Solved: Windows Update Failing on New Dell Server 2012 R2

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iba10753

Windows Update Failing on New Dell Server 2012 R2

I have starting transitioning customers from older Server 2003 servers to new Dell Server 2012 R2 boxes. I am now on the 2nd server installation and am having a very frustrating time getting the Windows Update process to do anything other than waste my time. It takes approximately 15 minutes to get a list of the updates for the new server - that's not so bad. However, when I try to download and install the updates the update process simply does not work. The Windows Update window simply says that is is downloading updates (about 1.4 GB total) but NEVER goes past 0% (even overnight). I've been trying to Google this problem but I don't believe I've hit on the magic answer.

I've always had good results with Experts Exchange assistance and am hoping that someone has run across this problem and has a definitive cure so I can get these updates done and then continue with the server configuration.

Thanks,
Ben Askew

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Mohammed Khawaja🇨🇦

Try this:

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
cd \windows
ren softwaredistribution softwaredistribution1
net start bits
net start wuauserv

iba10753

ASKER

Thanks, Mohammed. I will arrive back onsite tomorrow morning and will try your suggestion.

John🇨🇦

In addition, look also at the Windows Update Troubleshooter site.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

It may come up with a fixit for your server.

Also try the Windows Update Readiness tool.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821

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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Cliff Galiher🇺🇸

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Don🇺🇸

I would create a WSUS offline Usb/DVD and use that to get new server installs up to date. It's much easier and faster.

http://download.wsusoffline.net/

iba10753

ASKER

Ordinarily, if this was my only network to administer I'd probably do that. However, as a one-man shop with over 40 customers I just don't have the hours to work with.

Thanks,
Ben

iba10753

ASKER

Well, folks, mea culpa. I was using a DNS address that was somehow not good enough to handle the Windows Update process. I had not set up the DNS role on this new server yet so I was using one of the DNS servers on the network and it just wasn't working properly. As soon as I reconfigured the NIC properties with the DNS servers from our internet provider.....everything worked perfectly. If I had the time, I would change things back and try to figure out why the other local DNS server (with proper forwarders) was keeping the WU process from working.

Although I'm awarding Solution status to Cliff Galiher because he brought up his notion that it might be networking or hardware issues, I wanted to thank everyone for their input. Seeing all the other hopeful suggestions at least kept me from getting really frustrated overnight.

Thanks,
Ben

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Windows Server 2012

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Windows Server 2012 is the server version of Windows 8 and the successor to Windows Server 2008 R2. Windows Server 2012 is the first version of Windows Server to have no support for Itanium-based computers since Windows NT 4.0. Windows Server 2012, now in its second release (Windows Server 2012 Release 2) includes Foundation, Essentials, Standard and Datacenter, and does not support IA-32 or IA-64 processors.