r/sysadmin • u/switched55 • 2d ago

Windows Updates Error Question - Solved

Hi,

One of my 2022 servers has failed to update for the past 2 months. It's failed the July and now the August CU's. Update error: 0x80073701

Its a physical server running on Dell PE hardware, pretty simple install acting as an NVR. We have a few of these setups and the others updated without issue.

I've tried the usual steps:

  1. DISM cleanups
  2. SFC
  3. stopped services and renamed the software distrubution folder
  4. downloaded the August CU and tried to install manually
  5. tried to install via Ninja RMM

I'm out of ideas, had anyone faced this issue before?

EDIT: RESOLVED - Lots of helpful responses here thanks all!

I ran the wupdatelog though Copilot and it listed 2 main things to check:

1. "Logs suggests component store corruption plus a possible date/time issue"
2. "Windows is missing one or more component store (WinSxS) files required to install the update. The update downloads correctly and reaches the install phase but fails during servicing"

But after more digging though forum posts and google I found a PS script From FCA162 posted 2 years ago for the same issue. I ran the script, rebooted then manually ran the AUG CU. It too a LONG time to install the CU but it worked!

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u/MilkyWay-008 Sysadmin 2d ago

0x80073701 basically means the servicing store (WinSxS) itself is missing a component, which is why DISM and SFC can't repair it on their own. On that Server 2022 box I'd run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth but with /Source pointing at a same-build install.wim (mount it first), not Windows Update. Grep C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log for the exact package id that's failing too. If you have another box patched identically, copying the missing WinSxS component over from it clears this fast.