Windows Update hangs on "checking for updates". Haven't been able to install updates since Oct. 2011

Anonymous

Hey there everyone,

I'm having an issue with Windows Update on my Windows 7 64-bit computer. My last most recent update check was on 10/3/2011 and my last actual update was on 9/29/2011. What is basically happening is that Windows is telling me that I need to check for updates. I click on Check for updates, and it basically acts like it is checking for updates, but never moves beyond that. I can leave it checking for hours, and nothing will happen. It won't get me to the screen where I can actually select updates, nor does Windows even acknowledge that I checked for updates.

I've already tried using the Windows Update Fix tool, but there was no success with that at all. I thought that maybe it was my firewall or internet settings, and it's not that either. Does anyone have any suggestions. Thanks!

Peter

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Anonymous

Hi,

Try the following methods

Method 1:

1. Click Start

2. Type ‘cmd’ in the search bar.

3. Right click Command prompt and choose “Run as Administrator”

4. At the command prompt, type the following, commands and then press ENTER after each command:

a. net stop wuauserv

b. net stop bits

c. net stop cryptsvc

Please do not close the Command Prompt window.

Method 2: ****Rename folders pertaining to Windows Update.

At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press Enter after each command:

a) ren %systemroot%\System32\Catroot2 Catroot2.old

b) ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

At the command prompt, type the following, commands and then press ENTER after each command:

a) net start wuauserv

b) net start bits

c) net start cryptsvc

Close the Command Prompt window and check the issue if issue reoccurs

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237 additional answers

Anonymous

2016-04-27T14:22:05+00:00

Perfect, that was it. #1 BIT was missing. Thanks.
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Anonymous

2016-04-25T12:50:17+00:00

Great! Thank you!!! This finally worked for me too (after so much time wasted...)
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Anonymous

2016-04-19T01:30:08+00:00

All hail the Mighty Chooky and surrogate, Joel_CS!

In my case, whereas having previously run Windows Update Diagnostic and having found, downloaded and installed System Update Readiness Tool for Windows 7 (KB947821) got me nowhere, installing KB3145739 and KB3135445 from links provided on http://sm.krelay.de/wu/ and then re-starting and re-running online Windows Update got my machine updating, again!

Thank you!!!
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Anonymous

2016-04-18T18:22:41+00:00

Finally... Thank You, I was able to catch up on all, 200 plus updates using this method, Thank You, I only wonder why Microsoft can't figure this stuff out?
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