[SOLVED] server 2016 system reverts changes after applying cumulative updates

[celloman]

Hello!
I've got a server 2016 system that reverts changes after applying cumulative updates. I can't get it to update!
This one system is in an environment of 25 systems most of which I upgraded to 2016 datacenter version in July of this year (2022). All the other systems are updating just fine and are completely updated through October (soon to be November).

My wsus system tells me that this particular system needs cumulative updates starting with the May cumulative. (May, June, July, August, September, October, and now November.) I have tried updating from wsus, online directly from Microsoft (it has internet access), and by manually placing and installing each installer file on the server itself. Each time it says it installs and asks for a reboot during which time I get the dreaded 'We couldn't complete updates, Undoing changes, Don't turn off your computer.'

It has the latest Servicing Stack Update from September and I've tried all the 'usual' fixes. I've run the sfc /scannow, the dism command as directed, the component scanner (no corruption was found), and I can collect any needed log files.

I saw a very interesting and counterintuitive fix on this website ([SOLVED] - Server 2016 Cumulative Updates Rolling Back) and am hoping you may be able to help me with my weird instance.

Thanks!

 

[celloman]

I've attached the relevant files. Thanks!

 

[celloman]

Still struggling with this and hoping there will be some suggestions to figure out what is causing this... Thanks!

 

[celloman]

Hello, It has been a couple of weeks since my post but I'm still holding out hope that someone here will be able to help me.

Yesterday, I compared this system's installed updates with another system most similar to it. I don't know if this has any bearing on the issue but there are 5 updates on the non-working one that aren't installed on the working one. I had installed these updates hoping that they might then allow the cumulative updates to install. I don't know if it will do any good to try uninstalling these 5 updates and trying again.
The one update installed on the working system that isn't installed on the non-working one is the last installed cumulative update.
The top picture is of the system that does NOT work.
The bottom picture is of the system that does work.

 

[celloman]

I have just solved this! I'd guess that someone else has run across this before, but I don't remember seeing it anywhere here.
So, one thing I have been doing is manually downloading the cumulative updates to the server and installing them manually, but of course after installation and the reboot, it just ends up reverting the changes. Since the system is a VM, this time before doing anything, I disabled the network interface. Then I ran the cumulative update for October (last month) and it fully installed and rebooted cleanly. I reenabled the network interface and had it report in to WSUS and finally now it sees only the newest (November) cumulative update as being needed.