Why are Windows updates so slow (and long) with Windows 7

I am not a proficient computer geek but here is a proposal that perhaps in a near future someone with enough knowledge may implement. If Microsoft is not willing to correct the Long Windows Update (including 7, Vista, 8 and 10) then some outsider may bring a quick solution to the problem. Such as: One may proceed with the tedious task to properly update a whole Windows 7 system. that would take a long time because Microsoft will not correct the problem. Then this one person clean the whole installation, deleting unneeded files and all, wraps all the Windows 7 folder in a big Zip file and make it available for grad over some Cloud like Dropbox or anything else. People would just have to download the Zip file and decompress it back into C:\Windows. Of course some kind of a routine would have to be fired to update the Registry properly with permissions and all, but it would be a heck of a lot faster then running this )(*&?*&?%* update program that MS is using. And a lot less hassle. Download, UnZip and run the Registry correction all in one automated shot. Start it late and wake up in the morning with a fully updated windows 7.

I would pay for such a service.

Thanks I could made work by downloading and installing KB3020360 and KB3172605 the update reported about 171 files need to be updated, after finish (a while more 2 hours) and were failed 5 files, and requested reboot process.

After reboot system is executing process 1 of 3  and stationary at 15 % after started with reboot process have  passed 1 hour without any progress.

It seems Microsoft  update process suffers many troubles, without cleared solution, it's crazy installation and reinstallation take less time than system updated take much more time, no sense.

Let me see if I can answer this so that everyone can see what happened.

Last year Windows 7 updates began to slow down with the release of WUA version 7.6.7601.19161

It was not too bad, 15 to 20 minutes to perform a negotiation with the Microsoft site for the viable patches needed.

Suddenly for Home and Pro on July 29th, 2015 that SAME negotiation to the SAME MS URL now takes between 5 to 20 times longer.  On July 30th Enterprise slowed down, and some time after the 1st of August (I dont remember the date) Ultimate slowed down as well.

There has been NOTHING from Microsoft as to why, or how to fix for months.

By the way, if you don't recognize the date, July 29th is when Windows 10 was released.

However, there is good news.

In June '16 Microsoft released a Rollup patch under KB3161608 that upgrades the WUA to 7.6.7601.23453.

And in July, because of some minor issues with that one, they Superseded it with KB3172605.

Once that KB is installed on your Windows 7,7x64,2008R2,2011SBS you will see patch scan times run like you have never seen them before.

In my line of work I support an RMM package, and, to date, the speed record from request to scan to the upload and recording of the viable patches from a system is now 26 seconds.  Yes, I said seconds.

Though MS has, to my knowledge, not admitted they FIXED their WU issues, they have done so.

For those of you still running Vista, sorry.  Patch scan times of 7 to 20 hours are normal.

Until MS brings that same WUA routine to Vista, you will suffer.

Oh, and 8/8.1/8.1u1 will still take 2 to 6 minutes on average.  Maybe we should push them to apply that same update to 8 before it gets too late?

Also, I have had, in my line of work again, complaints that KB3172605 breaks some 3rd party software.  From my point of view, tough!  Install the patch, get rid of that software.  If you need it, go to that manufacture and make them recompile to Microsoft Standards and fix their system.  

Note, KB3172605 does have a pre-req of a an April patch KB3020369.

I am not an employee directly or indirectly of MS.  I work for an RMM software provider and have to deal with the Microsoft moving window of Windows Updates everyday.

-Have a Happy Monday, everyday!

I have made a new installation windows 7 home premium after complete installation process I proceed to update.

Crazy I have with the windows update more 12 hours with green bar go forward and blackguard, without any update.

I have tried as many have answered and suggested on these question and it go worst, I couldn't update any package on new installation because Microsoft have change to additional software and components must be done through windows update process.

It's looks crazy because default internet application on windows home premium installation software is version 8 and many pages as Microsoft detects Internet explorer version and stop allowing to navigated.