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

2016-11-02T20:35:42+00:00

Thanks, So how do I fix it?
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Anonymous

2016-11-24T04:45:20+00:00

Very helpful ... :-) It is resolved my RSAT installation issue in windows 7. I am started to face this issue when i have planned to update my window 7 to win 10 and then aborted it . I have not stopped only at this i forcibly Shutdown my laptop with power button while it was cleaning up the aborted win 10 update. Thank you very much !!!
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Anonymous

2016-11-29T21:44:35+00:00

Yesssssss! I tried many fixes from the boards as well but this is the one that worked for my Win 7 re-install from CD without SP1. I "upgraded" to Win 10 but was unimpressed so I thought to go back to my nice stable Win 7 Pro. Then got hung up for days trying to get updates. Thank you very much!
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Anonymous

2016-12-01T12:36:12+00:00

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.
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