Window Server 2003 will not restart after applying updates

[txbuzzard9]

Several of our Windows 2003 Servers will not automatically restart after applying Windows Updates from WUS but the server closes most/all processes (including event viewer) and is therefore non-functional. If you go to the console at the server (RDP does not work) the server then reboots without any other intervention.

 

[markdmac]

What hotfixes are being applied?

Is the BIOS up to date on the server?

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[igmp]

Did you try the last known good configuration?
Did you go to safe mode and remove the installed update?

 

[markdmac]

The problem with using last known good in this circumstance is it will undo the hotfix settings which would be undesireable if the server is in a working state after the manual reboot.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

 

[compuveg]

I get a very similar behavior on our terminal servers here, which have the 'shut down' option removed via GPO, as we don't want one user selecting to shut down and knocking the other 30 users offline.

I used to use the 'TSSHUTDN' command to shut down the terminal servers, when logged in as a domain admin. The things wouldn't reboot until someone logged into them at the console, then they would finish the reboot. Who knows why.

My fix was to just login at the console from a local account that was in the admin group. That has no 'shut down' restrictions, and using that option to shut down works without having to login again.