original title: Windows 7 Checking For Updates stuck forever - I know this is answered, but the solutions don't work for me. Please see details! I have installed a legit Windows 7 OS on my laptop. Its not an upgrade, it was a blank hard drive. WIndows 7 installed flawlessly, picked up all my drivers. The only problem is I am having problems with Windows 7 updates. When I choose Windows 7 update, it says "Checking for updates" and stays like that - forever. Even the next day. I did heavy heavy research, found out others are having the same problem. I tried all the fixes I could find, which are listed below: No Anti-virus programs installed yet - brand new Windows 7 ultimate installation There is no spyware - its a brand new clean install Firewall shut off Temp files, cookies, history cleared background intelligent transfer service set to automatic in services.msc software distribution folder renamed tried shutting off automatic updates and doing it manually Added windowsupdate to trust zone ran MicrosoftFixit50202 in normal and advanced mode Even with my internet SHUT OFF (turned off modem) it still checks for updates and doesn't fail with "No internet connection available". Please, please help. Anyone.

The latest solution fixed my issue but I had an idea that I have not seen anywhere mentioned. Try uninstalling all of the Windows 7 updates that are related to the Windows 10 Upgrade. Once that is done try to update again. If it works be sure to block the Win 10 upgrade patches. Windows 10 upgrade patches: KB3035583 KB2952664 KB3021917 KB2976978 Let me know if it works.

Well...I've now had two instances of the update problem fixed by "the procedure" and one that still does not work. The 3020369 reported unnecessary. The 3172605 appeared to install correctly. Restarted the computer, Update reports that updates have never been done and just keeps looking... Here's the thing. Brand new installation. New SSD, scratch install from the Dell OEM Windows 7 disk. Updates worked up through SP1, although MSIE never got beyond version 8. I manually downloaded that and installed it OK. I've encountered several cases of Windows 10 causing specialized programs to malfunction, so I stopped letting W10 install a couple months ago. Now I see that Win 7 Update is buggy and not likely to be fixed. I still have Office 2016 installs with bugs and frequent disconnects from Exchange Online--not to mention the freaking requirement to associate a purchased copy of Office 2016 with a Microsoft Live account. Dynamics GP is the accounting system from ****. Surface is the most overpriced tablet on the planet. Microsoft seems to have dropped the ball on pretty much everything. Mac is looking better every day.

So I manually down loaded the two updates suggested by VZ, stopped the Windows Update Service, set Automatic Updates to Never Check For Updates, unticked the Receive Recommended updates with Important Updates option and rebooted, then installed the seemingly critical KB3020369 Servicing Stack Update April 2015, rebooted, then installed the latest monthly Update Rollup for July 2016 KB3172605, rebooted and manually started Windows Update, after five minutes (AMAZING!!) I got some 80 or so Important Updates and 60 or so Optional/Recommended Updates. Installed all the Important Updates without a hitch, rebooted, manually ran Win Update again until there were no more Important updates. These were the steps that fixed it for me. Kuddos guys! Thanks for the help!

Yossra..... I turned off the updates and nothing happened..... There is a little more to it than that. Depending on when the last time your computer successfully updated was, as VZ suggested, you may need two updates. Do the following... Go to control panel, system and security, windows update, change settings...and... in the drop down box, set it to never install updates. Restart computer. Ignore any warnings about windows update being turned off. Then first install KB3020369: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3020369 (if it is not already installed) then install KB3172605: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3172605 Restart your computer, go back to control panel, system and security, windows update, and turn on windows updates (to whatever delivery option you prefer). Then click "check for updates". You should get a response in less than 10 minutes. Hope this helps. You Sir are my hero! I have tried everything possible on a machine right out of the box and nothing worked until I saw your post. Thank you so much!!

Windows 7 Checking For Updates stuck forever

Anonymous

original title: Windows 7 Checking For Updates stuck forever - I know this is answered, but the solutions don't work for me. Please see details!

I have installed a legit Windows 7 OS on my laptop. Its not an upgrade, it was a blank hard drive. WIndows 7 installed flawlessly, picked up all my drivers. The only problem is I am having problems with Windows 7 updates. When I choose Windows 7 update, it says "Checking for updates" and stays like that - forever. Even the next day. I did heavy heavy research, found out others are having the same problem. I tried all the fixes I could find, which are listed below:

No Anti-virus programs installed yet - brand new Windows 7 ultimate installation
There is no spyware - its a brand new clean install
Firewall shut off
Temp files, cookies, history cleared
background intelligent transfer service set to automatic in services.msc
software distribution folder renamed
tried shutting off automatic updates and doing it manually
Added windowsupdate to trust zone
ran MicrosoftFixit50202 in normal and advanced mode

Even with my internet SHUT OFF (turned off modem) it still checks for updates and doesn't fail with "No internet connection available".

Please, please help. Anyone.

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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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Problem solved.

It was my internet connection!! I logged onto my neighbors via wireless unsecured (ssh... don't tell lol), and within 30 seconds, 77 updates came through!

It has to be something in my network.

Thanks for helping though!!

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261 additional answers

Anonymous

2016-08-31T22:00:59+00:00

The latest solution fixed my issue but I had an idea that I have not seen anywhere mentioned. Try uninstalling all of the Windows 7 updates that are related to the Windows 10 Upgrade. Once that is done try to update again. If it works be sure to block the Win 10 upgrade patches.

Windows 10 upgrade patches:

KB3035583

KB2952664

KB3021917

KB2976978

Let me know if it works.
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2016-08-31T21:51:31+00:00

Well...I've now had two instances of the update problem fixed by "the procedure" and one that still does not work. The 3020369 reported unnecessary. The 3172605 appeared to install correctly. Restarted the computer, Update reports that updates have never been done and just keeps looking...

Here's the thing. Brand new installation. New SSD, scratch install from the Dell OEM Windows 7 disk. Updates worked up through SP1, although MSIE never got beyond version 8. I manually downloaded that and installed it OK. I've encountered several cases of Windows 10 causing specialized programs to malfunction, so I stopped letting W10 install a couple months ago. Now I see that Win 7 Update is buggy and not likely to be fixed. I still have Office 2016 installs with bugs and frequent disconnects from Exchange Online--not to mention the freaking requirement to associate a purchased copy of Office 2016 with a Microsoft Live account. Dynamics GP is the accounting system from ****. Surface is the most overpriced tablet on the planet. Microsoft seems to have dropped the ball on pretty much everything.

Mac is looking better every day.
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2016-08-31T15:08:49+00:00

So I manually down loaded the two updates suggested by VZ, stopped the Windows Update Service, set Automatic Updates to Never Check For Updates, unticked the Receive Recommended updates with Important Updates option and rebooted, then installed the seemingly critical KB3020369 Servicing Stack Update April 2015, rebooted, then installed the latest monthly Update Rollup for July 2016 KB3172605, rebooted and manually started Windows Update, after five minutes (AMAZING!!) I got some 80 or so Important Updates and 60 or so Optional/Recommended Updates. Installed all the Important Updates without a hitch, rebooted, manually ran Win Update again until there were no more Important updates.

These were the steps that fixed it for me. Kuddos guys! Thanks for the help!
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2016-08-30T17:43:50+00:00

Yossra.....

I turned off the updates and nothing happened..... There is a little more to it than that. Depending on when the last time your computer successfully updated was, as VZ suggested, you may need two updates.

Do the following...

Go to control panel, system and security, windows update, change settings...and... in the drop down box, set it to never install updates. Restart computer. Ignore any warnings about windows update being turned off. Then first install

KB3020369: https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3020369 (if it is not already installed)

then install KB3172605:

https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3172605

Restart your computer, go back to control panel, system and security, windows update, and turn on windows updates (to whatever delivery option you prefer). Then click "check for updates". You should get a response in less than 10 minutes.

Hope this helps.

You Sir are my hero! I have tried everything possible on a machine right out of the box and nothing worked until I saw your post. Thank you so much!!
Was this answer helpful?

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