A:There can be a variety of reasons. You should do the following to troubleshoot WSUS client problems:
- Verify that client is installed correctly
- Verify that client is configured correctly
- Verify that client can talk to WSUS server.
Q: How do I verify that the AU client is installed correctly?
- Look at the IIS Logs of the website running on port 80 for Self Update Attempts
- Check the version of one of the Windows Update Agent binaries.
- %windir%\system32\wuaueng.dll should be version 5.7.0.2177 or higher after a successful selfupdate.
- From an IE browser on the client, try the following URLs to ensure that you are prompted to download or save:
- http://wsusservername/iuident.cab
- http://wsusservername/selfupdate/AU/x86/XP/EN/wuaucomp.cab
- Look at the Windows Update log on your local client for Self Update Success.
- Look at the Windows Update log for Detect Success.
A. Scan thru %WinDir%\WindowsUpdate.log for the following entries (ie. C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log);
2005-02-16 07:28:56-0800 1076 268 PT: Using server URL http://YOURWsUSSERVERNAME/IP:PORT/ClientWebService/client.asmx
2005-02-16 07:28:56-0800 1076 268 PT: Using server URL http://YOURWsUSSERVERNAME/IP:PORT/SimpleAuthWebService/SimpleAuth.asmx
And see if it successfully reported its status to the server.2005-02-16 07:29:24-0800 1076 268 REPORT EVENT:
{2ACA00A2-70E5-4222-991B-65DAABD06588} 2005-02-16 07:29:20-0800 1
153 101 {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000} 0 0
AutomaticUpdates Success Pre-Deployment Check Reporting client status.
Q: How do I force an AU Client to detect and download approved updates from a WSUS Server?
A. Run this command from Command prompt at the AU client:
wuauclt.exe /detectnow
Q: If a system is shutdown using shutdown.exe, does update checking and installation get invoked?
A. No. Updates are installed only for manually invoked shutdowns.
Q. We have recently installed WUS B2 on a 500pc school network. The students are loosing work through reboots. We need to be able to have the pcs install and reboot at a certain time at night rather than have prompting. The students are not administrators on the box.
A. You can use the setting "ElevateNonAdmins" to change this behavior.With ElevateNonAdmins set to 1 a non-admin is allowed to select "Restart Later", and also to use the AU icon in the system tray to start installations before scheduled installation time (good), as well as un-select updates that is scheduled to be installed on the computer (not so good).
Q. Will WSUS also automatically delete workstation entries if they haven't checked in after a certain amount of time?
A. Yes, According to WSUS Beta News Group, that is done every 15 days.
Q. Why does a Win XP machine is constantly offering to Install Updates and Shutdown the computer.
A. You have to remove InstallUpdatesandShutdown option in the registry and this seemed to get rid of the shutdown.
Q. When I set a deadline on a patch, system downloaded and installed the patch on the next checking immediately rather than the scheduled time. It also rebooted all the machines even though they are set to not reboot automatically.
A. Deadline update will automatically download, install, and reboot if reboot required installing this update. So, by design, deadline will be *fully* installed no matter what AUOptions you set (except you disabled AU and no matter what policy you set.
Q. How to forcibly install a patch on all WSUS clients immediately?
A. To install the patches immediately, you have to do the following: Set a deadline on patch in the WSUS admin UI for any date in the past. This will cause all clients to immediately download and install the patch, rebooting if needed, as soon as they receive it on next scan)
From the command line on each client, run "wuauclt.exe /detectnow". This will cause AU to immediately do that "next scan" on that client.
Q. What is the file %WINDIR%\SoftwareDistribution\ReportingEvents.log used for on WSUS clients?
A. It appears to be where the WSUS client records update activities and results.
Q. Why does "SoftwareDistribution" folder appear under both %WINDIR% and %WINDIR%\System32?
A. Because they liked it so much they made two of them.
Q. If you have a group setup in WSUS as detect-only and you change the options to install, do the updates that are set as detect-only ever get installed after the change or do those updates need to be changed manually?
A. YES, they do get installed after the change. But, this is only after Automatic Update Client (AU) completes the next detection cycle which can be configured for AU Client at the following location in the registry, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU, DetectionFrequency (Reg_DWORD) = Time between detection cycles. DetectionFrequency (use default value of 22 hours). For Quick AU Client Detection & Installation with Windows Server Updates Services, WSUS, see http://msmvps.com/athif/archive/2005/06/29/56200.aspx
