Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) is broken, and there is no workaround

Earlier in the month, Microsoft confirmed an issue in Intune which was causing customizations made to the baseline security policies to be lost during the update process. Now, the firm has acknowledged yet another problem in Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) that will cause even more headaches for IT admins.

Basically, WSUS synchronizes with Microsoft Update servers at least once a day by default, with the option to increase the sync frequency available to admins. However, since the last day or so, customers have been reporting issues in the sync process. Event logs show that the connection timed out when admins attempt a WSUS sync with Microsoft Update. A recent forum thread on Reddit has many people complaining about the problem, although some have reported that their synchronization attempts have intermittently succeeded too.

In a statement to Bleeping Computer, Microsoft acknowledged the problem and noted that it is working on a fix. The Redmond tech firm has explained that the issue has arisen from a "problematic update revision in the storage layer", which it is in the process of resolving. It admitted that the bug has resulted in customers not being able to deploy Windows updates via WSUS and Configuration Manager. Although manual updates are still possible, this is not really a workaround since many enterprise environments are quite complex and have a high volume of devices.

For those unaware, WSUS enables IT admins to efficiently distribute updates for Windows and Office software within their network. Admins have granular control over the rollout of updates to specific computers based on policy configurations. WSUS optimizes bandwidth utilization and receives regular security patches, which is critical considering that it is the centralized hub for update delivery in many organizations.

Back in September 2024, Microsoft confirmed that it will no longer add new capabilities to WSUS, which is a sign that the product is scheduled to be axed in the near future. The company has recommended migrations to more modern tools like Intune, Azure Update Manager, and Windows Autopatch.

Source

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