If you’ve ever stared at the Windows Event Viewer only to find a cryptic warning about the failing, you are not alone. This error usually rears its head on Windows Server versions (like 2012 R2, 2016, or 2019) running the Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) role.
Taming the Ghost: Fixing “Remote Desktop Services SxS Network Stack Download” Errors Date: October 26, 2023 Category: Windows Server / Remote Desktop Services
Let me know in the comments—I suspect it might stick around for a while. Found this helpful? Subscribe to the feed for more RDS troubleshooting and Windows Server war stories.
It looks something like this: Event ID 238, Source: Microsoft-Windows-TerminalServices-ServerUSBDevices: "The Remote Desktop Services SxS network stack download failed. Please check network connectivity." Let’s break down what this actually means, why it happens, and—most importantly—how to kill this error for good. SxS stands for Side-by-Side . In the context of RDS, Windows sometimes tries to download a newer or updated network stack component (related to RDP or USB redirection) from Microsoft servers or WSUS. This is supposed to be a seamless background update to improve features like Plug and Play device redirection.
