Error Code 0x800F0954 when is this getting fixed

Bill Ryan 6 Reputation points
2021-05-26T16:04:12.807+00:00

Hello,

When are we going to see WSUS support Windows 10 Feature updates? Since the deployment of Windows 10, the options for feature adds has become significantly worse by not allowing systems to rely on CAB files already on the workstation to be used to add them on. For years now the error 0x800F0954 has been a plague for users trying to simply install .NET who work on a computer that uses WSUS for updates, which is a Microsoft product and it downloads updates for .NET to deploy to workstations and servers alike within its environment which it updates successfully but for some reason can't be the source for install. Since our stations, most likely the majority of people who use WSUS this will also apply to, use Group Policy to define the WSUS configuration, at reboot the manually changed policy is reset to then use WSUS again and the registry hack that is always listed as the answer does not work...

Where it is a long known issue, I want to know when it's actually going to be addressed and not by "temporarily bypassing WSUS" because that's not a fix, that's a work around using an unacceptable procedure to bypass the group policies of our organization for something as simple as an added feature. It's also impractical to do when trying to deploy a feature via power shell to 500+ stations in our organization and have to modify that many stations and then make sure they get the configuration back after. WSUS needs to support this, if features have to talk to an update server to deploy, it should be from here where all the updates are coming from. This will also significantly help in scenarios where networks get updates only from WSUS and have no internet access at the workstation level such as protected SCADA networks.

Windows 10
Windows 10
A Microsoft operating system that runs on personal computers and tablets.
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Windows Server
Windows Server
A family of Microsoft server operating systems that support enterprise-level management, data storage, applications, and communications.
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2 answers

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  1. Adam J. Marshall 8,706 Reputation points MVP
    2021-05-26T21:56:32.897+00:00
    1 person found this answer helpful.
  2. md-hare 1 Reputation point
    2022-07-12T19:23:15.197+00:00

    Thanks to @Adam J. Marshall for helping explain this error. That said, I have a much more elegant and secure fix for this problem.

    As explained in other places, this caused because 3.5 .net is 'feature on demand' which is not supported by WSUS. HOWEVER, one can adjust gpos and securely publish this file to alleviate the issue without allowing external file sources for updates.

    Steps:

    1. Publish a share on your WSUS or fileserver with read rights for domain users. Find a Windows 10 iso, copy the two netfx3-ondemand packages from the \sources\sxs folder and save those in the new fileshare.
    2. Update your GPO for Computer Configuration | Policy | Administrative Templates | System, 'Specify settings for optional component installation and component repair' and specify the directory you just used as 'Alternative source file path' and choose enable.

    You mileage may vary and please test on your own.