PMImport failing to download successfully
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PMImport failing to download successfully

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Article ID: 154817

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Updated On:

Products

Patch Management Solution for Linux Patch Management Solution for Windows

Issue/Introduction

Import Patch Data for Windows (PMImport) failed to download.

Error 401

Timeout Errors (504 Gateway Timeout)

 

Environment

Patch Management Solution 8.x

Cause

Environmental / configuration issues that slow down or prohibit the PMImport from initializing or finishing.

Resolution

Work through the following steps to troubleshoot the failing download for the .cab file of the Patch Management Import. The current PMImport version can be found in the List of 8.x Windows PMImport Release Dates
 
 

  1. Check Download URL: Go to Console > Manage Jobs and Tasks > System Jobs and Tasks > Software > Import Patch Data for - Windows:
  2. Check Download Communications: Go to Console > Settings > All Settings > Notification Server  > Notification Server Settings
    • In the Right Pane select the Proxy Tab
      • If there are settings enabled - Ensure the 'Enable keep alive' is enabled, and also Test Settings to ensure Altiris can communicate through the Proxy.
      • Also allow for communications through the network security devices (e.g. firewall, proxy etc.) for http://www.solutionsam.com.
      • One way to test this is to place the http://www.solutionsam.com/imports/7_1/patch/windows/pmimport.cab in a browser and run it. However, this only tests access by the logged on user. 
        • See Detailed Import Patch Management for Windows access to SolutionSam for more information on this
        • Ensure that the SMP/Notification Server's Anonymous user has rights to download from SolutionSam site, for the permissions on the user are needed to execute the PMImport, but the automated download process call is made with the Anonymous user as SolutionSam is a public site and does not authenticate user credentials.
        • Advisory: Often the Anonymous User is not allowed
      • Ensure all cache servers are clear of downloads, for that may cause the NS to be downloading an older cached version of the PMImport.
      • Advisory: This type of issue, caused by restrictions in network security devices, can cause the following errors:
        • Error 401 - Unauthorized
        • Error 404 - Not Found
        • MIME type is text (not binary file): configure to allow file types in IIS settings.
           
  3. Check Licensing: Go to the Notification Server > Start > Programs > Altiris > Symantec Installation Manager > Update Licensing 
    • Ensure Patch Management Solution for Windows has current Annual Upgrade Protection (AUP) and the license nodes have not been exceeded.
      • Note that if the licenses are expired, PMImport will fail.
         
  4. Check Exclusions: Go to Console > Manage Jobs and Tasks > System Jobs and Tasks > Software > Import Patch Data for - Windows:
    • In the right pane, view the 'Vendors and Software' and ensure the desired Software Vendor, and sub-software items (e.g. Internet Explorer) are enabled in the listed Vendors and Software, for if they are not enabled, they will be excluded from the PMImport and not display in the Patch Remediation Center nor Patch Compliance Reports.
    • This vendor list will not update by schedule, so we recommend running this manually once per quarter to check for new or deleted vendors and products.
       
  5. Check the history of the Microsoft Patch Management Import for 'Pending' status or other run attempts that have not been resolved or failed.
    • If there are any instances other than the current attempt showing 'Pending' highlight them, right-click, Stop.
      • The stopped instances may be deleted if desired.
    • Multiple sessions / attempts running: Seeing 'Another Instance of Singleton Task is running' in the Log Viewer
      • Highlight the attempts; right-click, Stop.
      • View section 8 below for more troubleshooting steps.
    • Check the 'End' date for the run attempts
      • There could be a problem with an attempt that has executed, and through other troubleshooting steps, became truncated from the system, yet the database displays that run attempt as 'in progress'
      • Find that run attempt in the database and set it to '1' or '0' to clear it from the tasks in progress
         
  6. Try a manual run of the PMImport: Go to Console > Manage Jobs and Tasks > System Jobs and Tasks > Software > Patch Management > Import Patch Data for Windows.
    • Open The Log Viewer (Start > Programs > Altiris > Diagnostics > Altiris Log Viewer)
    • Select 'New Schedule' and Execute the schedule 'Now' from the popup window
    • Watch the Log Viewer for any errors concerning the PMImport failure and research them here on the Altiris Knowledge Management.
      • Contact Broadcom Support to help troubleshoot the issue further.   
  7. Check for Task Server Errors in the Log Viewer
    • Task related errors may cause the Patch Management Import task to fail to run.
       
  8.  Import may be 'tripping' over multiple run attempts. The Log Viewer will contain: Another instance of Singleton Task is running. This is caused when the Import completes the .cab download, but the Revise Software Update Task, or other clean up processes, fail to complete before the next scheduled run time.
    • Ensure the schedule of Import start allows for complete run of the .cab download and clean up process.
      • Avoid over scheduling the Import by starting every 30 minutes to 4 hours. Allow for at least 4 hours; however, best practice is to run the import once daily.
    • Another method to stop all running Import Tasks:
      • Go to Console > Settings > All Settings > Notification Server > Console Settings > Web Parts > Task Management > Job and Task Status
      • In the right pane, select 'Show Preview' and that should list the running tasks.
      • There you can right-click / Stop any remaining Import run attempts.
         
  9. Check other Policies, like the Check Software Update Package Integrity job. Also view the Revise Software Update Task.
    • If the unhide process fails to be of any assistance; go to the Console > Settings > All Settings > Notification Server > Console Settings > Web Parts > Task Management > Job and Task Status
      • Select 'Show Preview' in the right pane and utilize the 'Search' entry for 'Revise' or 'Import' to see if there are any running / pending tasks.
    • 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 ran. Please contact Task Server Support Team with any questions.
    • Additionally: If truncating the task tables from fails to resolve the running tasks; keep in mind that these tables are for client side tasks running and there may be an abundance of SMP server side tasks running. Work through the following additional steps if the previous truncate steps fail:
      • Ensure Patch Management tasks / processes are stopped on the SMP.
      • Go to the SMP: Stop the Altiris, Altiris Object Host and the Symantec Management Agent Services.
      • Truncate the following SMP Server Task Tables:
        • servertaskinstancerequests
        • servertaskinstancestates
      • Drill down on the SMP: [default install] C:\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent
        • Delete the 'TaskManagement' folder that resides there
      • Restart the Altiris, Altiris Object Host and the Symantec Management Agent Services.
      • Rerun PMImport
         
  10. Ensure the Altiris Object Host Service is running:
    • Ensure the Symantec Management Agent is installed on the SMP Server and the Symantec Management Agent / Altiris Object Host Services are running
       
  11. Confirm gateway is able to manage the download within the environment
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