We did a Windows Update that had 202 updates, and we're not able to connect to the server afterwards, even by running the client on the server itself. We have setup our server on an internal IP address 10.1.10.2:16444, and running this using AD.

Our log shows something like this:
4/14/2016 10:25:32 AM Starting VisualCron Client, path: C:\Program Files (x86)\VisualCron\VisualCronClient.exe
4/14/2016 10:41:00 AM Stopping VisualCron service
4/14/2016 10:41:07 AM Could not show Desktop alert, ex: Invoke or BeginInvoke cannot be called on a control until the window handle has been created.
4/14/2016 10:41:19 AM Starting VisualCron service
4/14/2016 10:41:48 AM Starting VisualCron service
4/14/2016 10:41:48 AM Error starting VisualCron service, err: Cannot start service VisualCron on computer '.'.
4/14/2016 10:42:07 AM Connecting to VisualCron Server
4/14/2016 10:42:07 AM Could not connect to server. Error: There was no endpoint listening at net.pipe://localhost/VisualCron/ that could accept the message. This is often caused by an incorrect address or SOAP action. See InnerException, if present, for more details.
4/14/2016 10:42:07 AM Connecting to VisualCron Server
4/14/2016 10:42:07 AM Could not connect to server. Error: There was no endpoint listening at net.pipe://localhost/VisualCron/ that could accept the message. This is often caused by an incorrect address or SOAP action. See InnerException, if present, for more details.
4/14/2016 10:42:37 AM Connecting to VisualCron Server
4/14/2016 10:42:37 AM Connecting to VisualCron Server

The jobs that were setup on the server is still running though, we just can't access it at all.

We are running version 8.0.4 by the way.

As discussed in chat it is probably a network/firewall issue as you can telnet locally. Let us know what you find.

---

We are still unable to connect at all. We've ran some test on the server and the port 16444 is listening, but just can't be accessed form anywhere.

Hi Kevin,

we can only support so far. We spent some time yesterday to confirm that it is not about VisualCron but something that has changed in the network and those kind of changes are out of our hands. If you could telnet from your workstation to the VisualCron server but not Connect with the Client it would be VC related but now you cannot even telnet remotely - only locally so it is outside of VisualCron.

Maybe one reboot helps, I am not sure but some network adminstrator should analyze that you cannot telnet to see what is blocking telnet.

---

Have you tried 'reinstalling' VisualCron ? It should remove and reinstall the VisualCron service using your current jobs/backup and maybe that'll jumpstart it working again.

Btw.. 202 updates... yikes haha. Time to get things on a schedule so you could troubleshoot things like this in the future. Removing and testing against 5-10 patches is manageable although not fun, 202.... not quite so fun and pretty far into 'i'd rather rebuild the server' territory.

if this were my server i'd be trying the reinstall. if that didn't work, i'd unfortunately be looking at the System logs for WindowsUpdate Agent and figuring out exactly which patches installed.... and start removing all of them. See if it's happy again. Then start reinstalling 5-10 at a time and see when it breaks again, if at all.

Brian

Thanks for the responses, we have tried everything, and we're going to be rebuilding the server now. 😞