This topic contains information to help troubleshoot issues that might occur when configuring System Center Updates Publisher settings. It also includes the security requirements that must be met before software updates can be exported, describes the log file used to help diagnose issues, and lists troubleshooting solutions for common issues.

Settings Requirements

When configuring Updates Publisher settings to an update server, the configuration will be successful only after meeting the following requirements:

  • To publish software updates, Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 for Updates Publisher 3.0 and WSUS 3.0 Service Pack 1 (SP1) must be installed on a local or remote computer and accessible from the Updates Publisher computer before configuring the update server on the Update Server tab of the Settings dialog box.

  • When a custom WSUS Web site is used for a local update server, and it is configured to use an HTTP port other than HTTP port 80 or HTTP port 8530, you must select Connect to a remote update server on the Update Server tab or the connection to the local update server will fail.

  • Internet access must be available to discover and add external catalogs to the import list.

Security Requirements

The following security rights are required for specific Updates Publisher settings:

  • To modify Updates Publisher settings the user must have a SQL login created on the publishing tool database (mscuptdb) and be assigned System_Center_Updates_Publisher_User database role membership rights.

  • To modify the data source, the user must have Full Control permissions to the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\PublishingTool registry key.

  • To configure the settings on the Update Server tab of the Settings dialog box, the user must have administrative rights on the update server.

For more information about the security requirements for Updates Publisher, see Security Considerations for Updates Publisher.

Log File

Updates Publisher writes information to the UpdatesPublisher.log file to help diagnose issues that might occur when opening and using the console. The log file is created in the temporary folder for the user opening the console, located by default at %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp.

Important
The Updates Publisher log files must be opened with a simple text editor, such as Notepad. Opening the log files in a full text editor might not display the contents of the log file correctly.

UpdatesPublisher.log

When Updates Publisher settings are successfully configured, some settings write to UpdatesPublisher.log and some do not. This section describes the entries that Updates Publisher writes to the log file after certain settings are configured:

  • When successfully configuring an update server, Updates Publisher writes one of the following key log entries:

    Remote update server

    Connecting to the update server update server name using port port number. SSL enabled = True or False

    Local update server:

    Connecting to a local update server with locally detected settings.

  • When a digital certificate is successfully created on the update server, Updates Publisher writes one of the following key log entries:

    Digital certificate from file

    Successfully created signing certificate from supplied file certificate file path\certificate file

    Digital certificate that is automatically created

    Successfully created a new signing certificate

  • When successfully configuring a new data source, Updates Publisher writes the following key log entry:

    The data source for the Updates Publisher has changed. Refreshing from database.

  • When successfully configuring any of the settings on the Advanced tab, Updates Publisher writes one of the following key log entries:

    Remote update server

    Connecting to the update server smsserver using port 80. SSL enabled = False

    Local update server

    Connecting to a local update server with locally detected settings.

Common Updates Publisher Settings Issues

The following sections list common issues that may occur when configuring the Updates Publisher settings, possible causes for the issues, and a list of possible solutions.

Failed to Connect to the update server

When testing the connection to the update server by clicking Test Connection on the Update Server tab of the Settings dialog box, the following error message displays:

Failed to connect to the update server. Check your update server configuration settings and try connecting again. Unable to connect to the remote server.

When troubleshooting this error, verify the following:

  • When a custom WSUS Web site is used for a local update server, and it is configured to use an HTTP port other than HTTP port 80 or HTTP port 8530, you must select Connect to a remote update server on the Update Server tab or the connection to the local update server will fail. Verify that the Connect to a remote update server is selected and the correct port setting is specified for the WSUS Web site.

This Import Location is Already in the List

When configuring a URL path for a new import location on the Import tab of the Settings dialog box, the following error message displays:

This import location is already in the list

When troubleshooting this error, verify the following:

  • The location already exists in the import list. There can be only one instance for each import location.

The URL You Have Entered is Not Well Formed

When configuring a URL path for a new import location on the Import tab of the Settings dialog box, the following error message displays:

The URL you have entered is not well formed

When troubleshooting this error, verify the following:

  • The URL path must be entered in a valid format. For example, http://MyServer/MyCatalogLocation, https://MyServer/MyCatalogLocation, and file://MyServer/MyShare/MyCatalog.cab are valid paths.

Cannot Open Database "MSCUPTDB"

When configuring a new server name on the Data Source tab of the Settings dialog box, the following message displays:

Cannot open database "mscuptdb" requested by the login. The login failed. Login failed for user 'username'

When troubleshooting this error, verify the following:

  • The mscuptdb database must be created on the computer running SQL Server. If the database and database role are not created, run the CreatePubToolDb.sql SQL script, located in the Updates Publisher installation folder, to create the mscuptdb database and System_Center_Updates_Publisher_User database role.

  • The user installing the Updates Publisher must have permissions to the SQL Server database. The user must have a user login in SQL Server that has the System_Center_Updates_Publisher_User database role membership on the mscuptdb database.

Failed to Connect to the Update Server - Remote Name Could Not Be Resolved

When configuring an update server on the Update Server tab of the Settings dialog box, the following message displays:

Failed to connect to the update server. Check your update server configuration settings and try connecting again. The remote name could not be resolved: 'update server name'

The following log entries are written to UpdatesPublisher.log:

Connecting to the update server update server name using port port number. SSL enabled = True or False

Configure : Failed to connect to the update server using the configuration data provided. [The remote name could not be resolved: 'update server name'].

When troubleshooting this error, verify the following:

  • The remote update server name is not valid.

  • The remote update server is valid, but cannot be resolved on the network.

Failed to Connect to the Update Server - Unable to Connect to the Remote Server

When configuring an update server on the Update Server tab of the Settings dialog box, the following message displays:

Failed to connect to the update server. Check your update server configuration settings and try connecting again. Unable to connect to the remote server

The following log entries are written to UpdatesPublisher.log:

Connecting to the update server update server name using port port number. SSL enabled = True or False

Configure : Failed to connect to the update server using the configuration data provided. [The remote name could not be resolved: 'update server name'].

When troubleshooting this error, verify the following:

  • The configured port setting for the remote update server is not valid. Check the update server for the correct port setting.

Failed to Connect to the Update Server - The Underlying Connection Was Closed

When configuring an update server on the Update Server tab of the Settings dialog box, the following message displays:

Failed to connect to the update server. Check your update server configuration settings and try connecting again. The underlying connection was closed: An unexpected error occurred on a send.

The following log entries are written to UpdatesPublisher.log:

Connecting to the update server update server name using port port number. SSL enabled = True or False

Configure : Failed to connect to the update server using the configuration data provided. [The underlying connection was closed: An unexpected error occurred on a send.].

When troubleshooting this error, verify the following:

  • The update server is configured with an accepted port, but Secure Sockets Layer is selected on the Update Server tab but not configured on the update server.

See Also