Every time Windows Update tries to install 976932 on a PC running Server 2008 R2, it fails with generic error 0x8000FFFF. System Update Readiness Tool shows no issues. After the last attempt, I searched cbs.log for errors and found these. Can anyone help me interpret these so that I can get 976923 to install? Thanks- Sean 2011-05-15 21:54:15, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryDWORDValue:413)Failed to query registry value: ComponentsRemoved er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:15, Error CBS SPI: (SPCVerifyTrust:1664)Failed to CryptCATAdminCalcHashFromFileHandle GLE=0x57 2011-05-15 21:54:15, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryDWORDValue:413)Failed to query registry value: UploadDisableFlag er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:15, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryDWORDValue:400)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:15, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryDWORDValue:400)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:15, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryDWORDValue:400)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:15, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryDWORDValue:400)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (GetCopyFreeSpace:264)Copy free does not apply for server machines hr=0x80004005 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryQWORDValue:341)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryQWORDValue:341)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryQWORDValue:341)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryQWORDValue:341)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryQWORDValue:341)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryQWORDValue:341)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryQWORDValue:341)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryQWORDValue:341)Failed to open the registry root: n/a, key: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\ServicePack\SP1. er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (NestedSystemRestorePoint:42)Failed to load srclient.dll GLE=0x7e 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: Failed ending nested system restore point. hr: 0x8007007e 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: (NestedSystemRestorePoint:42)Failed to load srclient.dll GLE=0x7e 2011-05-15 21:54:21, Error CBS SPI: Failed creating nested system restore point. hr: 0x8007007e 2011-05-15 21:54:22, Error CBS SPI: (SPIRegQueryStringValue:700)Failed to query registry value: MiscString2 er=0x2 2011-05-15 21:54:22, Error CBS SPI: (CSystem::GetMachineName:395)Failed to query machine name from RAC hr=0x80070002 2011-05-15 21:57:42, Error CSI 00000012 (F) Assembly installed and uninstalled with same reference in single transaction (id = @0x94e0e10, guid = {d16d444c-56d8-11d5-882d-0080c847b195}, ref = [77]"Package_1_for_KB2489256~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.1.1.1.2489256-2_neutral_GDR") [gle=0x80004005] 2011-05-15 21:57:42, Error CSI 00000013@2011/5/16:02:57:42.710 (F) d:\win7sp1_gdr\base\wcp\servicingapi\assembly.cpp(572): Error E_UNEXPECTED originated in function Windows::ServicingAPI::CAssembly::AddUninstall expression: ((HRESULT)0x8000FFFFL) [gle=0x80004005] 2011-05-15 21:57:42, Error CSI 00000014 (F) E_UNEXPECTED #2819743# from Windows::ServicingAPI::CCSITransaction::ICSITransaction_UninstallDeployment(Flags = 0, a = b2ef32491384dc9349fa70c304c618c5, Version = 6.1.7601.17550, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_AMD64 (9), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral, cb = (null), s = (null), rid = [77]"Package_1_for_KB2489256~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.1.1.1.2489256-2_neutral_GDR", disp = 0)[gle=0x8000ffff] 2011-05-15 21:57:42, Error CBS Failed to process single phase execution. [HRESULT = 0x8000ffff - Unknown Error]

Hi, Please download and install KB976932 from the following site: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=c3202ce6-4056-4059-8a1b-3a9b77cdfdda Tim Quan

Tim- It started up fine, but ended with Installation was not successful Catastrophic failure Error: E_UNEXPECTED (0x8000FFFF) Are there any more logs I should read/post? Thanks- Sean

Hi Sean, I suggest trying the following method to troubleshoot this issue. 1. Launch REGEDIT 2. Go into HKLM\COMPONENTS, and check if these three values exist under the COMPONENTS key: PendingXmldentifier NextQueueEntryIndex AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving NOTE: If you check on your local machine for these values, you may notice they don’t exist – they seem to only be created as a consequence of whatever triggers the 8000FFFF error. Tim Quan

Tim- My computer does not have HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMPONENTS - there's HKLM\BCD00000000, HKLM\HARDWARE, HKLM\SAM, HKLM\SECURITY, HKLM\SOFTWARE and HKLM\SYSTEM. I searched in REGEDIT for PendingXmIdentifier, NextQueueEntryIndex and AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving, but didn't find them. I'm running Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise installed from MSDN DVD about 5 months ago, and everything seems to be working fine except this update. The PC has dual Xeon 3GHz CPUs and 8GB RAM. Thanks- Sean

Hi Sean, Thank you for the reply. Then I suggest performing an in-place upgrade of Windows Server 2008 R2. Tim Quan

Tim- I read article 946414 and it mentions those registy keys to fix error 0x80000FFF. I'm getting error 0x8000FFFF. If there are no other things to try, could you point me to a how-to article on performing an in-place upgrade of Windows Server 2008 R2? Thanks- Sean

Hi Sean, To perform an in-place upgrade of the system, on the running computer, insert the Windows Server 2008 R2 disk, open setup.exe, choose Upgrade and choose the system you are currently running and then install the system. Tim Quan

Tim- Thanks. Will that be like a new install, or will users, programs, data and settings survive? Sean

A new installation over the current system. It will repair all system files. Normally Your personal files and programs will not be affected. But you can back up your important files first.