PMImport Failing to Download Successfully (Error 401 / 404 / Timeout)

Products

• Patch Management Solution for Linux
• Patch Management Solution for Windows
• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

The Import Patch Data for Windows (PMImport) task fails to download or complete successfully.

Customers may observe:

• Error 401 – Unauthorized
• Error 404 – Not Found
• Error 504 – Gateway Timeout
• PMImport task stuck in Pending
• Log entries indicating path not found or directory missing

Environment

Patch Management Solution 8.7.x, 8.8.x
ITMS 8.7.x, 8.8.x

Cause

PMImport failures are commonly caused by environmental, configuration, or infrastructure issues preventing successful download or processing of patch metadata.

Primary Causes

1. Network / Proxy Restrictions
   • SolutionSam URL blocked or filtered
   • Anonymous access restricted
2. Missing Directory Structure
   • Required PMImport directories do not exist
   • Insufficient NTFS permissions
3. Task Execution Conflicts
   • Multiple PMImport instances running simultaneously
4. Metadata Processing Failures
   • Missing or inaccessible metadata paths
5. Licensing Issues
   • Expired AUP or exceeded node count

Resolution

Follow the steps below in order.
Note: The current PMImport version can be found in the List of 8.x Windows PMImport Release Dates

Table of Contents

• Step 1: Verify PMImport Download URL
• Step 2: Validate Network & Proxy Configuration
• Step 3: Verify Required Directory Structure (Critical)
• Step 4: Metadata Location (Important Context)
• Step 5: Check for Path Not Found Errors in Logs
• Step 6: Check Licensing
• Step 7: Check for Multiple Running Tasks
• Step 8: Validate Task Processing State
• Step 9: Clear Task Backlog (Advanced)
• Step 10: Verify Required Services
• Step 11: Run PMImport Manually

 

Step 1: Verify PMImport Download URL

Navigate to:

• Console > Manage > Jobs and Tasks > System Jobs and Tasks > Software > Import Patch Data for Windows

Ensure the Default Location URL is:

https://www.solutionsam.com/imports/7_1/patch/windows/pmimport.cab

 

Step 2: Validate Network & Proxy Configuration

Navigate to:

• Console > Settings > All Settings > Notification Server > Notification Server Settings > Proxy Tab

Perform the following:

• Enable Keep Alive
• Click Test Settings

• Ensure outbound access to:

  http://www.solutionsam.com

   

Validation Test:

• Open the CAB URL in a browser:

https://www.solutionsam.com/imports/7_1/patch/windows/pmimport.cab

Note: This only validates user-level access, not the service account.

Key Checks:

• Anonymous user must have download permissions
• Firewall/proxy must allow outbound HTTP/HTTPS
• IIS must allow binary MIME types

See Detailed Import Patch Management for Windows access to SolutionSam for more information on this

Step 3: Verify Required Directory Structure (Critical)

Customer cases have shown failures when required directories are missing.

Validate the following path exists:

D:\Program Files\Altiris\Patch Management\packages\windowsvulnerabilityscan\

 

Actions:

1. Confirm the directory exists
2. If missing > manually create it
3. Verify permissions:
   • Read/Write access for:
     • Symantec Management Platform services
     • IIS App Pool identity (if applicable)

Expected Outcome:

• PMImport should successfully extract and process vulnerability metadata

Step 4: Metadata Location (Important Context)

PMImport downloads and processes metadata on the SMP server.

Typical Metadata Processing Locations:

• Patch packages:

<Install_Directory>\Altiris\Patch Management\Packages\

• Vulnerability scan data:

...\windowsvulnerabilityscan\

• Logs:

C:\ProgramData\Symantec\SMP\Logs\

 

Recommendation:
Always verify:

• • Disk space availability
  • Folder permissions
  • No antivirus blocking file extraction

Step 5: Check for Path Not Found Errors in Logs

Open:

• Altiris Log Viewer

Look for entries such as:

System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException

Path not found

 

If found:

• Recreate missing directories
• Restart services (see Step 9)

Step 6: Check Licensing

Navigate to:

• Start > Programs > Symantec > Symantec Installation Manager > Update Licensing

Verify:

• Patch Management license is valid
• AUP (Annual Upgrade Protection) is active
• Node count not exceeded

Step 7: Check for Multiple Running Tasks

Symptoms:

• “Another instance of Singleton Task is running”

Resolution:

1. Go to:
   • SMP Console > Manage > Jobs and Tasks
2. Identify multiple PMImport instances
3. Right-click > Stop

Best Practice:

• Schedule PMImport once daily
• Allow minimum 4 hours between runs

Step 8: Validate Task Processing State

Check:

• Tasks stuck in Pending
• Tasks without End Date

Database Fix (if required):

• Locate stuck task instance
• Update status to completed (0 or 1)

Note: Perform only with DBA/support guidance

Step 9: Clear Task Backlog (Advanced)

If excessive tasks are stuck:

Stop Services:

• Altiris Service
• Altiris Object Host Service
• Symantec Management Agent

Clean Up:

• Delete:

C:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\TaskManagement

 

Truncate Tables:

• servertaskinstancerequests
• servertaskinstancestates

• If a multitude of Tasks are running; work through the process to truncate all running tasks as outlined in Taskinstances table grows rapidly
  • Advisory: Can cause problems if the client side scripts are not run. Please contact Task Server Support Team with any questions.

Restart Services

• Altiris Service
• IIS

Step 10: Verify Required Services

Ensure running:

• Altiris Object Host Service
• Symantec Management Agent

Step 11: Run PMImport Manually

1. Navigate to:
   • SMP Console > Manage > Jobs and Tasks > Patch Management
2. Execute:
   • Import Patch Data for Windows
3. Monitor:
   • Altiris Log Viewer (Start > Programs > Altiris > Diagnostics > Altiris Log Viewer)