Error message when you try to download a file by using the Background Intelligent Transfer Service: "Content file download failed"

When you try to download a file by using the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), you are unsuccessful. Additionally, the following error message is logged in the Application log:Specifically, you experience this problem if you try to perform one or both of the following actions:

• You approve an update in Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). In this situation, the download process is triggered. However, the download operation is unsuccessful. A red X appears over the update.
• You try to download the Mssecure.cab file for the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) Management Pack for Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005.

You may experience this problem if a computer is behind a firewall or behind a proxy server. This problem occurs if one of the following conditions is true:

• The proxy server environment does not support the HTTP 1.1 range request feature.
• You are behind a SonicWALL firewall device, and the Enable HTTP Byte-Range request with Gateway AV setting is not enabled for the device.

When you copy a file by using BITS in background mode, the file is copied in multiple small parts. To perform this kind of copy operation, BITS uses the HTTP 1.1 Content-Range header. If you are behind a proxy server or behind a firewall that removes this header, the file copy operation is unsuccessful.

Note When BITS copies files in foreground mode, BITS does not use this header.

To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods, as appropriate for your situation.

Method 1: The proxy server does not support HTTP 1.1 range requests

Modify the proxy server settings to support HTTP 1.1 range requests. If you cannot modify the proxy server in this manner, configure BITS to work in foreground mode. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type one of the following commands, and then click OK.
   
   If you are using WSUS 2.0 with a MSDE or WMSDE database that was created by a default WSUS installation, type the following command:
   %programfiles%\Update Services\tools\osql\osql.exe -S %Computername%\WSUS -E -b -n -Q "USE SUSDB update tbConfigurationC set BitsDownloadPriorityForeground=1"
   If you configured WSUS 2.0 to use an existing installation of Microsoft SQL Server, type the following command:
   %programfiles%\Update Services\tools\osql\osql.exe" -S %Computername% -E -b -n -Q "USE SUSDB update tbConfigurationC set BitsDownloadPriorityForeground=1"
   If you are using WSUS 3.0 with a Windows Internal Database that was created by a default WSUS installation, type the following command:
   %programfiles%\Update Services\Setup\ExecuteSQL.exe -S %Computername%\MICROSOFT##SSEE -d "SUSDB" -Q "update tbConfigurationC set BitsDownloadPriorityForeground=1"
   If you configured WSUS 3.0 to use an existing installation of SQL Server, type the following command:
   %programfiles%\Update Services\Setup\ExecuteSQL.exe -S %Computername% -d "SUSDB" -Q "update tbConfigurationC set BitsDownloadPriorityForeground=1"
2. Restart the Update Services service. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
   2. In the Services dialog box, right-click Update Services, and then click Restart.

Method 2: The "Enable HTTP Byte-Range request with Gateway AV" setting is not enabled

Click to select the Enable HTTP Byte-Range request with Gateway AV check box on the Internal Settings page of the SonicWALL configuration tool. For more information about how to modify the SonicWALL firewall features, contact SonicWALL support. To do this, visit the following SonicWALL Web site: Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.