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

Anonymous
2012-01-13T20:52:46+00:00

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

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
2012-02-13T16:39:04+00:00

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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  1. Anonymous
    2016-08-14T11:50:33+00:00

    DUDE!!!!!!!!!!! i had to make an account to reply i fakn love you!!!! omg for like 3 weeks this has been bugging me and honestly i probably wouldn't of done anything if no mans sky didn't just come out (i was told windows updating might help with performance blah blah) so i came back to trying to fix the svchost using all my ram etc, so anyways getting to point YOUR THE ONLY PERSON I COULD FIND ANYWHERE THAT SAID kb3...605 needed kb3....369 to install, i tried so many other kb's didnt work, 605 was the only one saying incompatible, as soon as i downloaded the other one it worked everything worked.... idk what to say but people need to know this i swear i looked everywhere... am i blind?

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-08-07T06:17:58+00:00

    Total Success!

    After procuring and installing the correct version of KB3172605, I relaunched Windows Update, and it succeeded in all Important and Optional updates.

    And once again I am so grateful to Volume Z.

    Seriously Doug. Who writes like that: procuring in this context? Perhaps you 're a microsoft employee, learned a new word but don't know how to use it? Maybe your name is Doug William-Thorpe the third? The suggestions above didn't work for me btw. Looks like I'll need to do a fresh re-install of Win 7.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-08-06T01:54:33+00:00

    Total Success!

    After procuring and installing the correct version of KB3172605, I relaunched Windows Update, and it succeeded in all Important and Optional updates.

    I repeated Check for Updates and got the satisfying message "Windows is up to date".

    Note again that I had previously tried manual install of that KB with apparently a wrong version for my Win 7 x64, and the resulting error was "Not applicable to this machine".

    I add to my previous 3 thoughts:

    1. If you get manual WU install error "Not applicable to this machine" it means you selected the wrong version for a given KB update. Go back to MS Support and find the right one.
    2. The often-suggested remedy for stuck Windows Updates was to delete the contents of C:\Windows\Software Distribution. Though this apparently helped me in early 2016, I question whether it is necessary or advisable.

    And once again I am so grateful to Volume Z.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-08-05T23:00:43+00:00

    That's great to hear. It can be said with certainty you didn't do anything to cause this. Microsoft has started in August 2015 issuing updates the default update clients cannot handle properly. The most recent one of these is KB3168965, part of patch day July. Now having windows update available again, make sure to install KB3172605. Without it, the issue is likely to return with patch day August. It has continued returning each month since at least February. Update Client June 2016, included in KB3172605, is designed to address the underlying issue.

    Regards, VZ

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