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

2016-08-05T22:43:40+00:00
Success!

Before I could launch the next KB update, the running Windows Update succeeded! After about 20 minutes it reported "16 important updates available". It started to download them and, wonder of wonders, the "Download" progress bar actually showed 48.7MB total and followed the progress from 0 to 100%. I have seen only "download stuck at 0%" for over a year until just now.

It is now installing the updates, may take another half hour. Then I will follow up to make sure I have the individual KB updates you mention.

Update, after about 40 minutes: 6 updates succeeded, 4 updates failed. A very good start. I will reboot and followup the failures, but at least Windows Update is working again.

Some thoughts:
1. How to summarize the onset and fix of this problem. I'm guessing I missed some critical updates and then they were installed in the wrong sequence when I caught up? Is the only fix to find and manually install the correct sequence of critical KB updates? I will try to summarize, if someone has not already done so.
2. Could this problem be relevant only to those who don't get automatic updates? I have my girlfriend's Win 7 PC set for auto updates, and there has never been a problem. I myself have always chosen "Check for updates but let me choose". The downside of this is that any notice of "updates available" seems to come and go in the night, and I only find out about updates when I manually check for them, about once/week.
3. Could not some MicroSoft highly paid employee or other MS guru have described this problem and fix on one page? I have spent this week on the problem, not to mention hours and days on previous failed Windows Updates over the last two years. I can't count the wasted hours of googling, where one MS expert after another demanded useless info and offered tedious and useless diagnostic tools.
I had almost given up hope on this excellent Win 7 machine, since it would be too risky to use if there was no way to get reliable Windows Updates.

VZ, again I am grateful for your persistent and patient help.
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Anonymous

2016-08-05T22:07:32+00:00

You're welcome. Actually it's not my website, but a convenient and reliable source of information for updates requiring manual installation due to update client insufficience. Make sure to also have KB3145739, KB3164033, KB3109094 and KB3078601 installed.

Regards, VZ
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Anonymous

2016-08-05T22:01:15+00:00

Yes! KB3168965 installed successfully, after some trouble:

-I went to MicroSoft Support and downloaded the file for KB3168965. (filenname: Windows6.0-KB316...)

-On first attempt to install, I got infinite loop "Searching for updates.."

-After reboot and retry the same file it got past that but said "Not applicable to this computer"

-Puzzled, I went to your website wu.krelay.de and found the more appropriate file Windows6.1-KB316..)

-Finally this file successfully installed KB3168965

However, after reboot and a hopeful attempt at "Windows Update", the progress bar is stuck at "Checking for updates...". I will let it run for a while.

Meanwhile, I see that several of the KB updates I previously tried and got "Not applicable to this computer" were probably because MicroSoft offered the wrong file version for my Win 7 download. I see your website has clearly marked the correct versions, so I will download all I can from there and hope they will now install.

VZ, thank you so much for the help.
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Anonymous

2016-08-05T20:05:53+00:00

Try KB3168965.

http://wu.krelay.de/en/

Regards, VZ
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