Overview

The customer is experiencing an issue with the FaxMaker service, which is stopping automatically. This problem started after a recent Windows patch update, specifically any of the following updates:

• KB5033910
• KB5034119
• KB5034127
• KB5034129
• KB5034171

Symptoms also include the following:

• Recurring errors involving Faulting application:'fmserver.exe' and 'icuuc30.dll', with detailed exception codes and fault offsets. These can be located in the windows application event logs:
  
• Not being able to send or receive Faxes

Solution

[Update 14 Feb 2024]

The Development team released GFI FaxMaker 20.6 to handle this issue. You can also check the GFI-FaxMaker 20.6 Release Notes

[Update 17 Jan 2024]

This is still being investigated by FaxMaker Development team, meanwhile, you can apply the following workaround to restore the service (temporarily uninstalling the identified Windows update)

1. Identify the problematic Windows update, in this case, it was KB5034119/KB5033910/KB5034127.
2. Before making any changes, ensure to take full backups of your system to prevent any data loss.
3. Uninstall the identified Windows update. This can be done by going to the Control Panel, selecting "Programs and Features", then "View installed updates". Find the update in question, right-click on it and select "Uninstall".
4. After uninstalling the update, check if the fax reception functionality has been restored.

Summary

In some cases, a specific Windows update (KB5034119/KB5033910/KB5034127) may cause a conflict with the fax reception functionality, preventing it from working as expected after a server reboot.
The solution involves a temporary workaround of removing the windows update, in addition to the permanent solution in the public Release GFI FaxMaker 20.6.

FAQ

1. Can I prevent specific updates from being installed?
   Yes, you can hide updates or choose to manually install updates to prevent specific ones from being installed automatically.
2. What if a different update is causing the issue?
   If a different update is causing the issue, the same steps can be followed to uninstall that specific update.