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SP2 May Fail to Install If a Large Number of Updates Are Installed

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[Today's tip comes to us courtesy of Mark Stanfill]

Update: The steps below are no longer needed. To get past the errors, below, please download Service Pack 2 using the steps outlined in https://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;940276.

 

 

 

We're currently tracking an issue where Windows Server 2003 SP2 may fail to install for some Automatic Update clients.  There is a limitation in the database that Automatic Updates uses to track hotfix and service pack installations that may result in AU being unable to apply new patches if a very large number of fixes have been installed (>100).  This number is reset when a service pack is applied, so it is relatively hard to reach this threshold unless you are installing individual updates and have not upgraded to SP1.  That said, there are a certain number of SBS customers installed from the original 2003 media (i.e. pre-SP1 media), who may fall in to this category.

 

You can also see this error if you try to manually install SP2 manually.  In this case, you will receive the following pop-up error:

Failed to install catalog files.

 

The main symptom you will see in this case is that Automatic Updates/Windows Update/Microsoft Update will fail and you will see an error similar to the one below logged in svcpack.log:

 

960.484: InstallSingleCatalogFile: MyInstallCatalog failed for Tmp.0.ntprint.cat; error= 0xfffffbfe .

 

There may be other issues that cause automatic updates to fail.  Unless you see the 0xfffffbfe error, you are dealing with another issue. These are documented in the following articles:

 

925931  You may be unable to apply more updates at a certain point on a Windows Server 2003-based computer

https://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;925931

822798  You cannot install some updates or programs

https://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;822798

 

Manual Method

To resolve this issue and allow SP2 to install, either use the manual steps below, or, alternatively, use the batch file below:

 

  1. Make a full backup of your system.
  2. Click on Start, click on Administrative Tools, Click on Services.  Right-click on Cryptographic Services and choose "Stop".
  3. Open Explorer and browse to C:WINDOWSsystem32CatRoot{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}
  4. Create a temporary folder called "backup" under CatRoot
  5. Move all KB*.cat, Q*.* and TMP*.cat files to C:WINDOWSsystem32CatRootbackup.   DO NOT DELETE THEM!
  6. If you moved KB912354.CAT, copy it back to C:WINDOWSsystem32CatRoot{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE} folder.  (This step is very important to prevent a potential error with SBS licensing. However, if the KB912354.cat file does not exist, go to step 7. The software update in KB 912354 is included in Windows Server 2003 SP2.)
  7. Rename the C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32CATROOT2 folder to CATROOT2.old. Create a blank folder named CATROOT2. 
  • NOTE: Make sure you rename CATROOT2 not CATROOT (without the 2).
  • Again, make sure rename this folder, do not delete it.

Start Cryptographic Services from Services

Start the install of SP2.

 

Batch File Version

[Edit - batch file modified 11-09-2007]

Copy and paste between the "; --------" portions to a file called fixcatalog.bat and execute the batch file.  Watch for line wraps.):

 

; -----------------------------

@ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL EnableDelayedExpansion

net stop cryptsvc
cd /d %WINDIR%system32CatRoot{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}
attrib -s *.*
md %WINDIR%system32CatRootbackup

FOR /F "delims=" %%a in ('REG QUERY "HKLMSoftwaremicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionHotfix"') DO (REG QUERY "%%a" /v "Service Pack" | findstr /c:"0x2"
if !ERRORLEVEL!==0 (
For /f "delims= tokens=7" %%i in ('REG QUERY "%%a" /v "Service Pack"') do (
move %%i.cat %WINDIR%system32CatRootbackup
)
)
)

if exist %WINDIR%system32CatRootbackupkb912354.cat copy %WINDIR%system32CatRootbackupkb912354.cat 

%WINDIR%system32CatRoot{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}
ren %WINDIR%system32catroot2 catroot2.old
md %WINDIR%system32CatRoot2
net start cryptsvc

@echo Ready for SP2 install.  You can now restart the SP2 installation.

; ------------------------------

Like the last line of the batch file says, SP2 installation must be restarted after running the batch file.

Notes

In some situations, you may not be able to use the steps above (either manual or batch file) because of one or both of the following conditions:

 

  • You may be unable to rename catroot2
  • Cryptographic Services (cryptsvc) may fail to stop gracefully and remain in a "stopping" state

 

If you are unable to complete any of the steps above, you will need to boot in to safe mode to complete the process

 

Uninstalling SP2 After Using These Steps

 

One of the side-effects of using this procedure is that we are effectively removing your update history.  In the event that you need to remove SP2 afterwards, you will need to use these steps:

 

 

  1. Make a full backup of your system.
  2. Click on Start, click on Administrative Tools, Click on Services.  Right-click on Cryptographic Services and choose "Stop".
  3. Open Explorer and browse to C:WINDOWSsystem32CatRootbackup
  4. Copy all files in C:WINDOWSsystem32CatRootbackup to C:WINDOWSsystem32CatRoot{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}. 
  5. Rename the C:WINDOWSSYSTEM32CATROOT2 folder to CATROOT2.old. Create a blank folder named CATROOT2. 
  • NOTE: Make sure you rename CATROOT2 not CATROOT (without the 2).
  • Again, make sure rename this folder, do not delete it.

Start Cryptographic Services from Services

Start the uninstall of SP2.

 

Uninstall Batch File Version

 

Copy and paste between the "; --------" portions to a file called fixuninstall.bat and execute the batch file):

 

; -----------------------------

net stop cryptsvc

copy %WINDIR%system32CatRootbackup*  %WINDIR%system32CatRoot{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}

ren %WINDIR%system32catroot2 catroot2.old

md %WINDIR%system32CatRoot2

net start cryptsvc

@echo Ready for SP2 uninstall.

; ------------------------------

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Can't install Windows 2003 sp2? I am trying to install Windows Server 2003 SP on a Small Business

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    [Today's tip comes to us courtesy of Chris Puckett] The batch file in June's post, SP2 May Fail to Install

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Today's SBS blog moment is brought to you by Mark Stanfill: Service Pack 2 may fail to install if

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    So how many have not installed SBS 2003 sp1 (not SP2, but SP1)? Because if you haven't, you are getting

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    I recently worked on a case where we were unable to install SP2 on a Small Business Server 2003. Normally

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    July 03, 2007
    Well, I have a server with exactly this problem.  The only other issue with doing the manual roll-up is that I seem to be missing the all important KB912354.CAT file so I guess I am out of luck.

  • Anonymous
    July 11, 2007
    I did the batch process and tried to install SP2 and it failed with the same error.  Then I tried the manual process with the same result. Like Kelly above I don't have the KB912354.CAT file either. What do I need to do to fix this?

  • Anonymous
    July 21, 2007
    I had this problem recently when installing SP1 on a client's server.  The steps above allowed the install to complete without error.  Thank you so much!