Windows 10 1903 feature update breaks the client connector

[sabiswas]

This article describes the issue – Windows 10 1903 feature upgrade removes the already installed client connector and breaks the Essentials features such as client backup, Remote Web Access, LaunchPad App etc. The issue only applies to Windows 10 client connected to Windows Server 2016 Essentials, Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials, Windows Server 2012 Essentials and Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials. This article also covers related topic such as the current workaround.

If you have a Windows 10 machine connected to a Windows Server 2016 Essentials, Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials, Windows Server 2012 Essentials or Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials and you apply the Windows 10 1903 feature update, all the following features on the client computer stop to work:

• Client Backup
• LaunchPad App
• Remote Web Access
• Essentials related services will be removed

This issue was described in the past in this blog.

Current Workaround: The user needs to manually remove the "Client Connector for Windows Server Essentials" and reinstall it via the connect website on the affected Windows 10 client machine.

[Dave Patrick]

Something here may help.

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/windowsserver/en-US/044c29e5-7b0e-4241-803f-0cdcbe27db97...

[Susan Bradley]

Actually that thread doesn't.  The gentleman there is still struggling with a broken essentials and reinstalling the connector isn't working for him.  Note that reinstalling the connector worked for me.  

[Chris53153]

We couldn't reinstall the connector either.

Reinstalling was the usual goto when MS bricked the connector with an update. However, we kept getting an error when trying to select the server to connect to in the wizard, "Cannot get information from (IP) please contact your system admin" or "No server detected in the network".  

Try the connector available through the remote web access page of your server. HTTPS://servername.remotewebaccess.com/connect. 

I connected to the machines as a local admin and ran it which seemed to work. 

On the first machine, I took the machine off the domain and rejoined but on the second I didn't bother and it's fixed both.

I can't explain how this is any different but it worked for us.

It seems to skip the "select the server in the drop-down list" part of the wizard that our machines were getting stuck on. 

[JohnBoy5]

I have a server2012r2 essentials with 13 clients all at 1803 or 1809 update versions with all set to hold off the 1903 update for 120 days in windows 10 update settings.

I have successfully updated one of the clients but what a pain in the ... that was.

Other than the "Current Workaround" Mentioned above, is there any fixes from Microsoft as yet to fix the problems created by the update??

Thanks for any info you may have.

JohnBoy5

[smulholland2]

Microsoft has not fixed this issue and the proposed solution of uninstalling / reinstalling the connector does not work as described. There are many other steps that need to be taken. I have successfully reconnected 15 Windows 10 client computers to a Windows Server 2016 Essentials server. Please read the following blog posts (2 parts) to find the exact solution. 

https://smulholland.me/blog/windows-update-1903-and-windows-server-connection-issues/ 

https://smulholland.me/blog/windows-update-1903-and-windows-server-connection-issues-part-2/ 

[JohnBoy5]

 Thanks smulholland2,  for the information and posts you provided.

 I never thought to use the Windows Update Assistant

. Might have saved me some time. I did upgrade all 13 of my  win10 clients to the 1903 ver. this past weekend. I followed the other guides stating to first uninstall the connector software. After the upgrade I reinstalled the connector by http://myserver/connect  and all but two machines reconnected without problems. I did note that although the services for windows essentials did get installed none of them was turned on and were set to Manual. After setting each of the services to Automatic and then starting the service all was well. After a reboot All clients picked up doing backups  right where it had left off the night before. I am running Windows Server 2012r2 essentials. Thanks for the posts.

[NICKROSE]

Windows 10 v 2004 Upgrade Breaks Server Essentials Connector Install

Discovered a lot of posts on this issue relating to v 1903 (none of which worked for the v 2004 Upgrade) but nothing relating to 2004 but after much trial and error I found a solution that works (if you had previously completely uninstalled all WSE files) and it is this:

1) Download the appropriate.msi installer from:  https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=40285

2) Run the installer. (It will not fully complete but it will reinstall the WSE Services.)

3) Find the ClientComputerConnector program listed under "Programs & Features."

4) Run the Repair function a couple of times (it too will not complete.)

5) Go to the Services list under Administrative tools (Run as Admin) and scroll down to find all the Windows Server Essentials services.

6) They will be Disabled. Right click to highlight and select Properties.

7) Change Startup Type to Automatic or Manual and hit "Apply".

8) Hit the Start button.

9) Rinse & Repeat until all Windows Server Essentials are started.

10) Run the ComputerConnector installer either from disc or from https://<<Homeserver Name>>/CONNECT. 

11) It should run to completion this time.

[motif82]

Thanks @NICKROSE , your solution worked perfectly for my connection issues. 

[StapleBench]

Current Workaround: The user needs to manually remove the "Client Connector for Windows Server Essentials" and reinstall it via the connect website on the affected Windows 10 client machine.

Nope: Still broken

Even tried NICKROSE solution and it did not work for me.  

Every Repair/install resets the services to disabled.  Changing to automatic and running them errors out.  

I am so sick of Microsoft's lack of quality.  

I went to another desktop that has the green connector to check its services and there were none.  From the servers dashboard the client shows up as offline. No surprise there.  

[Susan Bradley]

It still works for me.  Did you uninstall fully the Client connector, then reboot the pc, then go back and reinstall the connector?

[NICKROSE]

Changing to automatic and running them errors out. - Are you are sure you are running as Admin? If so you may not have fully uninstalled all the previous WSE files & restarted.  You could use a newer version of Revo Uninstaller or search your Registry for "Windows Server" and delete everything it finds then reboot - that would probably do it.

[CADprofessor]

Thanks so much for the shared information.  After a windows 10 update I have lost all client essentials services on the client.  I was able to run the msi file and restart the services without having to reinstall the connector software.  Thanks again for the help.

[MarkC330]

Microsoft does an update, it kills my settings. This happens with Server Essentials 2016. I also happens with Media Player...I want to play my music on my Sonos speakers, but every time the PC does an update, it turns off streaming. Tired of MS ruining my settings and ruining my computer experience!

[MarkC330]

My server has not connected to my desktop client, or done a backup, in months. I have now spent nearly 40 hours trying to find a solution, and there is no solution. Windows did an update, and I cannot connect. MS needs to provide a solution.

My server is Windows Server Essentials 2016. My desktop is Windows 10 Pro 64 bit. I have 2 Surface Pros with Win 10 that cannot connect.

I have tried uninstall/install the connect software. I have tried renaming my client. I have tried "solutions" listed above. Nothing works.

I have a Microsoft server and a Microsoft client that cannot connect. They did for years, and a Microsoft  update killed all functionality.

WHAT IS A SOLUTION? I NEED A SOLUTION THAT ACTUALLY WORKS!

[NICKROSE]

I would think my recommendation for 2004 also works for 1903:

Discovered a lot of posts on this issue relating to v 1903 (none of which worked for the v 2004 Upgrade) but nothing relating to 2004 but after much trial and error I found a solution that works (if you had previously completely uninstalled all WSE files) and it is this:

1) Download the appropriate.msi installer from:  https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=40285

2) Run the installer. (It will not fully complete but it will reinstall the WSE Services.)

3) Find the ClientComputerConnector program listed under "Programs & Features."

4) Run the Repair function a couple of times (it too will not complete.)

5) Go to the Services list under Administrative tools (Run as Admin) and scroll down to find all the Windows Server Essentials services.

6) They will be Disabled. Right click to highlight and select Properties.

7) Change Startup Type to Automatic or Manual and hit "Apply".

8) Hit the Start button.

9) Rinse & Repeat until all Windows Server Essentials are started.

10) Run the ComputerConnector installer either from disc or from https://<<Homeserver Name>>/CONNECT. 

11) It should run to completion this time.