[SOLVED] Windows 2019 - The referenced assembly could not be found. Error: 0x80073701

[etcar]

Hello Everybody,

I have this strange issue with a Windows 2019 Server that I use as a backup server.

The Server is a Windows 2019 Standard 1809:

BuildNumber             : 17763
BuildType               : Multiprocessor Free
OSType                  : 18
ServicePackMajorVersion : 0
ServicePackMinorVersion : 0

I recently became aware that I was missing a required windows components that I need to perform file level restore of deduplicated volumes.

So I tried to install the missing feature, both from the GUI and using powershell but I encountered this error:

Install-WindowsFeature -Name FS-Data-Deduplication -verbose
[..]
Installation of one or more roles, role services, or features failed.
The referenced assembly could not be found. Error: 0x80073701

Looking at the %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log I found the following references:

2023-01-19 12:11:07, Error                 CSI    00000009 (F) STATUS_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING #4453# from CCSDirectTransaction::OperateEnding at index 0 of 1 operations, disposition 2[gle=0xd015000c]
2023-01-19 12:11:07, Error                 CSI    0000000a (F) HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING) #4307# from Windows::ServicingAPI::CCSITransaction::ICSITransaction_PinDeployment(Flags = 0, a = a87eb4174d65acdf3e7690f310910118, version 10.0.17763.1554, arch amd64, nonSxS, pkt {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, cb = (null), s = (null), rid = 'Package_3020_for_KB4598230~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.9.4598230-5767_neutral', rah = (null), manpath = (null), catpath = (null), ed = 0, disp = 0)[gle=0x80073701]
2023-01-19 12:11:07, Info                  CBS    Failed to pin deployment while resolving Update: Package_3020_for_KB4598230~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.9.4598230-5767_neutral from file: (null) [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
2023-01-19 12:11:07, Info                  CBS    Failed to bulk stage deployment manifest and pin deployment for package:Package_1862_for_KB5022286~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.7 [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
2023-01-19 12:11:07, Info                  CBS    CommitPackagesState: Started persisting state of packages
2023-01-19 12:11:07, Info                  CBS    CommitPackagesState: Completed persisting state of packages
2023-01-19 12:11:07, Info                  CSI    0000000b@2023/1/19:11:11:07.741 CSI Transaction @0x177def00fd0 destroyed
2023-01-19 12:11:07, Info                  CBS    Perf: Resolve chain complete.
2023-01-19 12:11:07, Info                  CBS    Failed to resolve execution chain. [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
2023-01-19 12:11:07, Error                 CBS    Failed to process single phase execution. [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
[..]
2023-01-19 12:11:10, Info                  CBS    Exec: Will not run corruption repair because no store corruption found.
2023-01-19 12:11:10, Info                  CBS    Exec: Processing complete.  Session: 31009782_2983359174, Package: Microsoft-Windows-Foundation-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.17763.1, Identifier: Windows Foundation [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
2023-01-19 12:11:10, Error                 CBS    Failed to perform operation.  [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]
2023-01-19 12:11:10, Info                  CBS    Session: 31009782_2983359174 finalized. Reboot required: no [HRESULT = 0x80073701 - ERROR_SXS_ASSEMBLY_MISSING]

However both referenced updates in the logs (KB5022286, KB4598230) appear to have been correctly installed. The most recent I installed manually to see if I got any error but I didn't.

Date	ClientApplicationID	Operation	Status	Title
1/18/2023 4:35:52 PM	Windows Update MiniTool	Installation	Succeded	2023-01 Cumulative Update for Windows Server 2019 for x64-based Systems (KB5022286)
1/22/2021 8:37:24 AM	UpdateOrchestrator	Installation	Succeded	2021-01 Cumulative Update for Windows Server 2019 for x64-based Systems (KB4598230)

I have run the commands suggested in the FAQs (I am attaching the results) but nothing appears to be malfuctioning or corrupted.

sfc /scannow
Beginning system scan.  This process will take some time.
Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 10.0.17763.3406
Image Version: 10.0.17763.3887


[==========================100.0%==========================] The restore operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully.

Loading registry hive from C:\WINDOWS\System32\config\COMPONENTS
Parsing loaded hive, please wait...
Hive parsed successfully - found 249,301 keys and 734,070 values
Starting corruption scan
Performing regedit load test
Scanning CanonicalData\Catalog for corruptions
Scanning CanonicalData\Deployments for corruptions
Scanning DerivedData\Components for corruptions
Scanning VersionedIndex\...\ComponentFamilies for corruptions
Checking WinSxS catalogs against CanonicalData\Catalogs
Checking WinSxS components against DerivedData\Components
Checking f! marks
Checking manifests
Checking for malformed Deployment keys
Checking CatalogThumbprints & c! marks
Generating report


The corruption scan completed after 712.36 seconds.


No corruptions were detected in the COMPONENTS hive.

I have searched the internet regarding the specific error code and I have already tried the suggested fixes (remove all foreign language references and set everything to english US and try to install the referenced updates manually) with no success.

I haven't run SFCFix.exe since I wasn't sure if it was appropriate without additional information.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Ettore

 

[etcar]

Hi,

I was able to solve the issue by reinstalling (and in one case, removing before reinstalling) the updates indicated in the CBS logs as missing. The problem is that while KB5022286 was easily downloadable from the Catalog site (Microsoft Update Catalog), KB4598230 is not available any longer.

January 12, 2021—KB4598230 (OS Build 17763.1697) - EXPIRED - Microsoft Support

IMPORTANT As of 8/5/2021, this KB is no longer available from Windows Update, the Microsoft Update Catalog, or other release channels. We recommend that you update your devices to the latest security quality update.

So after some struggle I managed to find a copy of the update (windows10.0-kb4598230-x64_f69498ce0cac1307eb0e6701ca334ff332364289.msu, SHA-1 F69498CE0CAC1307EB0E6701CA334FF332364289) and after reinstalling it and waiting for an incredibly long reboot time, the problem was resolved.

 

[Maxstar]

Hi and welcome to Sysnative,

Glad you've managed to resolve this issue, and thanks for letting us know!