How can I stop WUAUSERV?

Anonymous
2010-09-20T03:53:29+00:00

net stop wuauserv

The service is starting or stoping. Please try again later.

Never stops.

Product: Microsoft Fix it 50202 -- Error 1921. Service 'Windows Update' (WUAUSERV) could not be stopped. Verify that you have sufficient privileges to stop system services.

Hey Hey Hey Doc K whadu say ?

Windows for home | Other | Windows update

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Anonymous
2015-05-03T21:30:24+00:00

I stop WUAUSERV to delete the contents in my "Software Distributions" folder. I do that when I am having problems when downloading and installing Apps from the Windows Store. 

The Proper way to do it is as follows:

Command prompt

net stop wuauserv

net stop bits

Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

Delete all the contents

Return to "Command Prompt"

net start wuauserv

net start bits

That should fix your problem.

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-06-19T19:40:45+00:00

    Thank you for the work around;

    this is a little script which would help you :D

    save the below lines into a "*.bat" file then launch it using admin mode.

    ::**********************************************

    @echo off

    set thedir=%userprofile%\desktop

    net stop wuauserv

    net stop bits

    cd C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

    Del /F /Q /S *.*

    net start wuauserv

    net start bits

    cd %thedir%

    ::*******************************************

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-01-10T22:05:44+00:00

    Thank you. I've captured all of your last response to a file so I can refer to it when I need it. It has been a while since I did a disk cleanup, and the specific method you recommend makes sense.

    I've spent this morning using something called Windows 10 Update Assistant to bring my OS up to date. It checked the system and advised me that my OS was out of date, and then gave me an opportunity to bring it up to date. It has already completed the somewhere around 4 gig download in two hours (Satellite connection) and is now 84% into the update. If this does what it seems to be doing, updating my OS to the latest version, I may leave Windows Update disabled and just check back from time to time to see what Windows 10 Update Assistant) has to offer. The two tools seem to be doing the same thing, but the Assistant seems to be much more reliable at doing it.

    Again, thanks for your help.

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-01-10T21:05:21+00:00

    make sure you are Logged in as Administrator user before you run Disk Cleanup

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-01-10T21:03:37+00:00

    Sounds like you almost got it...when you delete the contents of the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

    then restart windows service with the following commands...

    net start wuauserv

    net start bits

    then Windows update service... will have to rebuild the contents of C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution... which may be a few gigabytes ... 

    which will definitely take some time depending on your hardware RAM, Processor, other processes running, hard drive space (check your hard drive space.... if you are running low on space, could cause slow issues) 

    My experience with windows update I've seen it take around 2 hours to rebuild C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution contents, but I've heard others say it took longer for them

    First I would try to run "Disk Cleanup".  Disk Cleanup will check your C: drive and tell you how much space you will gain....if you do run it.  

    It will also automate the process of clearing/re-setting windows update...  You may have a button that says "cleanup system files..." you will have to click it.  and i think it will search your c: drive again

    Disk cleanup will also clear the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder... so after you run it it will need to rebuild it... so it will take time also... so I would at least give it 2-3 hours if possible or just let it set there overnight. 

    I know its totally insane to have a Windows Update progress that says "100% Completed" or "Looking for updates" and its just sitting there for hours, but I recommend giving it at least 3 hours or even better let it run overnight.

    Also another thing to recognize that Disk Cleanup may take time depending on how much space it will need to delete.

    Then when you reboot it may say Windows is updating and that will may also take a long time and will fill you with rage.

    if they both finish, then from then on... Windows update will hopefully not take as long to check for updates 

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