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

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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
    2016-08-05T19:43:09+00:00

    Nope, I already had prerequisite KB3020369 installed.

    Here is a list of KB updates I installed today or previously from MS Download Center. Note that most of them failed or hung during "Searching for updates" but on 3rd or 4th try succeeded, only with disappointing results "already installed" or "not applicable".

    KB 3020369: “already installed”, after several failed attempts to install

    KB 3102810: “already installed”, after several failed attempts to install

    KB 3138612: “not applicable to this computer” [=hp pavilion, Win 7, x64]

    KB 3145739: “already installed”, after several failed attempts to install. Note download failed in Chrome, succeeds only in IE

    KB 3161608: apparently deprecated as “buggy”, download page no longer exists, replaced by 3172605 and 3172614

    And I noticed on another thread from June 2016 that this KB3161608 magically fixed problems that are identical to mine.

    KB 3161664: not tried

    KB 3172605: “not applicable to this computer” [=hp pavilion, Win 7, x64]

    KB 3172614: apparently only for Win 8, didn't try

    Considering that some of those updates may have "taken" I've relaunched "Check for updates", where it is currently hung at "Checking.." as usual, but I will let it run some hours or maybe a day. Because I'm totally stumped for now.

    The expected services are running: Windows Update, BITS, Computer Browser

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-08-05T20:05:53+00:00

    Try KB3168965.

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

    Regards, VZ

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  3. 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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  4. 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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