[SOLVED] Server 2019 fails cumulative updates with error 0x80073701

[kolob4all]

One of my 2019 servers fail all cumulative updates since December and I can't find a fix.

What I have tried is the following:

1) SFC /scannow in normal and safe mode. And even booted from DVD with no help
2) Chkdsk booted from DVD - no error
3) DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth - didn't help
4) Check cbs.log file

ERROR:
Failed to pin deployment while resolving Update: Package_2381_for_KB4538461~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.7.4538461-3881_neutral from file: (null) [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]

It looks like I pinned down the missing file, but don't know how can I resolve it as KB isn't available for download from MS

 

[x BlueRobot]

2022-03-21 02:34:28, Error                 CSI    0000001e (F) STATUS_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING #1980759# from CCSDirectTransaction::OperateEnding at index 0 of 1 operations, disposition 2[gle=0xd015000c]
2022-03-21 02:34:28, Error                 CSI    0000001f (F) HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING) #1980601# from Windows::ServicingAPI::CCSITransaction::ICSITransaction_PinDeployment(Flags = 0, a = 3dc12ec9fcf75ca3ba276fd18034ca92, version 10.0.17763.1098, arch amd64, nonSxS, pkt {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, cb = (null), s = (null), rid = 'Package_2381_for_KB4538461~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.7.4538461-3881_neutral', rah = (null), manpath = (null), catpath = (null), ed = 0, disp = 0)[gle=0x80073701]
2022-03-21 02:34:28, Info                  CBS    Failed to pin deployment while resolving Update: Package_2381_for_KB4538461~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.7.4538461-3881_neutral from file: (null) [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
2022-03-21 02:34:28, Info                  CBS    Failed to bulk stage deployment manifest and pin deployment for package:Package_8253_for_KB5011503~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.6 [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]

Remove Update Manually
1. Click on the Start button and in the search box, type Command Prompt
2. When you see Command Prompt on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator
3. When command prompt opens, copy and paste the following command into it, and press Enter
wusa /uninstall /KB:4538461

4. Let me know if it says it was successful or if there are any errors.

 

[kolob4all]

Command removed KB successfully and asked to reboot. After reboot I ran updates and it failed again with the new error.

2022-03-22 22:51:33, Info CBS Failed to stage execution chain. [HRESULT = 0x800f0986 - PSFX_E_APPLY_FORWARD_DELTA_FAILED]
2022-03-22 22:51:33, Error CBS Failed to process single phase execution. [HRESULT = 0x800f0986 - PSFX_E_APPLY_FORWARD_DELTA_FAILED]
2022-03-22 22:51:33, Info CBS WER: Generating failure report for package: Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~17763.2686.1.6, status: 0x800f0986
2022-03-22 22:51:33, Info CBS Not able to query DisableWerReporting flag. Assuming not set... [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]

Once it failed, I did next:
1. Ran SFCFix.exe which found no issues
2. Just in case ran 'sfc /scannow' manually "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them."

Then I found that Defender had a bunch of errors in CBS.log file and found a command on some forum that was supposed to fix it, and it did! After this command, cumulative update installed without errors.

Command is next:

fsutil resource setautoreset true c:\&fsutil usn deletejournal /d /n c:&Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup&sfc /scannow&Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth&sfc /scannow&Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase&pause

 

[x BlueRobot]

Glad you managed to get the issue resolved and the update installed. Thank you for sharing your solution too. Basically, the fix you found online clears the transaction logs and then restarts the transaction service which is known to fix some Windows Update issues.