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

2016-05-11T16:39:34+00:00

Further report: The 42 updates I downloaded was only the first round. Two days later, I found more updates listed for installation in two separate "batches." When I ran the first of these, I also had to manually start msiserver. I downloaded and installed 5 updates successfully, then Update found 19 more to download and install. The second download took some time, but eventually it completed even though for a long time it said "0 KB, 0%".

Today I checked for updates again. This time, msiserver was already running. There was only one optional update available, which I downloaded and installed easily.

So what I get out of this is don't assume you're done after the first successful batch. The second and third batches seem to have contained the KBXXXXXXX files that I needed, so I don't have to keep looking and downloading individual files--which frankly is a huge pain.
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Anonymous

2016-05-11T16:14:13+00:00

Provided you have KB3145739 installed, since yesterday (patch day May) you also need

KB3153199

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=52214

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=52232

Regards, VZ
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Anonymous

2016-05-11T16:01:37+00:00

It worked for a while, but the problem is back!
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Anonymous

2016-05-10T02:08:16+00:00

if Windows 7 have troubles to find updates, causing high CPU or RAM usage with the process Svchost.exe, it is due that Windows Update was not able to update automatically the Windows Update Client.

in this case, you need to download the update manually, this is the most recent version for now: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3138612
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