Windows update will not download updates - stuck at 0% downloading

Anonymous
2010-04-17T03:45:39+00:00

Everytime I start windows update it won't download the updates. The bar keeps on running but nothing downloads and the percentage stays at 0%.

Whats wrong? Anything I can do to fix this?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Windows update

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Anonymous
2011-11-10T19:59:39+00:00

I found a solution to my problem when Windows would search for updates, but then when it started downloading it would stay at 0% forever. I started by stopping the Windows Update service (in my case the service proved to be frozen so I restarted my computer and disabled the service before it starts) and the Application Experience service. After that I went to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and pressed ctrl+a and shift+delete to empty its contents. Mine contained more than 70,000 files so it took a while. I started Application Experience and enabled Windows Update. I let it check for updates and try to download them. It worked perfectly.

Do not worry about deleting important windows files in this case. The contents of SoftwareDistribution is used as a cache and data for Windows Update. When Windows Update starts again it rebuilds the cache repopulating it with up-to-date versions of the files and chewing up a ton of harddisk space again.

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Anonymous
2010-04-23T13:09:40+00:00

sash123,

    If this issue is still happening, then take a look at article: Vista Update stops at stage 3 of 3 

Then let us know the results.

*** edited

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-08-06T18:51:42+00:00

    Having this with Windows 7 x64 in August 2016.   Windows won't delete some of the files in SoftwareDistribution because they are open by Application Experience, even though I have shut that service down.  I would expect for that service to close files it has open when it is shut down, but apparently not.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-08-05T16:00:14+00:00

    I  too waited a Long time for the download when I cleared software distribution.  At least 6_8 hours, I thought I would not get anything as it looked like it was doing nothing.  I left it and the next morning it had downloaded and was ready for install of hundreds of updates.  Which also took hours.  Vowed NEVER to do that again.

    Then 6-7 months had same problem, sitting at 0, tried things no luck so as final resort I did the same thing again.  This time 24 hours and nothing.  I made prep to download win10 while free. Left PC on.   3days later just as going to do win10 all the updates were there!   I finished them,searched for new found couple and all worked fine.  Did that couple times over week and worked fine.  Don"t understand it.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-08-05T14:16:27+00:00

    Thank you! I have been at this a few days, deleting, turning things on and off, downloading all sorts of "Fix-It" tools and I came by a thread that has you go to Task Manager and look at the CPU usage...With nothing else running, it was at 25% up to 100% over a few minutes back and forth so I knew something was working.... I just walked away from the computer (Windows 7 Ultimate 64) went to sleep and woke up it said there was 36 updates that needed downloaded. I must have let it sit 3 - 4 hours and it was still at 0%... I did as you suggested, went to Admin tools in control panel, services, and right clicked on Application Experience....stop, then Windows Updates....stop, closed it and went back to the updates screen... It looked like it was running for a few more seconds when a pop up came up and said it would install updates on next reboot..... I didn't even have a chance to stop reading it when the Downloading updates changed to creating a restore point and ready to install updates. (I didn't even know it had started downloading them yet! Anyway, I am typing away at this while the updates are being installed....17 of 36 so far....

    Just wanted to share in case it helps anyone else out one day. Looks like this post is 9 months old but a problem for everyone for years and probably years to come :)

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