Skip to content
Trending
Simplify Windows Devices to Run Only the Required Applications using Intune Enhance macOS Compliance with Custom Security and Compliance Checks to Improve Device Security using Microsoft Intune Manage Samsung Galaxy Firmware Versions to Improve Security and Compliance using Microsoft Intune MS Intune Adds Windows Registry Data Collection to Device Inventory for Single Values All Key Values and Subkeys Updated Windows Device Sync Experience Enhances Per-Device Troubleshooting Configure Windows Sandbox vGPU Policy using Intune for Better Graphics Performance or Reduced Attack Surface Simplify Windows Devices to Run Only the Required Applications using Intune Enhance macOS Compliance with Custom Security and Compliance Checks to Improve Device Security using Microsoft Intune Manage Samsung Galaxy Firmware Versions to Improve Security and Compliance using Microsoft Intune MS Intune Adds Windows Registry Data Collection to Device Inventory for Single Values All Key Values and Subkeys Updated Windows Device Sync Experience Enhances Per-Device Troubleshooting Configure Windows Sandbox vGPU Policy using Intune for Better Graphics Performance or Reduced Attack Surface
ConfigMgr Learn How to Force a SCCM Site to Sync from its Parent Site

ConfigMgr Learn How to Force a SCCM Site to Sync from its Parent Site

Written By Anoop C Nair
Last Updated August 7, 2024
Posted In SCCM
SHARE

Learn ConfigMgr Learn How to Force a SCCM Site to Sync from its Parent Site. While troubleshooting some weird site replication issues today, we decided to force a sync of our SCCM 2007 site with its parent, as the child primary was missing some OSD advertisements.

Software update synchronization in Configuration Manager retrieves the software update metadata that meets your configure criteria, including specific products, classifications, and languages.

Usually, the software update point on the central administration site or a stand-alone primary site recovers the metadata from Microsoft Update. Then, the top-level site will send a synchronization request to other sites.

When a site receives the synchronization request from the parent site, the site’s software update point retrieves software update metadata from its upstream synchronization source.

Patch My PC

ConfigMgr Learn How to Force a SCCM Site to Sync from its Parent Site

So, after some research, the following is the process of forcing a resync between a Parent site and its Child site.

ConfigMgr Learn How to Force a SCCM Site to Sync from its Parent Site - Fig.1
ConfigMgr Learn How to Force a SCCM Site to Sync from its Parent Site – Fig.1

1. Identify the Parent Site

On the Site with problems (the Site you want to get re-synced), in the SCCM console, expand Site Management, Site Code, right-click on the Site, choose Properties, and note what the Parent Site: value is set to. Learn how to Force a ConfigMgr SCCM Site to sync from its parent site.

2. Logon to the Parent Site

Login to the Parent site with the same account that you installed SCCM on that Site with, e.g.: if you installed the Parent site while logged on as SMSadmin, then login as SMSAdmin; otherwise, you may get errors in the preinst command.

3. Run the preinst command

Locate the SCCM installation directory, open a command prompt, and browse to X:\SMS\bin\i3860000409, where X: is the drive you installed SCCM on. Execute the following command. How to Force a SCCM Site to Sync from its Parent Site

preinst.exe /syncchild XXX

Where XXX is the SITE CODE of the child site you want to sync. The following should be the output

F:\SMS\bin\i3860000409>preinst.exe /syncchild ABC

  • Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager v4.00 (Build 6487)
    Copyright (C) 2005 Microsoft Corp.
  • Synchronized child site ABC
  • Note: as this is full sync, it will take many hours to sync everything.

4. What Logs to look at?

Pay close attention to the following logs on the Parent and Child site

  • Despool.log – Records incoming site-to-site communication transfers.
  • Replmgr.log – Records the replication of files between the site server components and the Scheduler component.
  • Sender.log – Records files that are sent to other child and parent sites.

Learn How to Force a ConfigMgr SCCM Site to sync from its parent site.

1. Understanding Site Communication in SMS/SCCM

2. SCCM Object Replication Issue From Central To Primary

3. preinst.exe /syncchild <– Not a known site?

4. Technet: Hierarchy Maintenance Tool Syntax

5. Technet: New deep-dive document: Component details and data flow for site-to-site replication in SMS 2003 and Configuration Manager 2007

We are on WhatsApp. To get the latest step-by-step guides and news updates, Join our Channel. Click here –HTMD WhatsApp.

Author

Anoop C Nair is Microsoft MVP! He is a Device Management Admin with more than 20 years of experience (calculation done in 2021) in IT. He is a Blogger, Speaker, and Local User Group HTMD Community leader. His primary focus is Device Management technologies like SCCM 2012, Current Branch, and Intune. He writes about ConfigMgr, Windows 11, Windows 10, Azure AD, Microsoft Intune, Windows 365, AVD, etc.

Written by

Anoop C Nair is Workplace Technology solution architect with 25+ years of experience in global enterprise organizations such as JP Morgan, Capgemini, etc. Microsoft Certified Trainer. Microsoft MVP from 2015 onwards for consecutive 11+ years! He also conducts Intune and modern workplace tech training for enterprise organizations. He is Blogger, Speaker, and Founder of HTMD Community and HTMD Conference. His main focus is on Device Management technologies like Intune, Windows, Cloud PC. He writes about technologies like Intune, SCCM, Windows, Cloud PC, Windows, Entra, Microsoft Security.

Discussion

Join the discussion

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related guides

Intune

Windows 11 KB5101650 KB5099414 July 2026 Patch and 3 Zero Day Vulnerabilities and 570 Flaws

Key Takeaways Windows 11 KB5101650 KB5099414 July 2026 Patch and 3 Zero Day Vulnerabilities and 570 Flaws! In the July 2026 Patch, Microsoft introduced new features designed to improve the overall Windows experience. The update adds enhancements to Windows Update for more flexible update management and introduces Point-in-Time Restore, providing an additional recovery option for […]

AC Anoop C Nair 9 min read
Intune

2026 June KB5094126 KB5093998 Windows 11 Patch | 3 Zero Day Vulnerabilities and 200 Flaws

Key Takeaways 2026 June KB5094126 KB5093998 Windows 11 Patch | 3 Zero Day Vulnerabilities and 200 Flaws! The June 2026 Windows 11 Patch Tuesday update brings several improvements to File Explorer. It adds support for additional archive formats, including UU, CPIO, XAR, and NuGet Packages (NUPKG). The update also preserves View and Sort preferences in […]

AC Anoop C Nair 10 min read
Intune

2026 May KB5089549 KB5087420 Windows 11 Patch | 0 Zero Day Vulnerabilities and 120 Flaws

Key Takeaways The Windows 11 May 2026 Patch KB5089549 KB5087420 Update brings important security fixes, performance improvements, and reliability enhancements across the operating system. The update introduces new features such as Xbox Mode for gaming, File Explorer improvements, enhanced input and sharing experiences, better taskbar and Windows Hello reliability, and additional enterprise management capabilities for […]

AC Anoop C Nair 8 min read
SCCM

ConfigMgr 2603 Introduces New Early Update Enrollment Process

Key Takeaways In this post we are discussing the ConfigMgr 2603 Introduces New Early Update Enrollment Process. Microsoft has officially released Configuration Manager version 2603 to the Early Update Ring, giving organizations an opportunity to test upcoming improvements before the global production rollout. The release is targeted at enterprises running ConfigMgr version 2409 or later […]

AC Anoop C Nair 3 min read