WSUS synchronization fails with SoapException

This article helps you fix an issue where Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) synchronization fails because of a decommissioned endpoint.

Original product version:   WSUS - All versions, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012
Original KB number:   4482416

Symptoms

WSUS synchronization fails, and you receive the following error message:

SoapException: Fault occurred
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.ReadResponse(SoapClientMessage message, WebResponse response, Stream responseStream, Boolean asyncCall)
at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.Invoke(String methodName, Object[] parameters)
at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSyncWebServices.ServerSync.ServerSyncProxy.GetUpdateData(Cookie cookie, UpdateIdentity[] updateIds)
at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSync.CatalogSyncAgentCore.WebserviceGetUpdateData(UpdateIdentity[] updateIds, List`1 allMetadata, List`1 allFileUrls, Boolean isForConfig)
at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSync.CatalogSyncAgentCore.GetUpdateDataInChunksAndImport(List`1 neededUpdates, List`1 allMetadata, List`1 allFileUrls, Boolean isConfigData)
at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSync.Cat

Additionally, an error message that resembles the following is logged in the WSUS log file (%ProgramFiles%\Update Services\LogFiles\SoftwareDistribution.log) on the WSUS server:

<Date> <Time> Error WsusService.25 SoapUtilities.LogException USS ThrowException: Actor = https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6/ServerSyncWebService/ServerSyncWebService.asmx, Method = "http://www.microsoft.com/SoftwareDistribution/GetUpdateData", ID=<ID>, ErrorCode=InternalServerError, Message=  
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.SoapUtilities.LogException(SoapException e)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.WebServiceCommunicationHelper. ProcessWebServiceProxyException(SoapHttpClientProtocol& webServiceObject, Exception exceptionInfo)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSync.CatalogSyncAgentCore.WebserviceGetUpdateData(UpdateIdentity[] updateIds, List\1 allMetadata, List\1 allFileUrls, List\`1& updatesWithSecureFileData, Boolean isForConfig)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSync.CatalogSyncAgentCore.GetUpdateDataInChunksAndImport(List\1 neededUpdates, List\1 allMetadata, List\1 allFileUrls, Boolean isConfigData)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSync.CatalogSyncAgentCore.GetAndSaveUpdateMetadata(List\1 updates)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSync.CatalogSyncAgentCore.ExecuteSyncProtocol(Boolean allowRedirect)  
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSync.CatalogSyncAgentCore.CatalogSyncThreadProcess()
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
<Date> <Time> Error WsusService.25 SoapUtilities.LogException USS ThrowException: Actor = https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6/ServerSyncWebService/ServerSyncWebService.asmx, Method = "http://www.microsoft.com/SoftwareDistribution/GetUpdateData", ID=\<ID>, ErrorCode=InternalServerError, Message=  
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.SoapUtilities.LogException(SoapException e)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSync.CatalogSyncAgentCore.ExecuteSyncProtocol(Boolean allowRedirect)
   at Microsoft.UpdateServices.ServerSync.CatalogSyncAgentCore.CatalogSyncThreadProcess()
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
   at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

Cause

This issue occurs if the WSUS servers are configured to use the old synchronization endpoint, https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6. This endpoint was fully decommissioned and is no longer reachable after July 8, 2019.

Resolution

To fix the issue, change the synchronization endpoint in WSUS configuration to https://sws.update.microsoft.com.

To do this, follow these steps on the topmost WSUS server that connects directly to Microsoft Update, such as the root WSUS server in a WSUS hierarchy:

1. Close all WSUS consoles.

2. At an elevated PowerShell command prompt, run the following PowerShell scripts.

   Note

   Don't run the scripts on a WSUS server that's not the topmost server. If the server isn't connected to the Internet, synchronization may fail.

   For WSUS version 3.x:

   [void][reflection.assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("Microsoft.UpdateServices.Administration")
   $server = [Microsoft.UpdateServices.Administration.AdminProxy]::GetUpdateServer()
   $config = $server.GetConfiguration()
   # Check current settings before you change them
   $config.MUUrl
   $config.RedirectorChangeNumber
   # Update the settings if MUUrl is https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6
   $config.MUUrl = "https://sws.update.microsoft.com"
   $config.RedirectorChangeNumber = 4002
   $config.Save();
   iisreset
   Restart-Service *Wsus* -v
   

   WSUS servers that are running Windows Server 2008 (without the latest update) or earlier versions may be using the https://update.microsoft.com/v6 or https://www.update.microsoft.com synchronization endpoints. Because these versions of Windows don't support SHA256 certificate authentication, use the following settings in the PowerShell scripts:

   $config.MUUrl = " https://sws1.update.microsoft.com"
   $config.RedirectorChangeNumber = 3011
   

   For WSUS on Windows Server 2012 and later versions:

   $server = Get-WsusServer
   $config = $server.GetConfiguration()
   # Check current settings before you change them 
   $config.MUUrl
   $config.RedirectorChangeNumber
   # Update the settings if MUUrl is https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6
   $config.MUUrl = "https://sws.update.microsoft.com"
   $config.RedirectorChangeNumber = 4002
   $config.Save()
   iisreset
   Restart-Service *Wsus* -v
   

3. Verify that WSUS synchronization succeeds.

More information

For more information about how to run PowerShell scripts, see What is PowerShell?.