[SOLVED] Windows Server 2016 won't update - Error STATUS_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER

[stoich_audi]

Hi all,

Hoping someone can help me solve this mysterious Windows Update error. I have a Windows 2016 that hasn't been able to update since March 2021. I've spent almost the last year off and on trying to sort this problem with no luck.
I've tried SFC /scannow, almost all combinations of DSIM repairs. Originally I had found corruption and now I'm getting clean scans but it still won't update. I've tried using the registry keys and manifest files from a working server and fixing this bad server with SFCFix with no luck. I've trolled similar posts in this forum and tried god knows how many different attempts to fix without luck. So now I'm starting a thread myself.


CBS.Log Entries
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Appl: Package: Package_2481_for_KB4580346~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.6, Update: 4580346-4749_neutral, Applicable: Applicable, Disposition: Installed
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Plan: Package: Package_2481_for_KB4580346~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.6, Update: 4580346-4749_neutral, current: Installed, pending: Default, start: Installed, applicable: Installed, targeted: Superseded, limit: Superseded, selected: Default
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Error CSI 00000007@2022/1/4:17:08:50.358 (F) onecore\base\lstring\lblob.cpp(2145): Error STATUS_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER originated in function RtlTranscodeLBlobs expression: __rv.UcsCharacter != (0xffffffff)
[gle=0x80004005]
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20220104164129.log to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211231205507.log to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211231033450.cab to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211230205818.cab to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211230083458.cab to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Not able to add pending.xml to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Not able to add pending.xml.bad to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Not able to add poqexec.log to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:50, Info CBS Not able to add SCM.EVM to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Error CSI 00000008 (F) HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(582) #626250# from Windows::ServicingAPI::CCSITransactionAnalysis_ICSIInventory::EnumDeploymentReferences(flags = 00000007, tlcid = @0x22a21cd3f90, pszSubscription = (null), pszCodebase = (null))
[gle=0x80070246]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to call EnumDeploymentReferences on deployment: amd64_19ce3065c1d48d5618c09b88b588a329_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.14393.2969_none_910b01eedf167ddc [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to get component state. [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Error CSI 00000009@2022/1/4:17:08:52.296 (F) onecore\base\lstring\lblob.cpp(2145): Error STATUS_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER originated in function RtlTranscodeLBlobs expression: __rv.UcsCharacter != (0xffffffff)
[gle=0x80004005]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20220104164129.log to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211231205507.log to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211231033450.cab to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211230205818.cab to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211230083458.cab to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Not able to add pending.xml to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Not able to add pending.xml.bad to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Not able to add poqexec.log to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Not able to add SCM.EVM to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Error CSI 0000000a (F) HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(582) #626433# from Windows::ServicingAPI::CCSITransactionAnalysis_ICSIInventory::EnumDeploymentReferences(flags = 00000003, tlcid = @0x22a0969f460, pszSubscription = (null), pszCodebase = (null))
[gle=0x80070246]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to call EnumDeploymentReferences on deployment: amd64_19ce3065c1d48d5618c09b88b588a329_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.14393.2969_none_910b01eedf167ddc [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to load deployment owners for deployment: amd64_19ce3065c1d48d5618c09b88b588a329_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.14393.2969_none_910b01eedf167ddc. [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to load component owners on component: amd64_microsoft-windows-cryptsp-dll_31bf3856ad364e35_0.0.0.0_none_a955ff3e07542fd4, version: 10.0.14393.2969 [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to load current component state [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to find or add the component family [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS ComponentAnalyzerEvaluateSelfUpdate call failed. [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to evaluate self update [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to evaluate non detect parent update [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to evaluate non parent [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS failed to evaluate single applicability [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to evaluate applicability [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to get applicability [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to get applicable state for update. [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to populate updates for package: Package_2481_for_KB4580346~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.6 [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to add child package to the strategy [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to add package: Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~14393.3986.1.6 [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to recall or supersed lower version on package: Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~14393.4825.1.5 [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to process mum servicing on packageackage_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~14393.4825.1.5 [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to add package: Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~14393.4825.1.5 [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Failed to plan execution. [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Error CBS Failed to process single phase execution. [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS WER: Generating failure report for package: Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~14393.4825.1.5, status: 0x80070246, failure source: CBS Other, start state: Absent, target state: Installed, client id: WindowsUpdateAgent
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Not able to query DisableWerReporting flag. Assuming not set... [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20220104164129.log to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211231205507.log to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211231033450.cab to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211230205818.cab to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Added C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20211230083458.cab to WER report.
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Not able to add %windir%\winsxs\poqexec.log to WER report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Not able to add %windir%\winsxs\pending.xml to WER report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Not able to add %windir%\winsxs\pending.xml.bad to WER report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Reboot mark cleared
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Winlogon: Simplifying Winlogon CreateSession notifications
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Winlogon: Deregistering for CreateSession notifications
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS FinalCommitPackagesState: Started persisting state of packages
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS FinalCommitPackagesState: Completed persisting state of packages
2022-01-04 12:08:52, Info CBS Enabling LKG boot option
2022-01-04 12:09:05, Info CBS Exec: Processing complete. Session: 30933386_1438679236, Package: Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~14393.4825.1.5 [HRESULT = 0x80070246 - ERROR_ILLEGAL_CHARACTER]
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS Trusted Installer is shutting down because: SHUTDOWN_REASON_AUTOSTOP
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS TiWorker signaled for shutdown, going to exit.
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: ExecutionEngineFinalize
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS Ending the TiWorker main loop.
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS Starting TiWorker finalization.
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: ManifestCacheFinalize
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: ExecutionEngineFinalize
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: ComponentAnalyzerFinalize
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: PackageTrackerFinalize
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: CoreResourcesUnload
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: SessionManagerFinalize
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: CapabilityManagerFinalize
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: PublicObjectMonitorFinalize
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: Enter vCoreInitializeLock
2022-01-04 12:20:28, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: WcpUnload
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: DrupUnload
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: CfgMgr32Unload
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: DpxUnload
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: CbsEsdUnload
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: CbsTraceInfoUninitialize
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: CbsEventUnregister
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: AppContainerUnload
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS CbsCoreFinalize: WdsUnload, logging from cbscore will end.
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS Ending TiWorker finalization.
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS Ending the TrustedInstaller main loop.
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS Starting TrustedInstaller finalization.
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS Winlogon: Stopping notify server
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS Winlogon: Unloading SysNotify DLL
2022-01-04 12:20:29, Info CBS Ending TrustedInstaller finalization.


Thank you for reading, hope someone can help

 

[philc43]

Hello stoich_audi

Are you still needing help with this? If you do, please copy the CBS folder to your desktop, zip it and share via a cloud service such as OneDrive or Dropbox.

 

[stoich_audi]

Hi Philc43

Thank you for the reply. Yes, i'm still stumped with this one.

Here is the CBS folder

CBS.zip

 

[philc43]

Please provide your COMPONENTS hive:

Retrieve Components Hive
1. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Config and locate the COMPONENTS file.
2. Please copy this file to your desktop.
Note: If you receive an error that this file is in-use, simply reboot your computer and try again.
3. Right-click on this file on your desktop and select Send To...Compressed (zipped) folder. This will create a file named COMPONENTS.ZIP on your desktop.
4. The file will likely be too large to upload here so please upload to a file sharing service. Examples of services to upload to are Dropbox or OneDrive or SendSpace and then just provide the link in your reply.


Also note that we have recently provided a new way for you to check your hive yourself. Please give this a go if you feel confident to do so:

How to check your COMPONENTS registry hive for corruption

 

[stoich_audi]

Thank you again

Here is the COMPONENTS file

COMPONENTS.zip

 

[stoich_audi]

Also, looks like I do have corruption in the components file


ComponentsScanner Version 1.2.4.0 by sysnative.com
Windows Version: Windows Server 2016 Standard x64 (10.0.14393.{ubr})
Start time: 2/22/2022 9:01:03 AM
Hive scanned: %windir%\Sysnative\config\COMPONENTS
Number of keys: 238220
Number of values: 763915

==== Critical Errors ====
None

==== Corrupt Key Names ====
None

==== Corrupt Value Names ====
None

==== Corrupt Value Data Type ====
None

==== Corrupt Value Data ====
Key: ROOT\CanonicalData\Deployments\19ce3065c1d..b88b588a329_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.14393.2969_910b01eedf167ddc
Value: s!CBS_package_7430_for_kb4556813~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.6._58a3deb59e9c2526
Type: RegBinary
Data: Q Package_7430_for_KB4556813~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~1hbin �I
Data (raw): 51-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-50-61-63-6B-61-67-65-5F-37-34-33-30-5F-66-6F-72-5F-4B-42-34-35-35-36-38-31-33-7E-33-31-62-66-33-38-35-36-61-64-33-36-34-65-33-35-7E-61-6D-64-36-34-7E-7E-31-68-62-69-6E-00-C0-49-00-00-10-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00
Suggestion: Q Package_7430_for_KB4556813~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.1.6.4556813-14833_neutral
51-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-50-61-63-6B-61-67-65-5F-37-34-33-30-5F-66-6F-72-5F-4B-42-34-35-35-36-38-31-33-7E-33-31-62-66-33-38-35-36-61-64-33-36-34-65-33-35-7E-61-6D-64-36-34-7E-7E-31-30-2E-30-2E-31-2E-36-2E-34-35-35-36-38-31-33-2D-31-34-38-33-33-5F-6E-65-75-74-72-61-6C


==== Repair Log ====
No possible repairs

Finish Time: 2/22/2022 9:01:41 AM. Corruption scan time: 14.2600411s
===========================EOF===========================

 

[philc43]

Yes, you do have corruption and this fits with the errors you posted earlier from the CBS.log.

If you want you can fix this yourself by correcting the corrupted binary data value using the suggested value provided for you by the Scanner. If you do not feel confident doing this, please let me know and I will provide further help. If you do attempt this I would suggest that you make a backup of the registry and a system restore point so that you can recover if anything should accidentally go wrong.

 

[stoich_audi]

I'd love your help if possible. Less likely that I'll mess it up

 

[philc43]

No problem,

Warning: this fix is specific to the user in this thread. No one else should follow these instructions as it may cause more harm than good. If you are after assistance, please start a thread of your own.

1. Download SFCFix.exe (by niemiro) and save this to your Desktop.
2. Download the attached file, SFCFixScript.txt, and save this to your Desktop. Ensure that this file is named SFCFixScript.txt - do not rename it.
3. Save any open documents and close all open windows.
4. On your Desktop, you should see two files: SFCFix.exe and SFCFixScript.txt.
5. Drag the file SFCFixScript.txt onto the file SFCFix.exe and release it.
6. SFCFix will now process the script.
7. Upon completion, a log should be created on your Desktop: SFCFix.txt.
8. Attach this file into your next post for me to check please

Afterwards, please try the update again.

 

[stoich_audi]

Thank you again.

Here you go:
SFCFix.txt

 

[philc43]

Unfortunately I had an error in the script file I provided for you. Please repeat the instructions in post #9 using the file attached below.

Once you have done this it should be correct.

 

[stoich_audi]

Done.

Output:

SFCFix version 3.0.2.1 by niemiro.
Start time: 2022-02-22 17:14:59.455
Microsoft Windows Server 10 Build 14393 - amd64
Using .txt script file at C:\Users\mmadmin\Desktop\SFCFixScript.txt [0]




RegistryScript::
Successfully took ownership and permissions for registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMPONENTS\CanonicalData\Deployments\19ce3065c1d..b88b588a329_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.14393.2969_910b01eedf167ddc.

Successfully imported registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMPONENTS\CanonicalData\Deployments\19ce3065c1d..b88b588a329_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.14393.2969_910b01eedf167ddc.

Successfully restored ownership and permissions for registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\COMPONENTS\CanonicalData\Deployments\19ce3065c1d..b88b588a329_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.14393.2969_910b01eedf167ddc.
RegistryScript:: directive completed successfully.




Successfully processed all directives.
SFCFix version 3.0.2.1 by niemiro has completed.
Currently storing 2 datablocks.
Finish time: 2022-02-22 17:14:59.564
Script hash: rNW967YbxRD4nE9n8vOuF2IQjXImrtxpYEWwgf6gAWQ=
----------------------EOF-----------------------

 

[philc43]

Let me know if you can now complete the update.

 

[stoich_audi]

Will do. Planning a reboot and retry tonight when users are off

 

[stoich_audi]

Thank you so much! it worked! Server is finally updated

 

[philc43]

That's great news!