Fix All The Things: WSUS Console: Unexpected Error. Please Try Again.

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

WSUS Console: Unexpected Error. Please Try Again.

After installing patches on the WSUS server this month (June 2016), the WSUS console wouldn't start, giving a vague message:

Unexpected Error. Please reset the server node and try again.

Event logs also show vague 507 and 7034 messages:

Machine generated alternative text:
Error
6/24/2016 AM
6/24/2016 AM
Windows Server Update Se„.
Windows Server Update Se„,
7053
Event 507, Windows Server Update Services
General Details
Update Services failed its initialization and stopped,

Machine generated alternative text:
0
Error
Error
0
Error
6/24/2016 AM
6/24/2016 AM
6/24/2016 AM
Service Control Manager
Windows Server Update Se...
Windows Server Update Sen.
7034
7053
None
None
Event 7034, Service Control Manager
General Details
The WSUS Service service terminated unexpectedly. It has done this 3 time(s).

Event 7053 also shows up, however deleting everything from the %appdata%\Microsoft\MMC\ folder does not fix the issue.

Machine generated alternative text:
Errcr
6/24/2016 AM
Windows Server Update Se...
Acne
Event 7053, Windows Server Update Services
General Details
The WSUS administration console has encountered an unexpected error. This may be a transient error; try' restarting the administration console.
If this error persists,
Try removing the persisted preferences for the console by deleting the wsus file under

Installing KB3159706 turned out to the cause, and completing the post-installation steps on that page fixes the issue and the console loads normally again.

Run "C:\Program Files\Update Services\Tools\wsusutil.exe" postinstall /servicing from elevated cmd prompt.
Install Roles/Features, .NET Framework 4.5 Features, under WCF Services, check HTTP Activation.
Restart WSUS service.