Systems not showing up in WSUS console

When a system doesn’t show up in WSUS, do these steps on the system not showing up:

1) Verify this registry setting (usually set via a GPO):

reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

2) Verify the System can resolve the hostname of the WSUS server, if specified. If IP, move on.

3) Use telnet against the specified port (if different from 8530), this verifies layer 4 and that not firewall ports are in the way.

4) Ensure the Windows Service is actually running via services.msc

5) All else fails try this:

net stop wuauserv
reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate /v SusClientId /f
reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate /v SusClientIdValidation /f
net start wuauserv
wuauclt /resetauthorization /detectnow
wuauclt /reportnow

Wait a couple mins and hard refresh the WSUS MMC Snap-in. I noticed this trick also works for systems that are in WSUS but won’t report an install percentage of 100%.

I noticed one system was not showing up with 100% install rate, and a yellow icon indicating needed updates still required, however checking for updates on the system kept reporting all updates, even after step 5 a couple times.

So… to get updates WSUS doesn’t have on Desktop based version of Windows there’s usually a nice link that states “Check for updates from Windows Update Online”, but this was a core hyper-v server, and no GUI, so…

*Note ByPassing WSUS on Core, without GPO changes.

reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU /v UseWUServer /t REG_DWORD /d 0
net stop wuauserv
net start wuauserv
sconfig

run option 6 and check for all updates (this assumes the server/system has access to internet servers).

Don’t forget to set the setting off again:

reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU /v UseWUServer /t REG_DWORD /d 1

Then run Step 5 again.

Update* Feb 2020

I discovered there’s a new “Expert” in WSUS named Adam
Following his suggestion on this technet post, managed to resolve the issue and have his machine install the CU for 1909 and report it’s status to WSUS!
net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate" /v AccountDomainSid /f
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate" /v PingID /f
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate" /v SusClientId /f
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate" /v SusClientIDValidation /f
rd /s /q "C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution"
net start bits
net start wuauserv
wuauclt /resetauthorization /detectnow
Only a couple systems that may need to be manually intervened before all systems report successfully and are 100% updated.
I also first attempted this fix “I have Declined all superseded updates and then run the clean up tool. Forced a client to /detectnow and it started working.”
Which sadly did not work, but very nice to clear up the DB size, and disk spaced used!