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

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.

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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
    2016-04-19T14:53:31+00:00

    What is Application Experience service, and how can I access it?

    thanks

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-04-18T16:36:31+00:00

    Hi i hope to bring some light to your question by simply saying i'm almost posotive you have to have updates like this because Microsoft continuously changes things to keep their sofware secure and without it you cannot stumble around free to do crazy stuff. It's their update their software so just deal with it as needed and dont worry to much about things such as this 1 update. Their software their rules. Hope this helps. I enjoy the class windows offers, very user friendly + the lot of reading and learning it takes to get use to it as a system takes respect.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-04-18T16:21:09+00:00

    SOLVED:

    Windows 7 SP1 64

    Extremely frustrated for many days trying every solution posted on the Internet. Then finally I found this comment on Softpedia's website and it absolutely works (very easy - but why should we have to do this?):

    To resolve this issue: first install KB3145739 manually. Go to Microsoft website to download and then install, even if your Installed History already shows this update.

    Next you should restart and finally you can check for updates in manual mode.

    It takes between 5 or 10 minutes.

    Comment posted by: Chooky

    14 Apr 2016 13:00 CMT

    http://news.softpedia.com/news/windows-update-hanging-when-downloading-april-12-patches-502886.shtml (Go down to the Comments section and then scroll until you find Chooky's response.)

    P.S. I joined the Microsoft community today specifically to post this solution. Hopefully it will help some people avoid hours or days of frustration or drastic, complicated but unnecessary troubleshooting steps.

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