Microsoft claims to have resolved Windowsthat continue to plague customers, causing problems for users trying to manage printers and other hardware.
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When new hardware is added to a computer running Windows, the operating system connects to a website managed by Microsoft, called Windows Metadata and Internet Services (WMIS), to obtain metadata related to that hardware.
These metadata packages contain information about the hardware, such as the model name, description, OEM provider, various properties and actions, and the device's associated hardware categories. This information is then used in various Windows dialog boxes, such as the Devices and Printers.
However, since November, Windows cannot connect to the Metadata service located at https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=252669&clcid=0x409, which redirects to https://dmd.metaservices.microsoft.com/metadata.svc.
When you visit the URL from a browser, the website displays a “502 Bad Gateway” error, indicating that something is wrong with the website.
As reported by BornCity in December, this led to periodic Event ID 201 connection errors and recurring Event ID 131 errors for ' DeviceSetupManager ', appearing in the Windows Event Viewer logs, with the message “ Metadata staging failed, result=0x80070490 “.
According to information from an administrator experiencing these errors, the inability to connect to Windows Metadata Services is causing problems for their organization.
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These issues include delays of 4-5 minutes when troubleshooting printer issues or adding and deleting print queues, as these issues typically result in support requests being submitted. For a large organization with thousands of devices , this can be a significant problem for staff.
However, Windows administrators got a moment of joy this week, as Microsoft released updates KB5034763 for Windows 10 and KB5034765 for Windows 11, as part of the February 2024 Patch Tuesday, with the announcement that they contain a fix for Windows metadata connection issues.
These updates claim to resolve connection issues with Windows metadata servers, and as an added bonus, the connection will be made over HTTPS, making it more secure.
After installing Windows updates, the new metadata server URL, https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=2257403&clcid=0x409, uses HTTPs and redirects to the new URL https://devicemetadataservice.trafficmanager.net/dms/metadata.svc?LinkID=2257403&clcid=0x409, which also uses HTTPs.
However, Microsoft failed to associate an IP address with devicemetadataservice.trafficmanager.net in DNS, causing connection attempts to fail. Other Windows administrators report seeing similar errors with Event ID 201 in Event Viewer after installing the update.
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How does Windows Metadata Server work?
Windows Metadata Server, also known as Windows Server, is an operating system designed specifically to serve the needs of businesses and networks. Its function is based on the management and organization of data and information stored on a network.
Windows Metadata Server uses a system called Active Directory (AD) to manage users and computers on the network. AD allows administrators to create and manage user accounts, set security policies, and control access to network resources. In addition, Windows Metadata Server provides services such as network management, data storage, security policy enforcement, and remote access. These services enable administrators to maintain the security and performance of their network while ensuring that applications and services continue to operate.
Finally, Windows Metadata Server uses a file system called NTFS (New Technology File System) to store and manage data. NTFS provides advanced security features, including encryption, access rights management, and data recovery.
Source: bleepingcomputer
