Cannot complete WSUS 3.0 reinstall

[BobHickok]

(Sorry for the long detail, but I assume you will need most of this background to best help me.)
I have a Windows 2003 Server Std Ed. Workgroup server, no MS domain, no active directory. I had WSUS installed and running fine for a couple years, had updated to version 3. C: volume was running low on space, so I recently tried moving the database, had already moved content, etc. to D: drive which has plenty of space.
_______________________________________________
I (blindly) followed the steps from:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc708558.aspx

Specifically I did this:
sqlcmd -S np:\\.\pipe\MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE\sql\query
use master
alter database SUSDB set single_user with rollback immediate
go
sp_detach_db SUSDB
go
_____________________
Then I could not get the SUSDB to attach in SQL, and I could not revert.
So I tried to uninstall WSUS 3.0 to start over. It would not uninstall. When I started a new WSUS install, it wanted to uninstall, but it could not uninstall.
_____________________
So then I found a support article that was very helpful. I followed the directions of the article here:
http://blogs.technet.com/sus/archive...l-of-wsus.aspx
And then I was able to start a new installation of WSUS 3.0 SP1, that appeared to be going just fine. At what I believe would have been very close to the end of the installation I received a message that it could not find the ##SSEE instance on SQL. However, I thought I would be reverting back to the Windows Internal DB, and I would not be connecting it to SQL.
(Did I need to reboot the server before reinstalling? I did not.)
______________________________________________________
Here's the WSUSSetup.log from my reinstall:
2009-06-10 16:08:27 Success MWUSSetup Validating pre-requisites...
2009-06-10 16:14:03 Success MWUSSetup Initializing installation details
2009-06-10 16:14:03 Success MWUSSetup Installing ASP.Net
2009-06-10 16:14:49 Success MWUSSetup ASP.Net is installed successfully
2009-06-10 16:14:49 Success MWUSSetup Installing wYukon using MSI on Win2k3
2009-06-10 16:14:49 Success MWUSSetup Installing wYukon...
2009-06-10 16:15:58 Success MWUSSetup wYukon Installed Successfully
2009-06-10 16:15:58 Error MWUSSetup Failed to open service MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:15:58 Error MWUSSetup StartService failed (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:15:58 Error MWUSSetup InstallWyukon: Failed to start MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE service (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:15:58 Error MWUSSetup CInstallDriver::PerformSetup: Installation of wYukon failed (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:15:58 Error MWUSSetup CSetupDriver::LaunchSetup: Setup failed (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:16:27 Error MWUSSetup DoInstall: Wsus setup failed (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:18:43 Success MWUSSetup Validating pre-requisites...
2009-06-10 16:18:52 Error MWUSSetup Failed to open service MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:18:52 Error MWUSSetup StartService failed (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:18:52 Error MWUSSetup Failed to start MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE service (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:18:52 Error MWUSSetup Failed to start SQL service for SQL instance %computername%\MICROSOFT##SSEE (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:19:32 Error MWUSSetup Failed to open service MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:19:32 Error MWUSSetup StartService failed (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:19:32 Error MWUSSetup Failed to start MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE service (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:19:32 Error MWUSSetup Failed to start SQL service for SQL instance %computername%\MICROSOFT##SSEE (Error 0x80070424: The specified service does not exist as an installed service.)
2009-06-10 16:19:57 Error MWUSSetup CSetupDriver::LaunchSetup: Setup is cancelled or an error occurred (Error 0x80070642: User cancelled installation.)
2009-06-10 16:19:57 Success MWUSSetup User cancelled the setup
2009-06-10 16:19:58 Error MWUSSetup DoInstall: Wsus setup failed (Error 0x80070642: User cancelled installation.)
__________________________________________________________
There were two SQL instances that I left alone in the registry - MSSQLSERVER, and BKUPEXEC.

Help Please! I thought I was at the finish line until it said it could not find ##SSEE in SQL. Again, I believe it was at the tail end of the WSUS install, and I thought I understood that I was getting it back to the Windows Internal Database.

[Hockson]

A number of questions come to mind in this scenario, the most significant being Why you felt the need to convert your Standard Edition workgroup-based WSUS Server from the Windows Internal Database to a full installation of SQL Server 2005 (on the same machine)?

Well, that may or may not have to do with the setup and configuration of the SQL Server installation.

Reverting should have simply required one to REattach the database back to the WID instance.

Something else happened here other than just detaching the database... surely!?

Hmmm.... while the article shows how to stop and delete the WID service, and how to remove the registry keys related to the service, I don't see anything in that article where it actually UNINSTALLS the WID.

So... if it didn't find the ##SSEE instance... that means it didn't install it, maybe thought it was still installed, but can't actually find a running service to log onto.

Well, yes... the ##SSEE is the Windows Internal Database.

Well, it *never* hurts to reboot a server after uninstalling software... but whether it was required or not, hard to say.

Ha!.. Okay so it "installed" the WID... but then can't find the *service*... something did not complete successfully from the previous uninstallation. The wYukon installer should have created the appropriate service entry.

That's fine. MSSQLSERVER is the default instance of SQL Server 2005 that you installed, and intended to migrate WSUS into. I've always wondered why PSS provides these convoluted procedures for uninstalling WID, when the WSUS Operations Guide plainly documents a much simpler (and probably more thorough) procedure for uninstalling WID

From Appendix A of the WSUS Operations Guide:
==============================
To uninstall Windows Internal Database

1. Open a command shell.

2. Call msiexec with the correct key for the operating system platform.
• On 32-bit platforms: msiexec /x {CEB5780F-1A70-44A9-850F-DE6C4F6AA8FB} callerid=ocsetup.exe
• On 64-bit platforms: msiexec /x {BDD79957-5801-4A2D-B09E-852E7FA64D01} callerid=ocsetup.exe

Important
The removal of the application may not remove the default .mdb and .ldb files, which will cause a subsequent WSUS 3.0 installation to fail. These files can be deleted from the %windir%\SYSMSI\SSEE directory.
==============================

I would suggest running the appropriate msiexec command line to ensure all of the WID is fully uninstalled -- then reboot the server.

Your original databases should still be in the \%Windir%\SYSMSI\SSEE\MSSQL.2005\MSSQL\Data.old folder that you renamed from the original Data folder -- and after WSUS is successfully reinstalled, I
can help you 'restore' your original database if you wish.

Then try the installation of WSUS3SP1 again.

[BobHickok]

That got it so that I have now been able to reinstall WSUS 3.0 SP1.

YES! I would like assistance in restoring my WSUS database. I would also like assistance with 2 oddities in WSUS after the new install. I did rename that Data folder as described in the article I followed, however most of the database files in there have date stamps that I do not expect them to have. I have two weekly Acronis images in which I may have good/better database files.

1.) I have two admin logins that I routinely use, the native Administrator, and "Admin". After the successful reinstall of WSUS today only the Admin user can see the local server in the "Servers Administered" part of the WSUS Console screen. When logged in as Administrator, WSUS shows no Servers Administered, and I cannot Connect to it (unless I have the wrong syntax when I try to Connect to Server).

When logged in as Admin the server's name does show up on the Servers Administered list, but everything is empty.

I do not recall which I used for the original WSUS (2?) install a couple years ago, but I definitely used the Administrator login for today's removal and reinstall of WSUS and WID.

2.) When I highlight the local server, from the Update services tree on the left side of the WSUS screen I get a red X "Error: Connection Error" clicking the Reset Server Node button does not fix it.

I will be trying your next recommendations remotely, as I will be working out of the office next week.

I understand most of that, but have two questions before I try it out.

1.) Which commands or utilities exactly do I run to both detach, and then later attach the SUSDB to the WID (your steps 2. and 5.)? Maybe I'm being dense, or just insecure after hosing up my WSUS... It cannot be done in the Studio Manager can it? (Obviously I don't work with SQL or WID very much.)

2.) In your step 4. do I find those backup files in the exact same folder as the folder from which I make my manual backups in step 3., or is it in the folder I renamed .old earlier, or do I pull it off my Acronis backups? If it is the exact same folder, I assume the backup files I want to work with have filename extensions other than .mdf and .ldf ?

One additional question, for the services to shut down, I stop Update Services, plus which of these: World Wide Web Publishing Service, or IIS Admin Service?

I was out of town and have not worked on this issue for about 10 days+. I still cannot locate the full command syntax to attach the SUS db once I would get it detached, and replace my copy from an older Acronis image of the server.

Also when I start WSUS and it sees the Update Services of the local server, I always get the error:

The WSUS administration console was unable to connect to the WSUS server via the remote API. There's quite a bit more text to the message I could send if necessary.

From Googling it I see that technet cc708630 has a tip about WWW interaction with the desktop. I follow those steps but still cannot get to update services correctly.

After my reinstall, per your directions, I was able to successfully install WSUS and start it, however this Error screen is all I ever got/get. I don't get it started up with ToDo's list, the Synchronization, etc.

Thanks for all the time you've spent, but I just cannot get any attach command that works. The detach command I got was from the article that talked about changing from WID to SQL. As I described, it then gave commands to Attach in SQL, using the Studio gui. That appears to be exactly the same as the only attach info that I can find in the Operations Guide (is there supposed to be a command line attach command, that I do not see anywhere in "WSUS30 Operations Guide.pdf" ?

That SQL Server Management Studio attach fails, and that's what started this whole problem for me.

Since I cannot find any syntax to correctly attach the SUSDB, it seems maybe I should give up on trying to recover my previous SUS info and ask you to help me remove WSUS completely again, then Install WSUS yet again, then help me get rid of the Error:Connection Error that comes up each time I run WSUS after reinstalling WSUS.

How can I get a WSUS re-install to act like a new, clean, available-to-use installation of WSUS 3.0? Where All the default adminstration tools are visible and available for use?

[Hockson]

My pleasure. The procedure we will follow is essentially this:

After installing a fresh copy of WSUS3SP1 and verifying that it has basic functionality...

1. Stop the Update Services service and the World Wide Web service.

2. Detach the SUSDB database from the Windows Internal Database instance using the procedures you previously used.

3. Find the SUSDB.mdf and SUSDB_log.ldf files. They should be in the ~\WSUS\UpdateServicesDBFiles folder. Move them to a save location. (And now, you have a permanent 'recovery' database should you ever need it.)

4. Restore your preferred SUSDB.mdf and SUSDB_log.ldf files from your backups into the ~\WSUS\UpdateServicesDBFiles folder.

5. Attach the restored SUSDB database to the Windows Internal Database using the procedures documented.

6. Start the World Wide Web service and the Update Services service.

Connect with the WSUS Admin Console and verify your restored database is active.

Because you have a NEW installation, the GUID of the WSUS Server has changed, and your console is trying to connect to an old GUID. Use the same steps noted above: close the console, remove the WSUS file from the %userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\MMC folder, then restart the console and connect to the server.

All the same issue. A new installation creates a new GUID, and none of the old console configs will be able to connect to the OLD installation GUID.

[Hockson]

Yes, it can be done in the GUI; however, to do that you need to connect your SQL Server Express Studio Manager to the Windows Internal Database instance. That requires the use of a Named Pipe, and it gets a bit complicated.

The simpler alternative is to use the SQLCMD.exe tool with the parameters provided.

This script, the one you previously used, is absolutely correct for performing the detach.
========== begin script ===========
sqlcmd -S np:\\.\pipe\MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE\sql\query use master alter database SUSDB set single_user with rollback immediate go sp_detach_db SUSDB go
========== end script ===========

The same resource should have a similar script to do the attach, using one of these commands:

sp_attach_db
or
CREATE DATABASE SUSDB FOR ATTACH FROM <filename>

That depends on what you use to make those manual backups. If it was done with a tool or utility that's not "SQL aware", then most likely the SUSDB.mdf and SUSDB_log.ldf files were not backed up because they were locked (in use).

If you made the backups using NTBACKUP, SQL Server Management Studio, or some other "SQL-aware" utility, then the files are probably in that folder in the backup archive file.

No, the DATA folder you renamed earlier is the default location for WID data, and contains the master, msdb, and temp databases, but is not anything you need to restore, or change.

Well, that might also be an option. It depends on which backup(s) of the SUSDB* files you trust the most, or whether they exist in your manual backup folder.

[Big Fish]

At a minimum, the Update Services service and the World Wide Web Publishing Service.

It's not necessary to do anything with IIS Admin.

[Hockson]

It should be in the same publication you got the 'detach' command from.

Where did you get the script for the detach?

There's also a full appendix in the Operations Guide that discusses how to migrate from WID to SQL Server, which includes references on detach/attach operations.

This is a normal message after reinstalling WSUS. You'll need to unregister the Navigation Pane entry for the old server and re-register the new installation.

[Lawrence Garvin [MVP]]

From SQL Server 2005 documentation (Books Online):

sp_attach_db
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...7(SQL.90).aspx

CREATE DATABASE
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...1(SQL.90).aspx

If you could share the *exact* sequence of steps you are performing from the
time you start up SSMS until the "attach fails" including the exact messages
you get in response to the "attach fails", I can possibly give you a more
detailed answer than just pointing you at how-to documentation.

Really... I'm sorry you had such troubles. I entered the word sp_attach_db
into Bing and got back a half dozen pointers to three different versions of
SQL Server documentation at MSDN.

Uninstall WSUS using Add/Remove Programs.
Uninstall the Windows Internal Database
Delete the 'wsus' (msc) file in the local user profile.
Delete the %programfiles%\Update Services folder.
Delete the ~\WSUS folder.
Reboot

Rerun the installer.

[BobHickok]

Lawrence,

Sorry for the long delay, thanks for the help and patience. I've been working out of the office on IT audits for a while. Virtualizing this server on Monday.

My WSUS was at the point where it was giving the Connection Error message that it could not communicate with the server after I had used the reinstall steps you provided, and then I had tried to restore my former SUSDB. So now I am trying to remove and reinstall per your last Reply.

I have now run the steps you gave me for a removal and clean install.
Step by step I did this and saw this:

1. Stop WWW service, Stop Update Services
2. Uninstall WSUS using Add/Remove Programs. I chose to remove all 3 choices.
- It failed, but WSUS was removed from the list of installed programs. It said it "was not removed correctly due to an error".
3. Uninstall the Windows Internal Database from Add/Remove Programs.
- That succeeded fully. (WSUS still starts with the same Connection Error at this point as it did before shutting down services and uninstalling.)
4. Delete the 'wsus' (msc) file in the local user profile.
- Found this in 2 local users' profiles. Deleted both.
5. Ran MSICUU2.exe to remove MS WSUS 3.0 SP1
- That successfully removed WSUS from the MSICUU list.
6. Delete the %programfiles%\Update Services folder.
- I could not delete "EventCategories.dll" from the Common folder, therefore I deleted everthing in \program files\Update Services, then renamed the folder.
7. Delete the ~\WSUS folder.
- Was on D: drive, as I had chosen on last WSUS 3 SP1 reinstall.
8. Reboot
- Still cannot delete or rename file EventCategories.dll
9. Rerun the installer. WSUS 3.0 SP1
- Chose full install, all components. Told it to re-use the web settings, chose D: drive for each of the location choices.
- Said it successfully installed. When I clicked Finish I got:
an error box headed "W.S.U.S. Configuration Wizard"
with this message: "An error occurred when communicating with the server, and this wizard must be closed. You may restart the WSUS Server Configuration Wizard from the Options page on WSUS 3. Console."
10. I rebooted the server before trying to access WSUS.
- booted fine.
11. Start up WSUS, the server (\\doc-it) is not listed on the Servers Administered list - the list area is blank. On the left, Update Services has nothing under it.
- Only thing in File|Options is Cleanup (~187k).
- No config wizard on menus
When I try to Connect To... servers, it defaults to port 80, I type in servername (doc-it) and it fails. Tried using \\doc-it and that fails too.

Please advise what I do from here to either get a new update server started on this install and run the Config Wiz, or if I need to remove again and install again, doing something differently than I had tonight, or what I do to get my prior DB going (I think I have a copy offline I can restore if you can walk me through that from what I have running now-with no servers administered.)

Thanks a lot.
Bob

[Hockson]

This is not particularly surprising. You stopped the service in
Step #1. Even if you didn't uninstall (partially or successfully) in
Step #2, this would be a normal indication with the w3svc and wsus services stopped.

This is not a good sign. When a DLL file is not deletable, it means one of two things. Either the permissions on the file are mucked up -- or something is still using it.

Interesting. Not sure what the implications are of renaming a folder tree of a in-use DLL -- I'd be surprised if it could be done -- which then would suggest the deletion issue was a permissions error.

So, I assume by "renamed the folder" you mean you renamed the Common folder? Why not rename/delete the "Update Services" folder?]

Now this indicates either some other malware process has taken over the DLL and is still running (which would likely be smart enough to overcome the renamed folder tree), or the permissions on the file are incorrect -- preventing its deletion. Either way, I would continue troubleshooting this specific issue before I tried to reinstall the software - something is not right with this -- and it's important when 'fixing' things to never continue with a procedure when something else "is not right".

Just to clarify -- the value that goes in that blank is the simple machine name 'doc-it', not a UNC pathname. Likewise, in the console, the node of the navigation tree will be the simple machine name, not containing leading backslashes.

What do you get from the command 'nslookup doc-it' when run on the WSUS Server?

Have you made *any* changes to the configuration of IIS? Is anything else running on this server that uses IIS? In any of these repair attempts have you ever uninstalled/reinstalled IIS?

Can you access this resource from IE on the WSUS Server:
http://doc-it/iuident.cab
http://doc-it/selfupdate/iuident.cab
http://doc-it/simpleauthwebservice/simpleauth.asmx

The first two should give you File Open/Save dialog boxes; the last will give you a webservices description page.

I don't know that we've ever talked about the specifics of your installation, since this is a long running thread and most of the early posts have rolled off my reader. Please provide a synopsis of the server
(hardware/os/software) and environment in which it is installed. At this point I'm concerned about =assumptions= interfering with continued diagnostic efforts.

[BobHickok]

Lawrence,

Thanks again for all the help. I've been out consulting and on vacation, etc. sorry for the long delay.

I have read your last post, and ran the commands to test. Here are updates and feedback from your last questions and suggestions, I've included your comments to which I am responding, for easier reading:
_________________________________________
You wrote: Interesting. Not sure what the implications are of renaming a folder tree of a in-use DLL -- I'd be surprised if it could be done -- which then would suggest the deletion issue was a permissions error.

So, I assume by "renamed the folder" you mean you renamed the Common folder? Why not rename/delete the "Update Services" folder?

-- No, I renamed the "...Update Services" folder to be "...Update Services_DEL" - yes it allowed me to rename a parent folder that contained a folder (common), in which there was a DLL file in use that would not allow deletion or renaming.

I have since reinstalled WSUS as I wrote, there is a new "...Update Services" folder that has a common folder with a new copy of that same DLL. The new copy of that file is in use, but it should be..? So there does not appear to be a problem with that file, nor its rights, etc. - but it was in a weird state when I reinstalled WSUS.
_________________________________________
You wrote: Just to clarify -- the value that goes in that blank is the simple machine name 'doc-it', not a UNC pathname. Likewise, in the console, the node of the navigation tree will be the simple machine name, not containing leading backslashes.

--I had tried the simple name in the past, and have again tried using the simple name "doc-it", as well as "doc-it.rothcpa.com" since your last post - my comment below will explain why I also try with the domain name appended too...
_________________________________________
You wrote: What do you get from the command 'nslookup doc-it' when run on the WSUS Server?

-- When I lookup "doc-it" I get "Can't find... non-existent domain". If I lookup "doc-it.rothcpa.com" then it resolves the correct IP address.
_________________________________________
You wrote: Have you made *any* changes to the configuration of IIS?

-- I do not believe so.
_________________________________________
You wrote: Is anything else running on this server that uses IIS?

-- Not positive. When I go into look at it I see Default App Pool and WSUS Pool, and I see Default Website and Administration Website.
_________________________________________
You wrote: In any of these repair attempts have you ever uninstalled/reinstalled IIS?

-- No I don't believe I have.
_________________________________________
You wrote: Can you access this resource from IE on the WSUS Server:
http://doc-it/iuident.cab
http://doc-it/selfupdate/iuident.cab
http://doc-it/simpleauthwebservice/simpleauth.asmx

-- in that order, the responses to the 3 commands are:
-opens a window with Open/Save/Cancel options (this one's OK?)
-opens a window with Open/Save/Cancel options (this one's OK?)
- "Service unavailable." - I double/triple checked my spelling.
So the first two are fine, the third is not OK.
_________________________________________
You wrote: I don't know that we've ever talked about the specifics of your
installation, since this is a long running thread and most of the early posts have rolled off my reader. Please provide a synopsis of the server (hardware/os/software) and environment in which it is installed. At this point I'm concerned about =assumptions= interfering with continued diagnostic efforts.

-- On 7/17/09 I converted this and my other servers from physical to virtual. But the WSUS broke in the physical, only after I ran commands trying to move the SUSDB due to a hard drive free space problem (following Internet advice blindly - commands I wrote about at the beginning of this long thread). WSUS had been running fine for several years in the physical environment, and then broke in the phys. environment, and the first few removals/reinstalls of WSUS were in the physical. I had originally installed WSUS 2x, all ran fine, and I upgraded to 3x a long time ago, all was still well long after the install of WSUS 3.

This is on a W2K3 Std server, all patched. It is a workgroup server running in my Novell NDS (e-Directory) domain network. It was and HP ProLiant ML 350 - now it's on VMWare.

It has been a stable machine ever since I built it. Only shutdowns are for the incessant Windows patching. No blue screens ever. No viruses ever. Not used for email , except occasion GroupWise Web Access (very rare). It is rarely used for surfing - Firefox only - for Googling stuff occasionally. Has Cute PDF on it, no Office. Pretty plain Jane. 99% of patches are installed within 1-2 weeks of release. Emergency MS patches always installed immediately. Rare user remote desktop sessions to it - only for administration, never for workstation/daily application use.

Thanks in advance for providing more help on this. I assume the .asmx Service Unavailable is about the only update here to focus on?

WSUS still starts up fine at this point, it just still has no WSUS server that it can see and manage.

Bob

[karrma]

This is caused because the domain suffix(es) for this machine are not properly configured.

Either the default domain suffix is not being supplied by DHCP (if a DHCP client),

or the Computer | Properties | Computer Name | Change | More dialog has not had a machine domain suffix specified (for static addressed systems),

or the TCP/IP Properties | DNS tab has not been properly specified to provide a connection-specific domain suffix for the network interface.

As a result, the machine is not properly appending the domain suffix to the simple machine name 'doc-it', and as a result, the DNS lookup fails.

[Hockson]

Not positive. When I go into look at it I see Default App Pool and WSUS Pool, and I see Default Website and Administration Website.

Okay.. this is a strong suggestion that nothing else is running on the machine -- but you've provided a *BIG* clue here as to another point. Since there is a "WSUS Administration" website, WSUS would appear to actually be installed to port 8530, not port 80.

These are good. Those are the expected results, and confirms for us that the selfupdate feature is accessible.

Based on what I *now* know... this is an expected indication.

Test, also, these three URLs:
http://doc-it:8530/iuident.cab
http://doc-it:8530/selfupdate/iuident.cab
http://doc-it:8530/simpleauthwebservice/simpleauth.asmx

So, to the point of the Admin Console connection -- you'll need to be sure to specify the port number =8530= in the "Connect to ... " dialog.

Also, confirm that your policy configurations are including this port number on the Intranet services URLs: http://doc-it:8530 should be the actual URL configured for WSUS clients to use.

[BobHickok]

Maybe you will believe this, but I could not believe it:

I did nothing to tweak my WSUS, never touched it since my last post here.
I ran Windows Updates manually (had to reboot my VM anyway).
It found WSUS 3.0 SP2 - I was tempted to not install it so as to not introduce any new variables, then thought what the heck, I may be ripping out this WSUS install and reinstalling anyway.

I ran the MS Updates as normal, left WSUS 3 SP2 on the list. It said it required an uninstall before the SP would install (no reboot required though).

After the SP2 install it went straight to the setup wizard, including all steps. I walked through the wizard, chose my MS products and classifications, the WSUS was good right away, workstations were immediately listed in the Unassigned Computers group.

All my old groups and stats were gone of course, but I will go with this vanilla install.

Now my WSUS 3.0 is working perfectly. However I do have some ~1,900 updates to Approve for Install or Decline...

Thanks for all your work and help on this. Yeah for SPs !?!?