After installing a fresh OS (Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Enterprise) and running Windows Updates for hours, it gets down to what appears to be the very last which is IE9, which fails. The only thing it can tell me is "Error Code 2 - Windows encountered an unknown error." Then it says to "get help with this error", but microsoft doesn't seem to be much help for itself nor does it explain why it can't install its own products on its own OS. I tried to download the "full" IE9 install package, which, when run, the first thing it does is go out to download the rest of the installation package. GREAT. I needed an offline package in case the connection was the issue, which it is not, apparently. Even when I run that, all it says is (after it fails), "Internet Explorer did not finish installing.", followed by a link to a troubleshooter that also does not explain anything nor offer any valid assistance or insight as to why it did not finish or an alternate method to install. I even tried to run the infamous MS 'Fixit' app, which found nothing wrong, of course. I installed/uninstalled/repaired .NET 4 and 3.5.1, ran further updates and then tried again with still no luck. I've rebooted over & over, with no luck. There's no link in the Control Panel to uninstall IE8. I've checked versions in the registry and in directories and it definitely is still IE8, so it's not trying to install IE9 over itself since it's not there yet. Anyone ever have this issue? How can I resolve this and how can I at least know why it is not installing? How do I install IE (without having to rebuild the server from scratch again)? I'm even hesistant to do that because I've read that even that may not help. All else seems perfect so far...

Johnny, I've had this issue before. Honestly the best way to resolve this is to rebuild the server - yeah it stinks. One of my previous contracts was with a Fortune 100 customer who wanted me to build a web server cluster and I had the same issue as you described. From a stability perspective I scratched the install and reinstalled the OS. For me, it usually happens with a VMWare template-based server build. Something during the preparation/sysprep process causes the Windows Updates to not install properly. I once spent hours trying to resolve the Windows update issues, but eventually I just rebuilt the server. If you are still stuck on fixing the server, I would look in the following areas: #1 Look at the support article located here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2409098 #2 Look at your Update History @: System and Security > Windows Update > View Update History What other Updates Failed an Installation? It all seems to be wrapped around failed Windows Updates and difficult part about it, is the failed updates are not the same. Let me know if you find anything in the failed updates. -Brenton

what is the current situation for your issue?

Well, I gave up and just reinstalled the OS, since spending hours researching methods that weren't working anyway could have just been time used to just rebuild it... and the FIRST thing I did this time was install IE9 from the file I had downloaded, THEN ran Windows Update. A few times it showed that something failed, but I believe I had seen that issue before and with each reboot after each group of updates it downloaded and installed, it went away (and before also, that is, until the IE9 issue took place) until it FINALLY said that "Windows is up to date". It seems to be fine now. Thanks anyway.

Thanks for your sharing with us.