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

Here are some notes that may help resolve problems encountered when installing Windows Updates.

The process of installing updates comprises downloading, installing and configuring the operating system to use the new updates. Some updates require the computer to be restarted and when this occurs configuring occurs as the system is shut down and is completed when the computer is restarted. It is important not to interrupt the configuration process as configuration involves making changes to the registry. If interrupted, the result can be a computer that will not boot.

A lot of problems arise from setting Windows Update to automatically update. You may prefer to change this setting. Select Start, All Programs, Windows Update, Change Settings. Under Important Updates is a box showing the current setting. Click on the Arrow down to the right and change the selection to “Check for Updates but let me choose whether to download and install them” and click on OK.

If you encounter problems updating or you are not using the Automatic Update you should manually update by selecting Start, All Programs, Windows Update, Check for Updates. Check the boxes before the updates you want to install, click on Install and click again on Install in the next window and the process of installing starts. You should let the process proceed without interruption. Multi-tasking at the time updating is in progress is unwise. The progress window will tell you what is going on. You need to be patient.

If you have a number of updates to install break the task of updating into two or more tasks. If you have been having problems with Windows Update run Disk CleanUp (or better still cCleaner) and Disk Defragmenter ( or better still Defraggler) before installing any large download.

If the measures above fail to resolve your problem select Start, All Programs, View Update History and post the Failure Code and Update reference number to the Windows Update Forum at Microsoft Answers.

You can also try the Windows Update Troubleshooter:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Open-the-Windows-Update-troubleshooter

I am typing this as displayed and it tells me the syntax of command is incorrect.

FariaKhandaker, that sequence of "net" commands is unnecessary. Its only purpose is to aid in deleting the Software Download cache of previous and current Windows updates on your PC. Since your last update is reported as "never" this indicates the cache was already deleted. No harm done (the cache gets rebuilt automatically) but rarely helps the problem.

The solution that helped most of us (for Win 7 in this topic, though you have Win 8) was to identify which KB # update is missing, and then to manually download that one (or 2 or 3 maybe). In earlier posts here, poster Volume Z identified the important KB update numbers.

Also in some cases earlier Win 7 users found that giving the stuck Win Update many hours or even a day to complete finally worked, though not for me.

These steps worked for me on Windows 7 SP1 x64 

Be sure to stop the Windows Update Service first;

CTRL+ALT+DELETE

>Click Start Task Manager

>Click Services tab

>Click Services (Administrator)

> In the Services panel, look for the service "Windows Update", right click and stop the service

Then Install KB3020369 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=46817

This should only take a few minutes

> Restart

> Check "Windows Update" service is still not running (as above)

Then Install KB3102810 https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=49540

This should only take a few minutes

> Restart

> Check "Windows Update" service is still not running (as above)

Then install KB3145739 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=51853

This should only take a few minutes

> Restart

> Check "Windows Update" service is still not running (as above)

Then Install KB3135445 https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/3135445

This should only take a few minutes

> Restart

> Check "Windows Update" service is still not running (as above)

Then Install KB3172605 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53332

This should only take a few minutes

> Restart

> Re enable the "Windows Update" service

> Run windows update from Control Panel > Windows Update

> This process may take up to 1Hr to finish finding all updates needed, you may need to run Windows Update a few times to get up to date.