Unsolvable “unexpected packet format” error in WSUS console

artsnob 1 Reputation point
2021-10-04T22:59:23.907+00:00

I’ve spent almost a week trying to troubleshoot this error, which prevents the WSUS console from displaying the computers. It appeared out of nowhere on a WSUS server that’s been running fine for more than six years and hasn’t been modified in any way recently. I see where this issue has occurred many times in the past to other users, but none of the known solutions make any difference at all. Of course I’ve restarted the server. The IIS server is not set for SSL. I’ve restarted WSUSPOOL in IIS and increased its memory. For that matter, I’ve tried all of the solutions suggested in the error message and all of the ones in these articles:

WSUS Error: Connection Error
FIX: An error occured trying to connect the WSUS server
AN ERROR OCCURRED TRYING TO CONNECT THE WSUS SERVER

I’ve also searched in this forum and the Spiceworks WSUS forum. Nothing. There’s simply not a solution for whatever’s causing this error anywhere in cyberspace. It’s like a “zero day” bug – the first time it’s ever occurred. Does anyone have the WSUS expertise to suggest something else I might try?

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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  1. artsnob 1 Reputation point
    2021-10-04T23:01:20.65+00:00
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  2. Adam J. Marshall 8,541 Reputation points MVP
    2021-10-04T23:21:55.397+00:00

    The 500 error is the cause of the WSUS MMC Console error and it appears that the permissions are the root cause.

    https://www.ajtek.ca/wsus/wsus-permissions-wsuscontent-registry-and-iis/

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  3. artsnob 1 Reputation point
    2021-10-05T18:29:59.943+00:00

    Hmmm … I’m a little confused – how can it be permissions if the problem packets can’t be accessed? I’ll give that permissions paper a try, but I have a premonition that it’s one more solution that this bug will defy.

    Do you remember that “Add-ESDMimetype” you told me to enter in the WSUS powershell window in another thread? That’s the only change that has been made to WSUS recently. Could that have something to do with it? Since it didn’t solve the problem it was implemented for, can I undo it and see if that makes any change? What's the proper syntax?

  4. artsnob 1 Reputation point
    2021-10-05T22:45:29.667+00:00

    I executed the "remove it" command, and it started working again immediately. Finally!