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.

Windows update interface is unattached to IE. So this doesn't make sense!

There is a very simple solution to your conundrum.. This is a fresh install so your Windows update settings are set to 'Never check for updates' by default. Change your settings to 'Install updates automatically', then manually check for updates, Hey presto!! Simples 'squeek' Wish it would be so simple as you discribed. Maybe it worked for you, but not for me. And a lot of other readers of this post... I invited readers to try "my" solution: instal IE 11. It seems that this forces win update to work again. I know it sound stupid but it isn't. IE 11 has a forced update in its installeer.

There is a very simple solution to your conundrum.. This is a fresh install so your Windows update settings are set to 'Never check for updates' by default. Change your settings to 'Install updates automatically', then manually check for updates, Hey presto!! Simples 'squeek'

My company does a lot of Windows 7 rebuilds, so we often encounter this issue. There does not seem to be any pattern to the occurrence of the issue. We have 3 different sites each with different types, speeds and ISP for Internet supply (one being a 100Mb leased line with 1:1 contention) and this issue can occur at any site, so it is unlikely to be related to the Internet feed. It can also occur on any type of hardware from any manufacturer. Bottom line is, to avoid frustration, we have learned to just wait... sometimes overnight. On a new Windows 7 build, we initiate a check for updates and simply walk away. Return every hour or so to check, and then eventually the updater will return with usually 200+ updates, and we can continue. Existing Windows 7 builds can be equally frustrating, though tend to be less of an issue. It was not always like this. It seems to have started with the release of Windows 10. Perhaps it has something to do with the way in which updates are now delivered? Whatever. It can be very frustrating if you are in a hurry to get a critical PC back to the client, but that is not Microsoft's concern.

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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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

2015-10-24T12:01:49+00:00

Windows update interface is unattached to IE. So this doesn't make sense!
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Anonymous

2015-10-24T11:12:57+00:00

There is a very simple solution to your conundrum..

This is a fresh install so your Windows update settings are set to 'Never check for updates' by default.

Change your settings to 'Install updates automatically', then manually check for updates, Hey presto!!

Simples 'squeek'

Wish it would be so simple as you discribed. Maybe it worked for you, but not for me. And a lot of other readers of this post... I invited readers to try "my" solution: instal IE 11. It seems that this forces win update to work again. I know it sound stupid but it isn't. IE 11 has a forced update in its installeer.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2015-10-24T08:59:52+00:00

There is a very simple solution to your conundrum..

This is a fresh install so your Windows update settings are set to 'Never check for updates' by default.

Change your settings to 'Install updates automatically', then manually check for updates, Hey presto!!

Simples 'squeek'
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2015-10-22T11:16:45+00:00

My company does a lot of Windows 7 rebuilds, so we often encounter this issue. There does not seem to be any pattern to the occurrence of the issue.

We have 3 different sites each with different types, speeds and ISP for Internet supply (one being a 100Mb leased line with 1:1 contention) and this issue can occur at any site, so it is unlikely to be related to the Internet feed.

It can also occur on any type of hardware from any manufacturer.

Bottom line is, to avoid frustration, we have learned to just wait... sometimes overnight. On a new Windows 7 build, we initiate a check for updates and simply walk away. Return every hour or so to check, and then eventually the updater will return with usually 200+ updates, and we can continue.

Existing Windows 7 builds can be equally frustrating, though tend to be less of an issue.

It was not always like this. It seems to have started with the release of Windows 10. Perhaps it has something to do with the way in which updates are now delivered?

Whatever. It can be very frustrating if you are in a hurry to get a critical PC back to the client, but that is not Microsoft's concern.
Was this answer helpful?

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