BatchPatch sits on searching for hours.

[zzglenn]

Hello,

Been having an issue with BatchPatch. Running the latest version, but for some reason “some” servers will sit and “search” for hours. Sometimes it will do its download and install after hours of waiting. Other times it never recovers. Currently doing it from WSUS, but also have tried connecting to Windows update. I have checked windowsupdate.log and batchpatch.log and they both just are waiting. Do you know what may cause this. I did some experimenting with PSexec versions, and different systems, but same results. Any ideas on what I can try?

Thanks,

Glenn

[doug]

First you need to assess if BatchPatch is actually executing on the target machines in question. Considering that you said in some cases it will do the download and install after hours, it sounds to me like BatchPatch is executing the task, but the task is taking hours to complete. However, first let’s just make sure of what is actually happening.

1. Execute the Windows Update action, and then look at the target machine’s list of active/running processes in task manager. Do you see batchpatchremoteagent.exe and psexesvc.exe on the target computer processes list?

2. While the task is executing look at the target machine’s working directory (default is C:Program FilesBatchPatch). You should see the batchpatchremoteagent.exe and a few .log files here (BatchPatchTempCurrent.log, BatchPatchTempProgress.log, BatchPatch.log etc). Make a note of exactly which files you see, and report back to me.

3. If the task appears to be executing, based on the findings from the above two steps, then the issue is that it’s just taking a very long time to complete. Generally speaking when Windows Update actions take a long time to complete, it is not slow due to BatchPatch. The slowness typically is in Windows Update, and it happens regardless of whether or not you use BatchPatch or if you simply execute the check for updates at the machine’s console, using the Control Panel Windows Update GUI. BatchPatch invokes the Windows Update process on the target computer, but BatchPatch does not have control over how long this process takes to complete.

4. If you find that the task is simply not executing in the first place (or is executing and immediately “dying” or getting killed without notifying, then you need to look at what is killing the process.

Let me know what you find.

-Doug

[z10n]

Hi, I have the same problem. but mine have never been able to install updates remotely. I figured it needs those Processes running in the machine, how do I go about installing those processes into the host?

[doug]

z10n – You don’t install those processes on the host. When BatchPatch runs it creates them automatically on the target host.

-Doug

[zzglenn]

Thanks Doug. I have a large batch of servers to update this weekend. I will report and see if they are just “problem” servers or if something is going wrong. Thanks for the quick response and email.

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