Hi,

I have a Windows 2008 R2 (no service pack) server that has been virtualized last summer and since then:

- Windows Update does not download any updates (it says Cancelled for every update in the Update History)

- When I reboot the vm, it gets stuck on "Shutting down Windows Modules Installer service ..." and I have to cold-Reset the vm to get it working again.

I tried running Windows Update Standalone Installer (Windows6.1-KB947821-v20-x64.msu) on the machine, but that gets stuck on "searching for updates"...

I tried stopping the Windows Update service but that doesn't work either, it says that the service is not responding...

I'm not sure what to try next, I'd appreciate any pointers.

Thanks a lot,

Guillaume

Hi,

What has been changed since this first happened?Did you ever install some 3rd party software?Check your AU in the control panel whether it is functioning or not. Reset SoftwareDistribution folder if it is likely a corrupted datastore on the client machine,and try to check the updates online to see whether it works.Make sure your WU service is working.

As a last resort, you can rebuild this virtualized server after backup the date or try to restore to the previous state you have ever done.

Best regards,

Clarence

Hi Clarence,

It started behaving like this when I virtualized it.

It was already running as a production server so no new software has been installed since.

If I try to delete every file in C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download\ there's one file that is locked and that I can't delete:

C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download\7fc3e68f05394d8883285294bedfb21d\update

As I said in my first post, I can't stop Windows Update service, so I tried setting the Windows Update service to start manually when I restart the vm, but it still starts and locks the file before I can delete it...

Running WU online do not work either, updates hang for a while and are marked as "CANCELLED".

Thanks a lot for your answers,

Guillaume

Hi,     
             

Pls try to do the following to reset the whole SoftwareDistribution folder:

1. Stop the windows Updates service. To do this, follow these ste

a. Click "Start", click"Run", type "services.msc" (without the quotation marks), and then click "OK".

b. Right-click the "windows Updates" service.

c. Click "Stop". The service will take a moment to stop.
2.rename this folder(renamed to oldsoftwaredistruibution)

3. Start the windosw Updates service. To do this, follow these steps

a. Click "Start", click "Run", type "services.msc" (without the quotation marks), and then click "OK".
b. Right-click the "Automatic Updates" service, and then click "Start".

The service will take a moment to start and the folder will be recreated when you try to visit windows update site. You can then delete the folder.
After all, try to see whether your AU is functioning.

If you are stuck with updating, maybe WuInstall can help you out. It is  command line tool and gives you more control over your Windows Updates. see http://wuinstall.com/

 It worked!

Thanks..

I know this is an old thread but since I stumbled upon it then others might still be as well.

I ran into this after installing Windows Updates on a 2012 Hyper-V Server but decided to let it sit at "Shutting down Windows Modules Installer service" without forcing a shutdown. It took about 20 minutes before "applying Windows Updates" appeared along with percentage complete.

I'm offering the suggestion to sit tight for a bit and let Windows install the updates before hard-resetting it.

• Edited by Mike9978 Tuesday, March 24, 2015 3:34 PM

Hi Guys,

I second that for Windows 2012 R2.  3 new virtual servers, no applications, still cycling through downloading Windows Updates.  Updates happen, but it sits for ages on "Shutting down service: Windows Module Installer" but eventually gets past it.