Clients not detecting Updates through WSUS

System Info:
Server: 2003 R2 Small Biz Edition
Client: XP Pro SP2
WSUS Version 3 
WSUS Client settings appied via Group Policy

I recently added a new XP pro computer to our Active Directory domain.  
After setup it downloaded about 7 updates from WSUS.  I thought it should 
require more, but figured they would show up later.  Well after a few days, 
the WSUS console showed it needed a massive amount of updates, but nothing 
was showing up on the client.  I ran the command wuauclt /detectnow on the 
client, but still nothing.  When I checked the WindowsUpdate.log is showed no 
errors, just no updates available.  From the client, I went to Windows Update 
on the web, & it showed it needed updates.  So, I did the following on the 
Client which fixed the issue:

1. From command prompt stop the update service: net stop wuauserv
2. Deleted the WindowsUpdate.log in C:\Windows
3. Renamed the SoftwareDistribution folder in C:\Windows to 
SoftwareDistribution.old
4. Restarted update service: net start wuauserv
5. Forced an update: wuauclt /resetauthorization /detectnow

That seemed to work as 91 updates were downloaded & installed.  Any idea why

this happened?  I had to go throught the same process on a Window 2000 client 

 There's no special reason for these bizarre cases. It could be a number of 
reasons, some connectivity lost in the middle of the reporting process from 
the client to the server.

 If you bump in with some of these problems or you suspect that something is 
wrong with the updates of one client, the /resetauthorization cmd will 
delete de cookie used on the client for the configuration with WSUS and 
report again all the data with the server.

 Cheers

-- 
augusto alvarez | it pro | southworks
http://staff.southworks.net/aalvarez

"TonyCC" <TonyCC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:422F404E-3AF9-459B-85A8-F9A73CC2413D@microsoft.com...
> System Info:
> Server: 2003 R2 Small Biz Edition
> Client: XP Pro SP2
> WSUS Version 3
> WSUS Client settings appied via Group Policy
>
> I recently added a new XP pro computer to our Active Directory domain.
> After setup it downloaded about 7 updates from WSUS.  I thought it should
> require more, but figured they would show up later.  Well after a few 
> days,
> the WSUS console showed it needed a massive amount of updates, but nothing
> was showing up on the client.  I ran the command wuauclt /detectnow on the
> client, but still nothing.  When I checked the WindowsUpdate.log is showed

> no
> errors, just no updates available.  From the client, I went to Windows 
> Update
> on the web, & it showed it needed updates.  So, I did the following on
the
> Client which fixed the issue:
>
> 1. From command prompt stop the update service: net stop wuauserv
> 2. Deleted the WindowsUpdate.log in C:\Windows
> 3. Renamed the SoftwareDistribution folder in C:\Windows to
> SoftwareDistribution.old
> 4. Restarted update service: net start wuauserv
> 5. Forced an update: wuauclt /resetauthorization /detectnow
>
> That seemed to work as 91 updates were downloaded & installed.  Any
idea 
> why
> this happened?  I had to go throught the same process on a Window 2000 
> client
> too that has been on the domain for quit some time. 

Thanks for the info.  I'll try just using just the /resetauthorization next 
time.

"Augusto Alvarez" wrote:

>  There's no special reason for these bizarre cases. It could be a number of

> reasons, some connectivity lost in the middle of the reporting process from

> the client to the server.
> 
>  If you bump in with some of these problems or you suspect that something
is 
> wrong with the updates of one client, the /resetauthorization cmd will 
> delete de cookie used on the client for the configuration with WSUS and 
> report again all the data with the server.
> 
>  Cheers
> 
> -- 
> augusto alvarez | it pro | southworks
> http://staff.southworks.net/aalvarez
> 
> "TonyCC" <TonyCC@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message 
> news:422F404E-3AF9-459B-85A8-F9A73CC2413D@microsoft.com...
> > System Info:
> > Server: 2003 R2 Small Biz Edition
> > Client: XP Pro SP2
> > WSUS Version 3
> > WSUS Client settings appied via Group Policy
> >
> > I recently added a new XP pro computer to our Active Directory
domain.
> > After setup it downloaded about 7 updates from WSUS.  I thought it
should
> > require more, but figured they would show up later.  Well after a few

> > days,
> > the WSUS console showed it needed a massive amount of updates, but
nothing
> > was showing up on the client.  I ran the command wuauclt /detectnow on
the
> > client, but still nothing.  When I checked the WindowsUpdate.log is
showed 
> > no
> > errors, just no updates available.  From the client, I went to Windows

> > Update
> > on the web, & it showed it needed updates.  So, I did the
following on the
> > Client which fixed the issue:
> >
> > 1. From command prompt stop the update service: net stop wuauserv
> > 2. Deleted the WindowsUpdate.log in C:\Windows
> > 3. Renamed the SoftwareDistribution folder in C:\Windows to
> > SoftwareDistribution.old
> > 4. Restarted update service: net start wuauserv
> > 5. Forced an update: wuauclt /resetauthorization /detectnow
> >
> > That seemed to work as 91 updates were downloaded & installed. 
Any idea 
> > why
> > this happened?  I had to go throught the same process on a Window 2000

> > client
> > too that has been on the domain for quit some time. 
>