Two Servicing Stack Updates (SSUs) for Windows 10/Windows Server blocked the installation of further updates and had to be withdrawn.
Shortly after the most recent patch day, some administrators of clients with Windows 10 Version 1607 and servers with Windows Server 1607 complained that the Installing the February 9, 2021 security update would get stuck at 24 percent. The first reports reached the author of this article through inquiries from those affected. The problem was observed on machines with Windows 10 1607 and Windows Server 2016.
The Servicing Stack Update (SSU) KB4601392 later turned out to be the cause of the problems, which Microsoft also promptly noted as a known problem in the support article . In the meantime, this SSU has been completely withdrawn and replaced by the Servicing Stack Update (SSU) KB5001078 on February 12, 2021.
Two problems
On February 17, 2021, Microsoft reported on the status page for Windows version 1507 that update KB4601390 also had to be withdrawn because there were also hangups at 24 percent progress when installing subsequent updates. Affected machines are:
- Windows 10 Enterprise 2015 LTSB
- Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2016
- Windows 10 Version 2016
- Windows Server 2016
Microsoft has released revision update KB5001079 for the affected systems. The Servicing Stack Update is intended to eliminate the bug that causes installation hangs.
Remedy for hanging machines
For machines on which the faulty SSUs block the installation of further security updates (currently for February 2021) at 24 percent of the installation progress, Microsoft suggests emptying the Windows Update Component Store as a workaround. To do this, the device must be restarted and an administrative command prompt opened, writes Microsoft. The following commands should then be executed:
net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
Ren %systemroot%SoftwareDistributionDataStore *.bak
Ren %systemroot%SoftwareDistributionDownload *.bak
Ren %systemroot%system32catroot2 *.bak
The command sequence stops various services and renames folders with updates. After a second restart, the affected Windows device should automatically obtain and install the revised Servicing Stack Update via Windows Update. The pending security updates can then be installed.
