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
    2016-08-02T23:30:13+00:00

    Sash;

    I did the same thing. I finally got all the way thru on august 1st.

    win 10 works great.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-08-02T23:22:20+00:00

    GR

    GriefMaster

    I had the same problem with my Win 7.

    I solved it this way.

    I tried to download Win 10....every time it stopped. I finally figured out it was more getting updates  for my PC. ( even when I couldn't).

    I kept trying this and Windows 10 kept downloading updates for my Win 7.

    I tried at least 6 times and finally Win 10 found all the updates it required.

    Then the Win 10 went thru and it all worked perfectly.

    At that point, you have the choice of keeping Win 10 or going back to win 7.

    Hope this helps someone.

    dano

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-08-02T23:05:02+00:00

    After experiencing this and trying every fix found in this and other blogs -- I basically gave up updating to Win10 during the free period. I find it very interesting that, immediately after the last day for the free Win10 update, all of the updates I've been trying for the past two months downloaded and installed today -- both Important and Optional.

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