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

Anonymous

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?

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

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.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

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

0 comments

216 additional answers

Anonymous

2016-05-30T14:01:30+00:00

2 steps solved this for me after 2 days of trying to find a solution and trying many, many things.

First, my CPU usage was pegged at 100% until I cleared the Windows update cache. Check CPU usage by using control-alt-del (hold ctl-alt down and press del). Then click Task Manager, Performance. You will probably see your CPU usage at 100% continually. That blocks everything. To clear it install the following program (which, by the way, is meant to block Win 10 update attempts by Microsoft and does a great job of that)

GWX Control Panel (Win 10 auto update blocker + update cache clear) http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

Run it and click the clear update cache button. It takes a minute or two usually. Then check your CPU usage again, and lo and behold it is normal (varying from maybe 10% to sometimes 100%).

Step two. Go to the following link

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3058260/microsoft-windows/heres-how-to-significantly-speed-up-windows-7-scans-for-updates.html

Read it, then download and install the KB updates it refers to. Once those are installed, Windows will update normally. At least it finally did for me. Note that if you don’t clear the update cache first, downloading and installing the update files recommended at this link go into the same, wait forever, nothing happening mode you been experiencing with Win update so far.

Good luck.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2016-05-29T03:41:50+00:00

I have Windows 7 and am trying to upgrade to Windows 10 and have the same issue. I'm trying to download a security patch since there's a bug that won't let me upgrade but now I can't even download the updates because it's stuck at 0. I tried downloading the patch by itself and installing it but it just gets stuck on "Searching for Updates" and I tried the FixIt and it just gets stuck on "Resolving Problems".
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2016-05-12T22:40:19+00:00

Thank you,

This worked for me :-)

Greg
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments