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
    2016-12-31T19:44:40+00:00

    Waltperson.... thank you very much for your help. It has cured my never ending "searching for updates" problem.

    Your step by step procedure is written very clearly and with the helpful download links, made it worth trying.

    And after trying many other things from YouTube and the internet, I wasn't expecting any success.

    However after following your instructions, my new installations of win7 ultimate on laptop and win7 starter on a netbook have now found over two hundred updates on the laptop and 142 on the netbook.

    One question.... is it safe to return the machines back to "install windows updates automatically"?

    Thanks again

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-12-31T21:00:25+00:00

    Yes and I think it returns to automatic on it's own, but if not yes you can do that just fine.

    But I have to give credit where credit is due, I got this script from a Microsoft tech so I wouldn't have to annoy them every time I did an install.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-09-09T13:05:02+00:00

    I followed instructions for Method 2.  After typing the third command ( **xcopy %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 %systemroot%\system32\catroot2.old /s)**I got a response asking if the file or directory will be the destination.  I didn't know how to respond to this, so I closed the window ("X'ed out") and started over with Method 2.  This time it worked. 

    Hope this helps. 

    Thanks for helping me to get updates again.

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-09-27T17:29:56+00:00

    Method 2 works for me.

    Thx

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