 - CANCEL
PullDPResponse - Temporarily contains the package status response sent from the pull DPs. DistMgr processes the response and updates PkgStatus.

Interesting columns:

Column Values

ActionState 1 - SUCCESS
2 - WARNING
4 - ERROR
8 - DOWNLOAD STARTED
16 - DOWNLOAD IN PROGRESS
32 - DOWNLOADED
64 - CANCELED
128 - CANCELLATION REQUESTED
PkgNotification - Notification table monitored by SMSDBMON to trigger DistMgr to process a package. Type column defines the type of package notification. Rows in this table are removed after SMSDBMON triggers DistMgr.

Interesting columns:

Column Values

Type 0 - UNKNOWN
1 - PACKAGE
2 - PROGRAM
4 - PACKAGE SERVER (DP)
8 - PACKAGE ACCESS ACCOUNT
15 - ALL

Column	Values
ActionState	1 - SUCCESS 2 - WARNING 4 - ERROR 8 - DOWNLOAD STARTED 16 - DOWNLOAD IN PROGRESS 32 - DOWNLOADED 64 - CANCELED 128 - CANCELLATION REQUESTED

Column	Values
Type	0 - UNKNOWN 1 - PACKAGE 2 - PROGRAM 4 - PACKAGE SERVER (DP) 8 - PACKAGE ACCESS ACCOUNT 15 - ALL

Pull DP state messages - List of state message IDs raised by pull DP

Interesting columns:

Column	Values
State ID	1 - SUCCESS 2 - WARNING 4 - FAILURE 8 - DOWNLOAD STARTED 16 - DOWNLOAD IN PROGRESS 32 - DOWNLOADED 64 - CANCELED

Sample State Message Report:

    <Report>
     <ReportHeader>
        <Identification>
           <Machine>
              <ClientInstalled>0</ClientInstalled>
              <ClientType>1</ClientType>
              <Unknown>0</Unknown>
              <ClientID IDType="0" IDFlag="1">925b0ab0-247b-466b-be0f-93d7cb032c87</ClientID>
              <ClientVersion>5.00.0000.0000</ClientVersion>
              <NetBIOSName>P01PDP1.CONTOSO.COM</NetBIOSName>
              <CodePage>437</CodePage>
              <SystemDefaultLCID>1033</SystemDefaultLCID>
           </Machine>
        </Identification>
        <ReportDetails>
           <ReportContent>StateMessage</ReportContent>
           <ReportType>Full</ReportType>
           <Date>20190107200618.000000+000</Date>
           <Version>1.0</Version>
           <Format>1.1</Format>
        </ReportDetails>
     </ReportHeader>
     <ReportBody>
        <StateMessage MessageTime="20190107200618.000000+000" SerialNumber="3">
           <Topic ID="P010000F" Type="902" IDType="0"/>
           <State ID="1" Criticality="0"/>
           <UserParameters Flags="0" Count="4">
              <Param>P010000F</Param>
              <Param>["Display=\\P01PDP1.CONTOSO.COM\"]MSWNET:["SMS_SITE=P01"]\\P01PDP1.CONTOSO.COM\</Param>
              <Param>{04AD1BB3-5E54-457A-9873-DFB2E8035090}</Param>
              <Param/>
           </UserParameters>
        </StateMessage>
     </ReportBody>
  </Report>

Useful SQL queries

Here are some SQL queries that may be helpful when troubleshooting various content distribution related issues.

Package/DP status queries

All Failed packages/DPs

SELECT distinct DPSD.DPName, DPSD.PackageID, SP.Name, DPSD.MessageState, DPSD.LastStatusTime, DPSD.SiteCode
FROM vSMS_DPStatusDetails DPSD
JOIN SMSPackages_All SP ON DPSD.PackageID = SP.PkgID
WHERE MessageState = 4

All In Progress packages/DPs

SELECT distinct DPSD.DPName, DPSD.PackageID, SP.Name, DPSD.MessageState, DPSD.LastStatusTime, DPSD.SiteCode
FROM vSMS_DPStatusDetails DPSD
JOIN SMSPackages_All SP ON DPSD.PackageID = SP.PkgID
WHERE MessageState = 2

All Success packages/DPs

SELECT distinct DPSD.DPName, DPSD.PackageID, SP.Name, DPSD.MessageState, DPSD.LastStatusTime, DPSD.SiteCode
FROM vSMS_DPStatusDetails DPSD
JOIN SMSPackages_All SP ON DPSD.PackageID = SP.PkgID
WHERE MessageState = 1

All package/DPs in In Progress state for more than three days

SELECT distinct DPSD.DPName, DPSD.PackageID, SP.Name, DPSD.MessageState, DPSD.LastStatusTime, DPSD.SiteCode
FROM vSMS_DPStatusDetails DPSD
JOIN SMSPackages_All SP ON DPSD.PackageID = SP.PkgID
WHERE DPSD.LastStatusTime < DATEAdd(dd,-3,GETDate())  
AND MessageState = 2

All package/DPs in Failed state for more than three days

SELECT distinct DPSD.DPName, DPSD.PackageID, SP.Name, DPSD.MessageState, DPSD.LastStatusTime, DPSD.SiteCode
FROM vSMS_DPStatusDetails DPSD
JOIN SMSPackages_All SP ON DPSD.PackageID = SP.PkgID
WHERE DPSD.LastStatusTime < DATEAdd(dd,-3,GETDate())
AND MessageState = 4

Count of all states

SELECT MessageState,
COUNT(MessageState) AS [Count]
FROM vSMS_DPStatusDetails
WHERE PackageID <> ''
GROUP BY MessageState

Counts of package states per DP

SELECT DPName,
CASE
    WHEN MessageState = 1 THEN 'Success'
    WHEN MessageState = 2 THEN 'InProgress'
    WHEN MessageState = 4 THEN 'Failed'
END AS [State],  
COUNT(MessageState) AS [Count]
FROM vSMS_DPStatusDetails
WHERE PackageID <> ''
AND DPName = 'PS1DP1.CONTOSO.COM'
GROUP BY DPName, MessageState
ORDER BY DPName

State of all DPs for a given package

SELECT DPName,
CASE
    WHEN MessageState = 1 THEN 'Success'
    WHEN MessageState = 2 THEN 'InProgress'
    WHEN MessageState = 4 THEN 'Failed'
END AS [State]
FROM vSMS_DPStatusDetails
WHERE PackageID = '<PackageID>'
GROUP BY DPName, MessageState
ORDER BY State

Count of DP states per package

SELECT  
CASE
    WHEN MessageState = 1 THEN 'Success'
    WHEN MessageState = 2 THEN 'InProgress'
    WHEN MessageState = 4 THEN 'Failed'
END AS [State],
COUNT(MessageState) AS [Count]
FROM vSMS_DPStatusDetails
WHERE PackageID = '<PackageID>'
GROUP BY MessageState

Package/DP current state

SELECT distinct DPSD.DPName, DPSD.PackageID, SP.Name, DPSD.LastStatusTime, DPSD.SiteCode, DPSD.MessageState,
CASE
    WHEN MessageState = 1 THEN 'Success'
    WHEN MessageState = 2 THEN 'InProgress'
    WHEN MessageState = 4 THEN 'Failed'
END AS [State]
FROM vSMS_DPStatusDetails DPSD
JOIN SMSPackages_All SP ON DPSD.PackageID = SP.PkgID
WHERE DPName = 'PS1DP1.CONTOSO.COM'
AND DPSD.PackageID = '<PackageID>'

Finding orphaned DP references

The query below can be used to identify if there are any orphaned rows left in the database for a DP that is no longer in the environment. There could be orphaned rows if the DP was not removed properly.

DECLARE @DPName NVARCHAR(100)
SET @DPName = 'PS1DP.CONTOSO.COM'
SELECT * FROM ContentDPMap WHERE ServerName = @DPName
SELECT * FROM DistributionPoints WHERE ServerName = @DPName
SELECT * FROM DPInfo WHERE ServerName = @DPName
SELECT * FROM PkgServers_G WHERE NALPath like '%' + @DPName + '%'
SELECT * FROM PkgServers_L WHERE NALPath like '%' + @DPName + '%'
SELECT * FROM PkgStatus_G WHERE PkgServer like '%' + @DPName + '%'
SELECT * FROM PkgStatus_L WHERE PkgServer like '%' + @DPName + '%'
SELECT * FROM SysResList WHERE RoleName = 'SMS Distribution Point' AND ServerName = @DPName
SELECT * FROM SC_SysResUse WHERE NALPath like '%' + @DPName + '%' AND RoleTypeID = 3

Similar query for a specific DP in a specific site:

DECLARE @DPName NVARCHAR(100)
DECLARE @DPSiteCode NVARCHAR(3)
SET @DPName = 'DPNAME.CONTOSO.COM'
SET @DPSiteCode = 'PS1'

SELECT * FROM ContentDPMap WHERE ServerName = @DPName AND SiteCode = @DPSiteCode
SELECT * FROM DistributionPoints WHERE ServerName = @DPName AND SMSSiteCode = @DPSiteCode
SELECT * FROM DPInfo WHERE ServerName = @DPName AND SiteCode = @DPSiteCode
SELECT * FROM PkgServers_L WHERE NALPath like '%' + @DPName + '%' AND SiteCode = @DPSiteCode
SELECT * FROM PkgServers_G WHERE NALPath like '%' + @DPName + '%' AND SiteCode = @DPSiteCode
SELECT * FROM PkgStatus_L WHERE PkgServer like '%' + @DPName + '%' AND SiteCode = @DPSiteCode
SELECT * FROM PkgStatus_G WHERE PkgServer like '%' + @DPName + '%' AND SiteCode = @DPSiteCode
SELECT * FROM SysResList WHERE RoleName = 'SMS Distribution Point' AND ServerName = @DPName AND SiteCode = @DPSiteCode
SELECT * FROM SC_SysResUse WHERE NALPath like '%' + @DPName + '%SMS_SITE=' + @DPSiteCode +  '%' AND RoleTypeID = 3

Site Control File (SCF) properties

SCF properties for DistMgr for current site

SELECT SD.SiteCode, SC.ComponentName, SCP.Name, SCP.Value1, SCP.Value2, SCP.Value3
FROM SC_Component SC
JOIN SC_SiteDefinition SD ON SD.SiteNumber = SC.SiteNumber
JOIN SC_Component_Property SCP ON SCP.ComponentID = SC.ID
WHERE SD.SiteCode = dbo.fnGetSiteCode() AND SC.ComponentName = 'SMS_DISTRIBUTION_MANAGER'

SCF properties for a DP

SELECT SRU.RoleName, SRU.ServerName, SRUP.* FROM vSMS_SC_SysResUse SRU
JOIN vSMS_SC_SysResUse_Properties SRUP ON SRU.ID = SRUP.ID
WHERE SRU.RoleName = 'SMS Distribution Point'
AND SRU.ServerName = 'PS1DP1.CONTOSO.COM'

Packages containing specified software update

List all packages containing the given update Unique ID.

SELECT distinct UI.ArticleID, CI.CI_UniqueID, CP.PkgID, P.Name FROM v_UpdateInfo UI
JOIN v_ConfigurationItems CI ON UI.CI_ID = CI.CI_ID
JOIN v_CIContents_All CIC ON CI.CI_ID = CIC.CI_ID
JOIN CI_ContentPackages CP ON CP.Content_ID = CIC.Content_ID
JOIN v_Package P ON CP.PkgID = P.PackageID
WHERE CI.CI_UniqueID = '<UniqueID>'

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Advanced troubleshooting tips for content distribution

Enable verbose logging

Resend compressed copy of a package to a site

How does DistMgr know if the current site has a copy of the package installed

Does redistribute package to DP colocated on the site server cause the compressed copy of the package to get resent

What if the content is missing in the content library on the package source site

How do I force the package source site to resend the compressed copy of the package to a specific site

Relevant tables for content distribution

Useful SQL queries

Package/DP status queries

Finding orphaned DP references

Site Control File (SCF) properties

Packages containing specified software update

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Additional resources