SOME workstations aren't talking to my WSUS server

We've got about 130 computers here, mostly XP, some win2k, about a dozen 2k3
servers. Most check in and receive their updates like good little drones, but
about two dozen don't. WSUS configuration is set via GPO, and all of them
have checked in to the WSUS serverin the past. I'm logged on as local
administrator when experiencing this.
When I run wuauclt /detectnow,in
c:\windows\softwaredistribution\reportingevents.lo g you get the error
"Failure software synchronization Error: Agent failed detecting with
reason:0x80244017"

Tried the various tricks -- stop automatic update service and blow away the
softwaredistribution folder, restart and try again, no luck.
Running the clientdiag.exe works fine; it checks the connection to the
wsus/sus server (with the right server name), passes all the checks.
Connecting to update.microsoft.com, the downloads all come down okay. After
downloading all of them and rebooting, it STILL doesn't check in with the
WSUS server.

Contents of windowsupdate.log is immense, of course. Some of the
useful-appearing entries at the latest attempt include:
PT WARNING: GetConfig failure, error = 0x80244017, soap client error =
10, soap error code = 0, HTTP status code = 401
PT WARNING: Sync of Updates: 0x80244017
Agent * WARNING: Failed to synchronize, error = 0x80244017
Agent WARNING: WU client failed Searching for update with error 0x80244017

If it was ALL of them failing, or all XP boxes, or all members of a
particular OU, I'd have a lot easier time understanding what's going on here.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Perhaps try the WSUS Newsgroup
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...pdate_services

"cross posted for convenience"

Some reading whilst you await an answer:
The Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) SelfUpdate service does
not send automatic updates
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920659/en-us
When you try to use the Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
SelfUpdate service to send automatic updates to client computers, the client
computers do not receive the updates. Additionally, the client computers do
not report to the WSUS server.
When this occurs, the WSUS Administration console logs the following error
message:
Check your server configuration. One or more Update Service components could
not be contacted. Check your server status and ensure that the Windows
Server Update Service is running.
Non-running services: SelfUpdate
The event log may also log the following event:
EVENT ID 506
Source: Windows Server Update
Description: The SelfUpdate Tree is not working. Clients may not be able to
update to the latest WUA client software and communicate with the WSUS
Server.




--
==================================
TaurArian [MS-MVP] 2005-2007 - Australia
==================================
http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
"Need more help? http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=ph;en-us;6527
(Links to web pages and MSKB Articles are posted for the purposes of keeping
the information current)


"Tom at KCTS" <Tom at > wrote in message
news:9CF6BAED-53A4-4625-9693-...
> We've got about 130 computers here, mostly XP, some win2k, about a dozen
> 2k3
> servers. Most check in and receive their updates like good little drones,
> but
> about two dozen don't. WSUS configuration is set via GPO, and all of them
> have checked in to the WSUS serverin the past. I'm logged on as local
> administrator when experiencing this.
> When I run wuauclt /detectnow,in
> c:\windows\softwaredistribution\reportingevents.lo g you get the error
> "Failure software synchronization Error: Agent failed detecting with
> reason:0x80244017"
>
> Tried the various tricks -- stop automatic update service and blow away
> the
> softwaredistribution folder, restart and try again, no luck.
> Running the clientdiag.exe works fine; it checks the connection to the
> wsus/sus server (with the right server name), passes all the checks.
> Connecting to update.microsoft.com, the downloads all come down okay.
> After
> downloading all of them and rebooting, it STILL doesn't check in with the
> WSUS server.
>
> Contents of windowsupdate.log is immense, of course. Some of the
> useful-appearing entries at the latest attempt include:
> PT WARNING: GetConfig failure, error = 0x80244017, soap client error
> =
> 10, soap error code = 0, HTTP status code = 401
> PT WARNING: Sync of Updates: 0x80244017
> Agent * WARNING: Failed to synchronize, error = 0x80244017
> Agent WARNING: WU client failed Searching for update with error 0x80244017
>
> If it was ALL of them failing, or all XP boxes, or all members of a
> particular OU, I'd have a lot easier time understanding what's going on
> here.
>
> Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

> "Tom at KCTS" <Tom at > wrote in message
> news:9CF6BAED-53A4-4625-9693-...

>> When I run wuauclt /detectnow,in
>> c:\windows\softwaredistribution\reportingevents.lo g you get the error
>> "Failure software synchronization Error: Agent failed detecting with
>> reason:0x80244017"

The 0x80244017 error is an HTTP '401' error and is most likely caused
because the permissions are not set properly on the IIS virtual server
hosting WSUS.

>> If it was ALL of them failing, or all XP boxes, or all members of a
>> particular OU, I'd have a lot easier time understanding what's going on
>> here.

It could be that these are the only systems that are not running under
domain accounts, or are not domain members, thus causing a failed
authentication trying to access a website with only Integrated Windows
Authentication configured.

--
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MVP-Software Distribution
Everything you need for WSUS is at
http://technet2.microsoft.com/window...s/default.mspx
And, everything else is at
http://wsusinfo.onsitechsolutions.com
.....

Well, the problem actually had nothing to do with permissions errors, despite
what the error message reported. After posting this, I continued browsing
elsewhere and discovered that M$ has released SP1 of WSUS 2.0, and do I
downloaded and installed it. It seems to have fixed the problems.

"Lawrence Garvin (MVP)" wrote:

> > "Tom at KCTS" <Tom at > wrote in message
> > news:9CF6BAED-53A4-4625-9693-...
>
> >> When I run wuauclt /detectnow,in
> >> c:\windows\softwaredistribution\reportingevents.lo g you get the error
> >> "Failure software synchronization Error: Agent failed detecting with
> >> reason:0x80244017"
>
> The 0x80244017 error is an HTTP '401' error and is most likely caused
> because the permissions are not set properly on the IIS virtual server
> hosting WSUS.
>
> >> If it was ALL of them failing, or all XP boxes, or all members of a
> >> particular OU, I'd have a lot easier time understanding what's going on
> >> here.
>
> It could be that these are the only systems that are not running under
> domain accounts, or are not domain members, thus causing a failed
> authentication trying to access a website with only Integrated Windows
> Authentication configured.
>
> --
> Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MVP-Software Distribution
> Everything you need for WSUS is at
> http://technet2.microsoft.com/window...s/default.mspx
> And, everything else is at
> http://wsusinfo.onsitechsolutions.com
> .....
>
>
>

"Tom at KCTS" <> wrote in message
news:506ABF02-AFE1-47FC-B0F5-...

> Well, the problem actually had nothing to do with permissions errors,
> despite
> what the error message reported. After posting this, I continued browsing
> elsewhere and discovered that M$ has released SP1 of WSUS 2.0, and do I
> downloaded and installed it. It seems to have fixed the problems.
>

Yes.. applying the Service Pack most likely fixed your /permission/-based
problem.

A '401' error /is/ a permissions error. (i.e. 'Access Denied')

--
Lawrence Garvin, M.S., MVP-Software Distribution
Everything you need for WSUS is at
http://technet2.microsoft.com/window...s/default.mspx
And, everything else is at
http://wsusinfo.onsitechsolutions.com
.....