SCCM - Failed to install updates - A system shutdown is in progress

Posted by Nervous-Equivalent@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 3 comments

I've been seeing something odd for maybe the last 6 months. For our monthly software update deployment workstations are reporting back "Failed to install updates - Error Code 0x8007045B - A system shutdown is in progress" even though they successfully installed all updates.

What this looks like in person is updates install pending reboot, the computer is rebooted, then Software Center shows "Failed" for one or more updates until the next Software Update Deployment Evaluation cycle. If you force a Software Update Eval cycle, the 'failed' updates disappear from Software Center. Investigation shows all updates installed successfully.

Excerpt from wuahandler.log:

Failed to QueryHistory() a pending update (794c2bdc-b2c6-477b-a37c-6721dc742e3c), removing update from tracking list. Error = 0x8007045b.WUAHandler5/26/2026 5:46:12 PM10664 (0x29A8)
Failed to QueryHistory() a pending update (a8f81155-2519-4821-8f73-74283c5bd00b), removing update from tracking list. Error = 0x8007045b.WUAHandler5/26/2026 5:46:12 PM10664 (0x29A8)
Failed to QueryHistory() a pending update (9cb82639-e8cf-48d8-ba76-cdd56010c45c), removing update from tracking list. Error = 0x8007045b.WUAHandler5/26/2026 5:46:12 PM10664 (0x29A8)
Scan results will include all superseded updates.WUAHandler5/26/2026 5:46:12 PM10664 (0x29A8)
Search Criteria is (DeploymentAction=* AND Type='Software') OR (DeploymentAction=* AND Type='Driver')WUAHandler5/26/2026 5:46:12 PM10664 (0x29A8)
Failed to run BeginSearch() on WUAgent. Error = 0x8007045b.WUAHandler5/26/2026 5:46:12 PM10664 (0x29A8)

In practice this issue makes it harder to get good compliance numbers in a timely fashion for monthly update deployments. Anyone seen this before?

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DMGoering@reddit

Many times Windows Updates fail because a reboot is required/pending before the patch is installed.
Sometimes there are stacked reboots. Things that will put the system into a reboot required state even after a reboot.

Your patching cycle should include enough time to
1. Clear all pending reboots
2. Install patches
3. Reboot post updates to again clear all pending reboot states.

It is often hard to make the business understand this is "just how Windows works".
This is also an issue for Remote Laptops where the first reboot can take the system offline so the process cannot continue.

Nervous-Equivalent@reddit (OP)

Hello, in this scenario there is no pending reboot after the initial reboot. The updates all install successfully the first time around. However, the updates show "Failed" in Software Center until the next Software Update Deployment eval, at which time ConfigMan realizes the updates actually did install.

Sounds like SCCM is evaluating the install success before the reboot. And a reboot is requires for success.

Try evaluating the deployments on boot. If it is reporting success after the first evaluation after the reboot the status is accurate but the evaluation is not optimized for your deployment schedule.