Windows Update Never Stops Looking for Updates.

Anonymous
2013-09-28T01:44:35+00:00

The other morning after I brought my computer out of hibernation, I noticed that it had not automatically Checked for Updates like it usually does.  So I clicked Check for Updates on the Windows Update panel and it never stopped looking for updates.  It just kept looking.  So I just ignored it and did a disk defrag and a clean disk as usual.  Late that night after I finished my usual computer stuff, it was still looking for updates.  So I restarted the computer and found that that had stopped it Checking for Updates.

The next morning, it was the same situation all over aagain: No automatic Check for Updates when I brought it out of hibernation and then endless searching after I clicked on Check for Updates.  How can I stop this endless searching without restarting the computer and go back to having my computer behave the way it used to do?

Greg

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Windows update

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Anonymous
2013-09-28T13:58:15+00:00

Hi Greg,

  • Do you get any error message?

This problem may occur if one or more of the following conditions are true:

a.       The Windows Update database is corrupted.

b.      A required system file is registered incorrectly.

c.       The Component Based Servicing (CBS) manifest is corrupted.

Here are few troubleshooting methods you may try in order to fix the issue.

Method 1: Reset Windows update components from the following link and check.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Important: Back up the registry

Method 2: Restart the Windows Update services.

a. Click in Start and in Start search box type CMD.

b. In the list Right click on CMD and click Run as Administrator.

Type the following commands, and press Enter after each command:

o   net stop cryptsvc

o   md %systemroot%\system32\catroot2.old

o   xcopy %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 %systemroot%\system32\catroot2.old /s

o   Net stop wuauserv

o   cd %systemroot%

o   Ren SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

o   Net start wuauserv

Try to install the updates and check.

Method 3: Unable to install updates in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2

**http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2509997** 

Important: While performing chkdsk on the hard drive if any bad sectors are found on the hard drive when chkdsk tries to repair that sector if any data available on that might be lost.

For more information, refer to the articles.

**Troubleshoot problems with installing updates******

**"Windows Update Cannot Check For Updates" error message when you try to install updates**

Do let us know about the results. We will be happy to assist you further.

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-04-26T06:17:07+00:00

    Thank you for the update.

    Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have further questions. We will be glad to assist you.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-04-25T19:57:33+00:00

    My recollection of Sep 2013 time was of Windows Updates taking an unusually long time because there was a fault in the update process if Internet Explorer which meant that it checked an excessively long chain of superseded updates.

    The best action was to do nothing and let it to finish - overnight if necessary.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-04-25T18:56:35+00:00

    The second method also worked for my Vista Update program.  I just discovered it hadn't been working for several months.  The second method also eliminates the update history but I can go to the Update Record and find all the updates that have been processed

    • same thing.  Thank you very much for this fix. :)

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-10-01T12:46:09+00:00

    Hi Greg,

    Thank you for your response.

    Glad to know that you have sorted out the issue.

    Your efforts to resolve this issue is very much appreciated. Please feel free to reply, in case you face any other issues with Windows in future.

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