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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  2. Anonymous
    2016-05-09T20:09:03+00:00

    Ref: Windows Updates Stuck in "Checking for Updates" loop

    I own and operate a small PC and Network Service business (www.NorthTexasPCRx.com) and I have ran across this same issue on many occasions. I've tried everything mentioned on multiple message boards but I was only getting occasional results (20% of the time).  Based on what I can tell, it appears there is something related to the Windows Updates service that is not always being cleared. Today, I took one of my Windows 7 based laptops and reviewed the Windows updates list. It appears there are three initial updates that were all related to improving the Windows Updates process. Hmmmm, so if these three updates never get installed thes the update loop will continue (Catch-22 situation, indeed). I downloaded these three updates manually followed by rebooting the PC after each update was installed.  I've tried this method on two Win 7 laptops, both having the "Checking for Updates" loop issue, and discovered this did free up the loop and the downloads finally started flowing. Below are the three manually downloaded updates, with links, that were critical to success.

    IMPORTANT:

    1. Make sure you download the correct 32-bit or 64-bit version of these updates.
    2. Reboot after each installed update before installing the next and before executing the Check Updates.

    The three updates, in the order downloaded, installed, then rebooted after each installation are:

    1. KB3102810 for 64-bit: Update to resolve issues in Windows.

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49540

    1. KB2533552 for 64-bit: Enables future updates to install successfully on all editions of Windows 7

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=9225

    1. Windows Update Agent version 7.6.7600.256 for 64-bit

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/949104

    I would be interested to hear back how this worked out you.

    Don Alford

    North Texas PC Rx, LLC.

    McKinney, Texas

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-05-08T11:23:03+00:00

    You can solve this by setting automatic update search to "Never check for updates", restarting and then installing the update.

    Regards, VZ

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-05-08T11:21:57+00:00

    Update on above message: I let the machine run overnight with sleep turned off, so I don't know how long it took. However, the next morning I had the box asking if I wanted to install KB3145739, so the search process had completed. I installed it, then restarted when asked. Then, after restart, I did a manual search for updates. 

    While Windows Update was running, I used the Command prompt as admin to see that these four processes were running: net start bits, net start wuauserv, net start msiserver, and net start cryptsvc. I found that all were already running except for msiserver. The "net start" command started msiserver. I did not need to stop Windows Update to check these. 

    (To get to the Command prompt: Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> right-click Command prompt --> Run as Administrator.)

    Finally my machine got past Checking for Updates, found updates to download, has downloaded them, and as I am typing this, installing them. It has 47 to install...

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