Windows 7 Checking For Updates stuck forever

Anonymous
2011-05-31T17:23:58+00:00

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:

  1. No Anti-virus programs installed yet - brand new Windows 7 ultimate installation
  2. There is no spyware - its a brand new clean install
  3. Firewall shut off
  4. Temp files, cookies, history cleared
  5. background intelligent transfer service set to automatic in services.msc
  6. software distribution folder renamed
  7. tried shutting off automatic updates and doing it manually
  8. Added windowsupdate to trust zone
  9. 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 for home | Previous Windows versions | 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
2011-06-08T21:01:42+00:00

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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  1. Anonymous
    2015-10-22T10:31:25+00:00

    I had this exact same problem since July 2015.

    Finally managed to solve it.

    1. Run disk cleanup in safe boot mode.
    2. Make sure Windows update cleanup is checked.
    3. Run the cleanup.
    4. Reboot into normal mode.
    5. Try running Windows Update ( It still took around 15 - 20 mins to find updates so be patient but it did eventually work)
    6. Install the essential updates as instructed.
    7. Reboot as instructed.
    8. Run Windows Update again and this time it should only take maybe 5 mins to find updates. (only optional updates will be found if all essential updates have been installed at step 5.)

    Hope this works for you.

    Cheers.

    EDIT - This solution is for Windows 7 but may be applicable to Vista and Windows 8. This solution worked for me on 2 different PC's.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-10-04T21:47:48+00:00

    " followed these instructions.

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/set-internet-connection-sharing#1TC=windows-7

    I only followed steps 1, 2, and 3 when bugger me  the laptop found over 190 updates which I downloaded."

    Don't know either how it works, but it did.

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-09-29T12:45:32+00:00

    I don't have anti-virus installed, never had in the past years on multiple PC's. works fine. only malwarebytes for the spyware. 

    I am behind NAT and my mail is being scanned and only pop-ed to Hotmail (or outlook via browser, microsoft is very good with names) browsing always via Chrome.

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-09-12T16:33:19+00:00

    This may not be relevant to all but my win 7 laptop started to do this after I upgraded my desktop to Windows 10

    I had Microsoft remote help working on it for 4 days with no result. I went to internet sharing on my desktop PC

    and followed these instructions.

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/set-internet-connection-sharing#1TC=windows-7

    I only followed steps 1, 2, and 3 when bugger me  the laptop found over 190 updates which I downloaded.

    I have no idea why or how this worked, or how to explain it to the Microsoft engineer when he calls back tomorrow

    morning.

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