How to fully refresh the Patch Assessment Scan files
book
Article ID: 178297
calendar_today
Updated On:
Products
Patch Management Solution for Windows
Issue/Introduction
Resolution
To fully refresh the Windows System Assessment Scan files in Patch Management 7.5.x - 8.x, work through the following steps:
RDP to the SMP
Confirm there are no current PMImports running
Console > Manage > Jobs and Tasks > System Jobs and Tasks > Software > Patch Management > Import Patch Data for Windows
If in Hierarchy: Confirm there are no current replication jobs running
Console > Reports > All Reports > Notification Server Management > Server > Replication > Current Replication Activity
Stop main Altiris Services in this order
Altiris Support Service
Altiris Client Message Dispatcher
Altiris File Receiver
Altiris Event Receiver
Altiris Service
Altiris Object Host Service
Altiris Service Hoster
Altiris Event Engine
Go to default install directory: C:\ProgramData\Symantec\SMP\Snapshots
Delete the snapshot.xml for the Windows System Assessment Scan package
{6D417916-467C-46A7-A870-6D86D9345B61}.xml
Check all snapshot.xml's in this location and ensure none have a GUID of all 0's
Delete any with all 0's
Go to default install directory: C:\Program Files\Altiris\Patch Management\Packages\WindowsVulnerabilityScan
Note: Do not delete the RunAssessment.bat file or your Windows System Assessment Scans will fail on endpoints when they redownload these files. Also leave any certificate files if present (see TECH239756)
Delete the following files from the WindowsVulnerabilityScan folder
AeXPatchAssessment.exe
catalog.xml
STPatchAssessmentSrv.exe
WindowsPatchData.zip
Restart all services that were stopped as outlined in Step 'c' above
Run the PMImport with the following settings disabled (as viewed in the screen shot below)
Incremental Import
Delete previously downloaded data for vendors, software and languages that are now excluded
Automatically revise Software Update policies after importing patch data
Enable distribution of newly added Software updates
Disable all superseded Software Updates
Verify that the PMImport finishes successfully
If PMImport failed to run successfully; troubleshoot as outlined in TECH166778
Re-enable all desired settings. Configurations for best practices are detailed in HOWTO56242 - Step 3
Advisory: Leave the setting 'Delete previously downloaded data for vendors, software and languages that are now excluded' disabled, for if the Vendor Data is not being altered, there is no reason to add this process to the PMImport and it will increase performance to leave it disabled.
Ensure the clients are downloading the updated Windows System Assessment Scan folder
If this is failing to download; review troubleshooting steps outlined in TECH159956