Unable to install RSAT feature - Windows Server 2019 Standard

Question

When trying to install RSAT tools on windows 2019 servers I am getting error "The referenced assembly could not be found. Error: 0x80073701".

SFC /scannow - resulted with below in CBD logs.

2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210123072853.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210123064826.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210122071948.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210121060051.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210120053142.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Not able to add pending.xml to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Not able to add pending.xml.bad to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Not able to add poqexec.log to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Not able to add SCM.EVM to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Error CSI 00000009 (F) STATUS_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING #927010# from CCSDirectTransaction::OperateEnding at index 0 of 1 operations, disposition 2[gle=0xd015000c]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Error CSI 0000000a (F) HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING) #926852# from Windows::ServicingAPI::CCSITransaction::ICSITransaction_PinDeployment(Flags = 0, a = 358dde55d39f45e5d5bdb240f123a463, version 10.0.17763.503, arch amd64, nonSxS, pkt {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, cb = (null), s = (null), rid = 'Package_2956_for_KB4523205~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.10.4523205-4321_neutral', rah = '3', manpath = (null), catpath = (null), ed = 0, disp = 0)[gle=0x80073701]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Failed to pin deployment while resolving Update: Package_2956_for_KB4523205~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.10.4523205-4321_neutral from file: (null) [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Failed to bulk stage deployment manifest and pin deployment for package:Package_4296_for_KB4586793~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.5 [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS CommitPackagesState: Started persisting state of packages
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS CommitPackagesState: Completed persisting state of packages
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CSI 0000000b@2021/1/23:07:35:39.784 CSI Transaction @0x28f9cc20120 destroyed
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Perf: Resolve chain complete.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Failed to resolve execution chain. [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Error CBS Failed to process single phase execution. [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS WER: Generating failure report for package: Microsoft-Windows-Foundation-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.17763.1, status: 0x80073701, failure source: Resolve, start state: Installed, target state: Installed, client id: DISM Package Manager Provider
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Not able to query DisableWerReporting flag. Assuming not set... [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210123072853.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210123064826.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210122071948.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210121060051.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210120053142.log to WER report.
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Not able to add %windir%\winsxs\poqexec.log to WER report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Not able to add %windir%\winsxs\pending.xml to WER report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Not able to add %windir%\winsxs\pending.xml.bad to WER report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2021-01-23 02:35:39, Info CBS Reboot mark cleared
2021-01-23 0

Answer 1

It turns out to be an issue when we exclude any part of the Payloads or the feature dependency from the image during the Golden/Corp at the time of deployment.
MS core engineering team came up with a script to correct this issue. I've attached to the script too
it did fixed issue for me. (No reboot needed too).

Click Here: 60042-error-sxs-assembly-missing.txt

In addition did tried to fix the issue by using the script "60010-fixresolvedkbsscript.txt" We were not successful, Though worth mentioning it. (Note: You need to point KB details under c:\temp\ResolvedKb.txt).

Answer 2

Error 0x80073701 is ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING, it means there are some system files are missing, which caused the update / installation failure and may be fatal. Something here may help.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/deployment/analyze-sfc-program-log-file-entries

More than likely the quicker thing to do is build a new one, patch it fully, migrate over and move on.

--please don't forget to Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--