How to troubleshoot Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and Windows Server Update Services installation issues (906602)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Update
  • Microsoft Windows Update

SYMPTOMS

When you use Microsoft Windows Update, Microsoft Update, or Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to install updates, you may experience one or more of the following issues:
  • You are offered an update for a product, but the update is not installed on your computer.
  • You are repeatedly offered an update even if you have installed it multiple times.
  • Installation fails for a particular update.
This article discusses how to troubleshoot Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and WSUS installation issues.

RESOLUTION

Windows Update, Microsoft Update, or WSUS offers you an update for a product that is not installed on the computer

For more information about why an update is not installed on your computer, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

902992 Windows Update or Microsoft Update offer updates for products that are not installed on the computer

Windows Update, Microsoft Update, or WSUS repeatedly offers an update even if you have installed it multiple times

The update is not successfully installed. See the following sections for information about how to identify and resolve the issue.

Windows Update, Microsoft Update, or WSUS does not install a software or driver update

The update is not successfully installed. See the following sections for information about how to identify and resolve the issue.

How to troubleshoot failed updates for Microsoft Windows

To troubleshoot an unsuccessful update for Microsoft Windows, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: View your installation history on the Windows Update Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site

Locate the installation error
  1. Click Start, click All Programs, and then click Windows Update or Microsoft Update.
  2. On the Windows Update Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site, click Review your update history.
  3. In the status column for the unsuccessful update, click the red X.

    A new window opens that displays the installation error.
Search for the installation error in the Windows Update Troubleshooter
  1. Click Find Solutions.
  2. Type the error message that appears in the window that opened in step 3 of "Locate the installation error."
  3. Click Search.
Search for the installation error in the Microsoft Knowledge Base
  1. Click Go to Knowledge Base Articles.
  2. Search for the error message you received.

Method 2: Locate the installation log file on your computer

Most operating system updates use Package Installer for Windows (Update.exe). The installation creates a default log file that records successes and failures in the %systemroot%\KB######.log file.

Note ###### is the number of a Microsoft Knowledge Base article.

For example, if the package that is described in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 12345 is not successfully installed, click Start, click Run, type %systemroot%\KB12345.log, and then click OK to troubleshoot the problem.

Note Operating system service packs create the %systemroot%\Svcpack.log file during installation.

For specific troubleshooting steps, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/deployment/winupdte.mspx#EHAA

How to troubleshoot failed updates for the Microsoft .NET Framework

To troubleshoot an unsuccessful update for the Microsoft .Net Framework, view your installation history on the Windows Update Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site. To do this, follow these steps.Locate the installation error
  1. Click Start, click All Programs, and then click Windows Update or Microsoft Update.
  2. On the Windows Update Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site, click Review your update history.
  3. In the status column for the unsuccessful update, click the red X.

    A new window opens that displays the installation error.
Search for the installation error in the Windows Update Troubleshooter
  1. Click Find Solutions.
  2. Type the error message that appears in the window that opened in step 3 of "Locate the installation error."
  3. Click Search.
Search for the installation error in the Microsoft Knowledge Base
  1. Click Go to Knowledge Base Articles.
  2. Search for the error message you received.
For more information about how to resolve failed updates for the .NET Framework, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824643 How to troubleshoot Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 installation issues

899619 Installation of .NET Framework service packs is not completed if you first install security update MS05-004

To see a list of frequently asked questions about the .NET Framework, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/technologyinfo/faq/default.aspx

How to troubleshoot failed updates for Microsoft Office

If you cannot install an Microsoft Office update by using Windows Update, Microsoft Update, or WSUS, identify the error that Windows Installer returns for the specific update package. To do this, use one of the following methods.

  • Method 1: View your installation history on the Windows Update Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site

    Locate the installation error
    1. Click Start, click All Programs, and then click Windows Update or Microsoft Update.
    2. On the Windows Update Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site, click Review your update history.
    3. In the status column for the unsuccessful update, click the red X.

      A new window opens that displays the installation error.
    Search for the installation error in the Windows Update Troubleshooter
    1. Click Find Solutions.
    2. Type the error message that appears in the window that opened in step 3 of "Locate the installation error."
    3. Click Search.
    Search for the installation error in the Microsoft Knowledge Base
    1. Click Go to Knowledge Base Articles.
    2. Search for the error message you received.
    Note All errors in the installation history are displayed by using hexadecimal notation. Microsoft Windows Installer errors are generally referenced by using decimal notation in online documentation. Therefore, error 0x52f is Windows Installer error 1327.

  • Method 2: Search for "MSI Install" in the Windowsupdate.log file

    1. Click Start, click Run, type %windir%\windowsupdate.log, and then click OK.
    2. Click Edit, click Find, type MSI Install, and then click Find Next until you locate the search string. The error in this example is 0x80070463. Information that is similar to the following appears.
      2005-07-11	10:43:52	1056	250	Handler	:::::::::::::
2005-07-11	10:43:52	1056	250	Handler	:: START ::  Handler: MSI Install
2005-07-11	10:43:52	1056	250	Handler	:::::::::
2005-07-11	10:43:52	1056	250	Handler	  : Updates to install = 1
2005-07-11	10:43:52	1056	250	Handler	Extracting MSP file stored in CAB INFPXSNop.cab
2005-07-11	10:43:52	1056	250	Handler	MSI update {EF358F39-A507-45A8-9E84-D626D099E8BD}.100 using binary-delta patch
2005-07-11	10:43:52	1056	250	Handler	  : Batch installing 1 updates
2005-07-11	10:43:52	1056	250	Handler	List of MSPs in transaction:
2005-07-11	10:43:52	1056	250	Handler	  C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download\03f5e1d2d52bdd29b37f03900b00ec0f\INFPXSNop.MSP
2005-07-11	10:43:52	1056	250	Handler	MSP final command line: DISABLESRCPROMPT=1 LOCALCACHESRCRES=0 NOLOCALCACHEROLLBACK=1 REBOOT=REALLYSUPPRESS
2005-07-11	10:43:56	 844	44c	Report	REPORT EVENT: {421E19DA-6642-43CB-BFE5-20B061D5918A}	2005-07-11 10:43:51-0700	1	182	101	{6B310045-B0C5-4DA0-A604-41E196FE7EDB}	100	80070643	MicrosoftUpdate	Failure	Content Install	Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update with error 0x80070643: Update for Office 2003 French Spelling Checker and Thesaurus (KB892258).
      The following extended Windows Installer error occurs during the installation of the update.

      Note The .msp file error list contains the specific extended error. Error 0x80070463 is still reported as the general installation failure.
      2005-07-11	10:44:01	1056	250	Handler	MSP Error List:
2005-07-11	10:44:01	1056	250	Handler	1: 1327 2: x:\ 
2005-07-11	10:44:01	1056	250	Handler	  : MSI transaction completed. MSI: 0x80070643, Handler: 0x8024200b, Source: No, Reboot: 0
2005-07-11	10:44:01	1056	250	Handler	  : WARNING: First failure for update {EF358F39-A507-45A8-9E84-D626D099E8BD}, transaction error = 0x8024200b, MSI result = 0x80070643, MSI action = SetLocalCacheFolder
2005-07-11	10:44:01	1056	250	Handler	  : WARNING: Operation failed at update 0, Exit code = 0x8024200B
2005-07-11	10:44:01	1056	250	Handler	:::::::::
2005-07-11	10:44:01	1056	250	Handler	::  END  ::  Handler: MSI Install
2005-07-11	10:44:01	1056	250	Handler	:::::::::::::
      When Windows Installer looked at the "X" drive to find a local installation source (LIS), Windows Installer received error 1327 or an error that indicated that the drive was not valid. You can use the LisTool.exe file that is described in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 903776 to resolve this issue. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

      903776 Office updates are not successfully installed if you deploy updates by using Windows Server Update Services or the Microsoft Update Web site after the path of the local installation source changes

How to interpret error scenarios

No error was returned because the update installed successfully

If the update reports a successful installation after repeated unsuccessful installation attempts, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article for more information about specific scenarios that may cause this behavior:

903775 Office 2003 updates are offered to a user even if that user has installed those updates when you use WSUS to deploy software updates and hotfixes to computers that are in your organization

The error message is listed as 0x80070643, and no extended error is returned

Sometimes, the extended error is not available in the installation history or in the Windowsupdate.log file. Only error 0x80070643 is returned. To resolve this issue, see the "Updates that are installed by using Windows Installer" section.

Error 0x80070643 is returned, and the extended error is 1000-1999 or (0x3e8-0x7cf)

The installation history displays error 0x3e8-0x7cf, or you see the decimal equivalent error message in the Windowsupdate.log file. For more information about Windows Installer error codes, visit the following MSDN Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/msi/setup/windows_installer_error_messages.asp

MORE INFORMATION

Updates that are installed by using the command-line installer, Package Installer for Windows, or Windows installer

Most updates to Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Windows 2000, and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 are installed by using the Package Installer for Windows. For more information about the Package Installer, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

832475 Description of the new features in the package installer for Windows software updates

Most updates to the Microsoft .NET Framework, Microsoft Office, and Microsoft SQL Server are installed by using Windows Installer. For more information about Windows Installer, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

282477 Windows Installer resources

The command-line installer is used for updates that must use functions that are not available in the other installers.

Updates that are installed by using the command-line installer

The following example shows an update that is started by the command-line installer.
2005-06-06	16:33:30	 184	750	Handler	:::::::::::::
2005-06-06	16:33:30	 184	750	Handler	:: START ::  Handler: Command Line Install
2005-06-06	16:33:30	 184	750	Handler	:::::::::
This information usually indicates that the update is downloaded as an executable that then starts another installer, such as Windows Installer for the .NET Framework.

Updates that are installed by using Package Installer for Windows

The following example shows an update that is started by Package Installer for Windows.
2005-06-06	16:37:06	 184	124	Handler	:::::::::::::
2005-06-06	16:37:06	 184	124	Handler	:: START ::  Handler: Windows Patch Install
2005-06-06	16:37:06	 184	124	Handler	:::::::::
If you cannot find a KB#####.log file by using the method that is described in the "How to troubleshoot failed updates for Microsoft Windows" section, try to install the update from the Microsoft Download Center to see whether any error messages occur.

Note By default, the Windows Update or Microsoft Update Web site will suppress all errors. Examine the log file, or install the update from the Microsoft Download Center to see whether an error occurred.

Updates that are installed by using Windows Installer

The following example shows an update that is started by Windows Installer.
2005-06-08	15:42:07	3632	e4c	Handler	:::::::::::::
2005-06-08	15:42:07	3632	e4c	Handler	:: START ::  Handler: MSI Install
2005-06-08	15:42:07	3632	e4c	Handler	:::::::::
If the steps listed in the "How to troubleshoot failed updates for Microsoft Office" section do not resolve the installation issues, enable Windows Installer logging, and then reproduce the installation failure again. For more information about the steps to enable, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

223300 How to enable Windows Installer logging

How to identify the specific handler

The handler is the Windows Update component that starts the installer. To identify the handler, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type %systemroot%\windowsupdate.log, and then click OK.
  2. Locate the name of the update by searching for the specific update in the log file. For example, to search for the .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 update, follow these steps:
    1. Click Edit, click Find, type .NET, and then click Find Next.
    2. Click Find Next until you see a message that is similar to the following:
      2005-06-02	16:02:01	 936	474	DnldMgr	  * Updates to download = 1
2005-06-02	16:02:01	 936	474	Agent	  *   Title = Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1
2005-06-02	16:02:01	 936	474	Agent	  *   UpdateId = {6F5DC828-0F05-4577-9A8A-74AB1CBE00A9}.100
2005-06-02	16:02:01	 936	474	Agent	  *     Bundles 1 updates:
2005-06-02	16:02:01	 936	474	Agent	  *       {AFCFDECF-2B9F-4881-8CFE-F56ED0DD81AF}.100
      Note You will see the update title, the UpdateID, and the BundleID. The UpdateID identifies the general update. The BundleID (AFCFDECF-2B9F-4881-8CFE-F56ED0DD81AF}.100) identifies the specific package that the client must download.
  3. Locate the handler by searching for the BundleID. To do this, click Edit, click Find, type the BundleID that you want to find, and then click Find Next until you locate the BundleID. The following example shows that the update was downloaded and that the handler called the command-line installer component to complete the installation.
    2005-06-02	16:02:11	 936	474	Agent	*************
2005-06-02	16:02:11	 936	474	Agent	** START **  Agent: Installing updates [CallerId = WindowsUpdate]
2005-06-02	16:02:11	 936	474	Agent	*********
2005-06-02	16:02:11	 936	474	Agent	  * Updates to install = 1
2005-06-02	16:02:11	 936	474	Agent	  *   Title = <NULL>
2005-06-02	16:02:11	 936	474	Agent	  *   UpdateId = {6F5DC828-0F05-4577-9A8A-74AB1CBE00A9}.100
2005-06-02	16:02:11	 936	474	Agent	  *     Bundles 1 updates:
2005-06-02	16:02:11	 936	474	Agent	  *       {AFCFDECF-2B9F-4881-8CFE-F56ED0DD81AF}.100
2005-06-02	16:02:16	 936	6c4	Report	REPORT EVENT: 	Content Download	Download succeeded.
2005-06-02	16:02:20	 936	474	Handler	Attempting to create remote handler process as CPU\User in session 0
2005-06-02	16:02:21	 936	474	DnldMgr	Preparing update for install, updateId = {AFCFDECF-2B9F-4881-8CFE-F56ED0DD81AF}.100.
2005-06-02	16:02:23	 512	860	Misc	===========  Logging initialized (build: 5.8.0.2469, tz: -0700)  ===========
2005-06-02	16:02:23	 512	860	Misc	  = Process: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
2005-06-02	16:02:23	 512	860	Misc	  = Module: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng.dll
2005-06-02	16:02:23	 512	860	Handler	:::::::::::::
2005-06-02	16:02:23	 512	860	Handler	:: START ::  Handler: Command Line Install
2005-06-02	16:02:23	 512	860	Handler	:::::::::
2005-06-02	16:02:23	 512	860	Handler	  : Updates to install = 1
    For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    902093 How to read the Windowsupdate.log file

Office 2003 updates from Windows Update, from Microsoft Update, or from WSUS

By default, Office 2003 updates are offered to a client as binary-delta updates. To reduce the size of the download, these updates only contain the actual files that change. These updates require access to the local installation source (LIS) or to the original installation media. If the update cannot be installed, the client requests the full update the next time that it connects to the Windows Update Web site or to the Microsoft Update Web site. The following sections describe the specific scenarios.

Installing updates with Automatic Updates by using Microsoft Update or WSUS

  • Automatic updates and scheduled installation scenario
    1. The binary delta update is offered first.
    2. If the binary delta update fails with error 0x8024002c, the full update is offered during the next detection attempt.
    3. If the full update fails with error 0x8024002d, the update installs in interactive mode. Windows Installer prompts for installation media if it is required.
  • Automatic updates and interactive mode scenario
    1. The binary delta update is offered first.
    2. If the binary delta update fails with error 0x8024002c, the full update is offered during the next detection attempt. Windows Installer prompts for installation media if it is required.

Installing updates from the Microsoft Update Web site

  1. The binary delta update is offered and Windows Installer can prompt for the installation media.
  2. If the binary delta update fails with error 0x8024002c, the full update is offered during the next detection cycle. Windows Installer prompts for installation media if it is required.

    Note If you receive error 0x8024002c, visit the Microsoft Update Web site again, and then install the full update. Automatic Updates will automatically recover at the next scheduled detection cycle.

REFERENCES

For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

903773 No appropriate Microsoft Office updates are displayed when you use Microsoft Update or Windows Server Update Services

903775 Office 2003 updates are offered to a user even if that user has installed those updates when you use WSUS to deploy software updates and hotfixes to computers that are in your organization

902349 How to change the source for a client computer from an updated administrative installation point to an Office 2003 or Office XP original baseline source

903776 Office updates are not successfully installed if you deploy updates by using Windows Server Update Services after the path of the local installation source changes

903774 If you disable the Ose.exe file, Microsoft Office updates do not install when you use Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to deploy software updates and hotfixes to computers in the organization

907380 You are not offered any Microsoft Office updates from the Microsoft Windows Update Web site or Windows Server Update Services

908480 You cannot install some earlier updates if an exclusive update is offered on the Microsoft Windows Update Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site

304498 How to troubleshoot failures updating your Office installation from the Office Update Web site

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/7/2006
Keywords:kbwindowsupdatev6 kbtshoot kbwindowsupdate KB906602 kbAudEndUser
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.