Software Updates are displayed in 'Scheduled' status on the Software Updates Tab on a daily basis.

Products

• Patch Management Solution

Issue/Introduction

Software Updates are displayed in 'Scheduled' status on the Software Updates Tab on a daily basis.

The update passes by the Software Update Cycle and displays the next Update Cycle time to install the update; however, this time is passed over and over and the update never installs.

• Altiris Logs: Add SWD task <update name> for <Update Task Name>, <Update Name, GUID> to run queue.
• Client Logs: Empty Schedule Text; even though there is a schedule listed in the Default Software Update Plug-in (DSUP) Policy.
• Agent GUI > Software Updates Tab > Run History displays Exit Code: 3355444211 (HEX: C80003F3)

Cause

The following have been confirmed as being causes for this behavior:

1. Client needs a reboot; often times the Software Update Cycle stalls on a Software Update which has updated a major .dll or file, and therefore the Software Update Cycle is bound by the Client's Operating System to go no further with the installation until the Client is rebooted and the registry is refreshed. This is per the OS vendor and is uncontrollable by Patch Management Solution. This causes the Software Update Cycle to be segmented into multiple cycles.
    
2. It appears that old stale / bad tasks are causing the Altiris Agent to queue the current Software Update Tasks.
    
3. Hung Task Jobs backing up on the SMP Server. 
    
4. DSUP schedule settings for same date Start / End scheduled runs can cause conflict on the Agent for Software Update execution, for if the End Date is set to the same day, but the end time is midnight or later, then the Client will end the Software Update Cycle before it will begin.
    
5. DSUP schedule has failed over the max number of retry attempts, perhaps due to Cause #1 above, and the Client is now ready to install but still fails because the Reinstallation attempts after task failure setting on the DSUP has been exceeded.

Resolution

Work through the following as these resolutions as their numbers coincide with causes listed above:

1. Ensure the client has been rebooted.

• This type of segmenting of the Software Update Cycle can be resolved by utilizing the Cycle Window configuration on the Default Software Update Plug-in Policy > Add schedule > Schedule Window; configured the Start / End with the During window, check every: setting for around 30-60 minutes (too aggressive merely adds unnecessary cycles)
• Patch Management will check the registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Patch Management - 'RebootRequired' to confirm if a reboot is needed following the Software Update Cycle segment(s) and reboot as scheduled if the value is (1) on that key. 
  • Configuring the reboots is accomplished via the Restart tab on the Default Software Update Plug-in Policy to reboot the Client following each Software Update Cycle or segment if the Schedule Window configuration is utilized:

2. Work through the following process on the Client:

• Stop the Altiris Agent Service.
• Drill down to: C:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Tasks
  • Delete all of the listed .xml files within this folder
• Start the Altiris Agent Service.

3. Process to clear hung tasks outlined in Taskinstances table grows rapidly

4. Configure the DSUP Settings so the Start Date is the date of execution and the End Date for the following day when the end time is midnight or later; otherwise, set the end time for 11:59pm if the same End Date is necessary:

5. Configure the Reinstallation attempts after task failure with a higher count than that which has failed on the DSUP as seen the image above, and the Software Update Cycle will install the updates or throw the corresponding error as to why they initially failed leading to the excess of that count.