Monthly Cumulative Updates fail with 0x800f0821 (timeout?) on 4 of 4 WS2016 servers

J

JRVCr

4 out of 4 WS2016 servers (all WSUS clients, ConfigMgr is not in use) are repeatedly failing to install the monthly "Cumulative Update for Windows Server 2016 for x64-based Systems" updates. Most recently, the March 2018 update but this behavior goes back at for a few months.

In the WU GUI, error 0x800705b4 is posted. In the Setup log, 0x800f0821.

_______________________

Log Name: Setup
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Servicing
Date: 4/6/2018 4:04:14 AM
Event ID: 3
Task Category: (1)
Level: Information
Keywords:
User: SYSTEM
Computer: computer.domain.local
Description:
Package KB4088787 failed to be changed to the Installed state. Status: 0x800f0821.
_______________________

Looking at the Setup logs, the update times out after about 40-65 minutes; it varies.

I found few references to the result code in web searches, but SCCM 2012 - Software Update failed 0x800f0821 - Alexandre VIOT suggests it's a timeout. We're not using SCCM, but timeout certainly seems reasonable, given the length of time the update runs according to the Setup log.

As per https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/e13e24a9-6fad-4a69-83b8-61581e7b8fc1/server-update-error-0x800705b4?forum=ws2016, tried installing the update using SCONFIG. This works. It takes a VERY long time--more than an hour--at "Downloading updates". If it's downloading from WSUS, it's got gigabit bandwidth. If from Microsoft, 30Mbps at this end. The actual installation takes just a minute or two. But at least SCONFIG works.

If this is relevant, "After a Preview Build or Feature Update is released, defer receiving it for this many days:" is set to 365, and "Do not allow update deferral policies to cause scans against Windows Update" is enabled.

Is it normal for WS2016 CUs to take this long? How can I prevent the timeouts?

[Edit]

Looks like both download and install are taking a long time. It's now 6+ hours after I started an SCONFIG-initiated update install. First 4-ish hours were download, and we're at 1+ hours for install as I write this. The elapsed time of the Feb. CU was about 1.5 minutes, per Setup log, but I recall it took a long time to d/l.

Really mystified. Not happening on W7, 10, 2008R2 or 2012 clients of the same WSUS.

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