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
    2016-12-29T12:34:26+00:00

    If this confuses you, contact microsoft live chat and make sure it is MICROSOFT and not a microsoft certified tech. The real Microsoft will log in using Logmein, not teamviewer and the real Microsoft will not charge for this service.

    This is what I used, I got this from a MS tech and it works.

    1. Delete Temp files ( Press windows key + R type %temp% and hit enter ) Delete everything that you can on that folder
    2. Perform Clean boot ( Press windows key + R type msconfig and hit enter > go to services tab > tick on the box that said " hide all microsoft services " > click on disable all > click apply > click ok. ) then a restart prompt will appear. Click on restart
    3. Set Windows Update to Manual (Press windows key+ R type services.msc then hit enter > Locate the windows update on the list then > Right Click > Properties > set it to Manual)
    4. Disable B.I.T.S (Press windows key+ R type services.msc then hit enter > locate B.I.T.S  or Background Intelligent Transfer services > Right Click > Properties > Disable)

    5.  Restart computer.

    6.  Open your broweser then Download and run (do not restart yet)

                    KB3020369

                     For x86:    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=46827

                     For x64:    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=46817

    7.  Stop Windows Update (Press windows key+ R type services.msc then hit enter > locate Windows Update > Right Click > Stop)

    8.  Open your broweser then   Download and run (do not restart yet)

                     KB3172605

                     For x86:    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53335

                     For x64:    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53332

    1. Stop Windows Update (Press windows key+ R type services.msc then hit enter > locate Windows Update > Right Click > Stop)
    2. Download and run (restart if needed after installing)

                    KB3161664

                     For x86:    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=52823

                     For x64:    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=52794

    11.  Check for Updates as usual. ( Please allow 15-20 minutes )

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-12-29T11:41:55+00:00

    It worked for me for fresh install.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-12-13T11:38:23+00:00

    I found that for a fresh deployment of Windows 7 with SP1 that the downloading and installing the following updates fixed the issue.

    1. KB3020369 April 2015 Servicing Stack update
    2. KB3138612 Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: March 2016 (superseded by KB3172605, may not be required)
    3. KB3145739 Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems
    4. KB3125574 Windows 7 April 2016 Convenience update
    5. KB3172605 Windows 7 July 2016 Rollup

    For an existing Windows 7 with SP1 with Windows Update issues, resetting Windows Update, then installing the above updates might fix the issue.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-11-28T02:14:49+00:00

    Method 2 worked for me as well.  I've been trying everything on the internet to get this working.

    The only thing this is missing is this tip :

    To check what Windows Update is doing, you can look at it's log file to see what progress or errors have occurred.

    Open and inspect the bottom of the file : C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log

    I'm pretty sure mine is working  now, because even tho my "Checking for updates" is still just sitting there checking, with no progress indication, when I look inside the WindowsUpdate.log, the last 50 lines or so are windows KB update files downloading.  The log didn't have these before I performed Method2.

    2016-11-27 20:49:47:346  892 1514 DtaStor WARNING: Attempted to add URL http://download.windowsupdate.com/c/msdownload/update/others/2016/11/23266050\_ec03c0ea2a419bb7fc28d178727cd6b83d6fd4e9.cab for file 7APA6ipBm7f8KNF4cnzWuD1v1Ok= when file has not been previously added to the datastore

    Hopefully tomorrow, I'll have a ton of updates ready and waiting.

    Thank you Sharief!

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