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

I have been following this thread now for months I think 4 or 5 months. Something to be aware of is that if you look back on the thread there have been multiple so call answers. I have to wonder do any of these actually work? If they did then why are there new solutions?

In re: Windows Download Stuck at 0%

My solution turned out to be about the speed of my internet I had at home...

Here is the story:

For months I had the same problem of Windows being stuck at 0%, and I thought that someday it would just work itself out, and into my computer. 

On an unrelated quest to see if we could get our Smart TV to stream, I started investigating what our  home internet speed was, because all I'd get from the TV was endless buffering.   I thought I had an outdated router, called ATT to see if they had newer hardware, and here was the information:

My router had capacity of up to 125 Mbps.

My internet capacity output ( from our landline plug connection ) was 6Mbps at maximum rate...

So it was not a router/hardware problem.

ATT had installed Fiber Optic capability in our bldg. several months ago, and the rep said that we could get Fiber Optic internet for the same price we were paying from the -landline- type service, but the Fiber Optic speed would be up to 24 Mbps.

We proceeded with the change as it was a no brainer. 

More speed for same $ per month.

The next time I turned on my laptop, guess what... Windows started downloading, and successfully completed the whole installation... this took a couple of hours to run its course, but there it was.  No hang ups, no problems, it installed itself like a charm.

Also to note, my laptop is about 8 years old... which at some point I thought could be the reason for being stuck at the 0% dowload ...  it is a Toshiba that came with  Windows XP,   2 GB of RAM,   32 bit,   1.33 GHz,   CPU Intel Core 2 , and I think a hard drive of about 140 GB...

My old laptop works like a champ with the new Windows Anniversary upgrades and updates.

So in my case, internet speed capacity was the problem.

If you don't have high speed internet at home, and you have a laptop, maybe you can go somewhere that does have those speeds, just make sure you can be there for the hours it takes to download...

Good luck to all !

I have been following this thread now for months I think 4 or 5 months. Something to be aware of is that if you look back on the thread there have been multiple so call answers. I have to wonder do any of these actually work? If they did then why are there new solutions?

Got it.  I think there are a couple of things that led to my update service beginning to work again.  I spoke with one of my IT guys at work and it was believed that a previous update may've been corrupt.  Up until Volume Z's suggestion, I had gone into the Add/Remove Programs and began uninstalling previous updates.  Then, I was able to follow "Z's" advice, downloaded the recommended file (after disabling auto updates) and rebooting.  Now, Windows Update checks and finds updates, downloads and installs them w/o problems.  Good advice!