Error editing task sequence: Failed to load dynamic properties for class "SMS_TaskSequence_ApplyWindowsSettingsAction" From XML into WMI

Question

I've started getting an intermittent error editing my Windows 7 OSD task sequence.  Sometimes I can open the TS to edit, but when I try to apply changes I get the error.  Other times I get the error when trying to open the TS.  If I try again
right away, I still get the error, but if I wait a few minutes and try again sometimes it will open the TS. 
The error reads:
ConfigMgr Error Object:instance of SMS_Extended Status{Description = "Failed to load dynamic properties for class \"SMS_TaskSequence_ApplyWindowsSettingsAction\" from XML into WMI";Error Code = 2147943746;File = "e:\\qfe\\nts\\sms\\siteserver\\sdk_provider\\smsprov\\ssptspackage.cpp";Line = 3454;Operation = "ExecMethod";ParameterInfo = "SMS_TaskSequencePackage";ProviderName = "WinMgmt";StatusCode = 2147749889;}
Coinciding with this error, I show the following entries in the TaskSequenceProvider.log file: 
[PID: 7608] Invoking method SMS_TaskSequence.LoadFromXml
TaskSequenceProvider
Failed to protect memory buffer, hr=0x80070542
TaskSequenceProvider
Failed to load dynamic properties for class "SMS_TaskSequence_ApplyWindowsSettingsAction" from XML into WMI 0x80070542 (2147943746)
TaskSequenceProvider
Failed to load node Apply Windows Settings from XML into WMI 0x80070542 (2147943746)
TaskSequenceProvider
Failed to load children steps for node "PostInstall" from XML 0x80070542 (2147943746)
TaskSequenceProvider
Failed to load children steps for node "Execute Task Sequence" from XML 0x80070542 (2147943746)
TaskSequenceProvider
Failed to load children steps for node "" from XML 0x80070542 (2147943746)
TaskSequenceProvider
Failed to load XML for the task sequence into WMI 0x80070542 (2147943746)
TaskSequenceProvider
[PID: 7608] Done with method SMS_TaskSequence.LoadFromXml
TaskSequenceProvider
Setting status complete:  status code = 0x80070542; Failed to load dynamic properties for class "SMS_TaskSequence_ApplyWindowsSettingsAction" from XML into WMI
TaskSequenceProvider
I exported the task sequence and checked in "object.xml" for the "ApplyWindowsSettingsAction", to see if there was something odd in the xml, but I don't find anything that jumps out as being wrong.  Here's the section of XML for
that step.  I've removed identifying info, and replaced it with a generic term in bold.
<step type="SMS_TaskSequence_ApplyWindowsSettingsAction" name="Apply Windows Settings" description="" runIn="WinPE" successCodeList="0" runFromNet="false"><action>osdwinsettings.exe /config</action><defaultVarList><variable name="OSDLocalAdminPassword" property="AdminPassword"></variable><variable name="OSDComputerName" property="ComputerName">%_SMSTSMachineName%</variable><variable name="OSDProductKey" property="ProductKey"></variable><variable name="OSDRandomAdminPassword" property="RandomAdminPassword">false</variable><variable name="OSDRegisteredOrgName" property="RegisteredOrgName">COMPANY NAME</variable><variable name="OSDRegisteredUserName" property="RegisteredUserName">COMPANY NAME</variable><variable name="OSDServerLicenseConnectionLimit" property="ServerLicenseConnectionLimit">5</variable><variable name="OSDTimeZone" property="TimeZone">Central Standard Time</variable></defaultVarList></step><step type="SMS_TaskSequence_ApplyNetworkSettingsAction" name="Apply Network Settings" description="" runIn="WinPEandFullOS" successCodeList="0" runFromNet="false"><action>osdnetsettings.exe configure</action><defaultVarList><variable name="OSDDomainName" property="DomainName">DOMAIN.COM</variable><variable name="OSDJoinPassword" property="DomainPassword"></variable><variable name="OSDJoinAccount" property="DomainUsername">DOMAIN ACCOUNT</variable><variable name="OSDEnableTCPIPFiltering" property="EnableTCPIPFiltering" hidden="true">false</variable><variable name="OSDNetworkJoinType" property="NetworkJoinType">0</variable><variable name="OSDAdapterCount" property="NumAdapters" hidden="true">0</variable></defaultVarList></step>
Is there any other log I should check for a clue on this issue?  What could be causing this error?

Answer 1

Thanks for sharing that!  I tend to save contacting MS support until after I've exhausted other options.  I'm always afraid that I'll spend the $500 to open a case and then it turns out to be something simple that I would have found if I had just
kept working on it myself a little longer.
It looks like that link is for an update released in February as KB3023562.  I downloaded and installed it. I'll try opening/editing/saving the task sequence a few times today to see if the issue is resolved.  
After I had already installed it, I thought to look up that update in configmgr.  The update is listed as superseded by 2 other updates.  The newest of those is KB3046049, which just installed last night with the other March patches, so it's possible
that I didn't need to install KB3023562 after all.