Symptom

When using the Configuration Checker to verify the installation and configuration or attempting to Publish Updates, a CreateDirectory failed error may occur.

Cause

The permissions are incorrect on one or more of the following locations:

• NTFS Permissions on the UpdateServicesPackages directory
• Share Permissions on the UpdateServicesPackages share
• NTFS Permissions on the WsusContent directory
• Share Permissions on the WsusContent share

Solution

Set the correct permissions on the directories and shares.

1. On the server hosting WSUS, open the registry and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Update Services\Server\Setup

2. Review the ContentDir value.

In the referenced picture, the ContentDir is located at:

D:\UpdateStore

3. Open Explorer and navigate to the location listed (in the example, navigate to D:\UpdateStore). Inside D:\UpdateStore, there will be UpdateSerivcesPackages and WsusContent.

4. Verify that the following NTFS permissions are set on the UpdateServicesPackages directory.

• Administrators Group – Full Access
• NETWORK SERVICE – Full Access
• SYSTEM – Full Access
• Users Group – Read/List Folder, Read & Execute Access
• WSUS Administrators Group – Full Access

5. Verify that the following Share permissions are set on the UpdateServicesPackages share.

• Administrators Group – Full Access
• NETWORK SERVICE – Full Access
• Everyone – Read Access
• WSUS Administrators Group – Full Access

6. Verify that the following NTFS permissions are set on the WsusContent directory.

• Administrators Group – Full Access
• NETWORK SERVICE – Full Access
• SYSTEM – Full Access
• Users Group – Read/List Folder, Read & Execute Access
• WSUS Administrators Group – Full Access

7. Verify that the following Share permissions are set on the WsusContent share.

• Administrators Group – Full Access
• NETWORK SERVICE – Full Access
• Everyone – Read Access
• WSUS Administrators Group – Full Access