Troubleshooting Third-Party Application Patch Failures

Issue Summary

Automox may report a "Failed" status when attempting to patch supported third-party applications (e.g., Notepad++, Adobe Acrobat, Chrome). This typically occurs due to application runtime conflicts or network connectivity issues preventing the download of the patch installer.


Cause 1: Application is Currently Running

Many third-party installers cannot proceed if the application is currently open. To prevent data loss (such as unsaved work in Notepad++), Automox does not force-close running applications by default. If a patch schedule triggers while the application is in use, the installation will fail.

Resolution

  • End-User Notifications: Customize your patch notifications to remind users to close specific applications before the update begins.

  • Worklet Overrides: Use an Automox Worklet to force-terminate specific processes before patching. For guidance, refer to the Third-Party Overrides Options in the documentation.

  • Verification: Review the Third-Party Best Practices list to identify which specific titles require the software to be closed.


Cause 2: Network & Connectivity Blockages

The Automox agent must be able to reach the Amazon S3 buckets where third-party patches are hosted. If the agent cannot resolve the Automox API or download the file to the local temp directory, the patch will fail.

Common Error Indicators:

  • Exception calling "DownloadFile": "The remote name could not be resolved: 'api.automox.com'"

  • Cannot find path 'C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\...' because it does not exist.

Resolution

  • Allowlisting: Ensure your firewall and proxy settings allow traffic to Automox endpoints. Follow the Agent Firewall Allowlisting Rules.

  • Security Software: Confirm that your Endpoint Protection (EPP) or Antivirus is not blocking amagent.exe from executing scripts or downloading files. Refer to Globally Trust-listing Automox.

 

 

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