Fix Windows Server Update Services Error Code 0x80070643

The following error message may appear on your Windows computer when you try to perform Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) setup on it:

Error 0x80070643: Fatal error during installation.

In addition to this, if you open the Wsusca.txt file you will find information indicating that the user you are using does not have the required rights to perform the task and therefore the setup cannot complete.

Cause of the Error

Error code 0x80070643 occurs because WSUS Setup does not have the System Administrator permissions to the Microsoft SQL Server that is required to perform the installation.

Resolution Method

You can resolve this issue by doing one of the following:

  • Grant your user account System Administrator permissions.
  • Grant a group account in SQL Server 2000 or SQL Server 2005 System Administrator permissions.

After doing this, you will have to re-run the WSUS Setup process.

Log on to your system with a user account that has administrative rights to your system and then use one of the following methods:

Method 1: Use the osql utility to Grant System Administrator permissions to a new user or group account in SQL Server 2000 or 2005:

  1. Open Notepad and then copy the text given below onto it:

    2. EXEC sp_grantlogin '<Server_Name>\<Login_name>' Go EXEC sp_addsrvrolemember '<Server_Name>\<Login_name>', 'sysadmin' Go

    To grant permissions to an existing user or group account, copy the following text:

    EXEC sp_addsrvrolemember '< Server_Name>\<Login_name>', 'sysadmin' Go

    Here, Server_Name represents that name your SQL server instance and Login_name your user or group account.

  2. Save this file with the name GrantPermission.sql in the C drive.
  3. Now, open command prompt, and run the following command:

    4. osql -E -i C:\GrantPermission.sql

Method 2: Use the sqlcmd utility Grant System Administrator permissions to a new user or group account in SQL Server 2000 or 2005:

  1. Use the steps given in Method 1 to create the GrantPermission.sql file and save it to the root folder of C Drive.
  2. Next, at command prompt, run the following command:

    3. sqlcmd -i C:\GrantPermission.sql

Method 3: Use Enterprise Manager to Grant System Administrator permissions to a new user or group account in SQL Server 2000

  1. In the Start menu, select All Programs, select Microsoft SQL Server, and then select the Enterprise Manager command.
  2. Here, navigate to Microsoft SQL Servers/SQL Server Group/(local)/Security.
  3. Right-click Logins and then select New Login.
  4. On the General tab of the SQL Server Login Properties – New Login dialog box that opens, select your domain from the Domain list.
  5. Browse and select the user name or group account that you want to use.
  6. Click Add and then click the OK button.
  7. Now, on the Server Roles tab, select the System Administrators check box in the Server Roles list and then click the OK button.

Note: If you want to give permissions to an existing user or group account, then double-click on this account on the Logins dialog box, and then select the System Administrators check box on the Server Roles tab.

Method 4: Use Management Studio to Grant System Administrator permissions to a new user or group account in SQL Server 2005

  1. In the Start menu, select All Programs, select Microsoft SQL Server 2005, and then select the SQL Server Management Studio command.
  2. Select your server and then click the Connect button.
  3. In the Object Explorer window, expand your server, and then expand Security.
  4. Right-click Logins and then select New Login.
  5. On the General tab of the Login – New dialog box that opens, type your user or group account name.
  6. Now, on the Server Roles tab, select the sysadmin check box and then click the OK button.

Note: If you want to give permissions to an existing user or group account then double-click on this account on the Logins dialog box, and then select the sysadmin check box on the Server Roles tab.