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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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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
    2015-08-12T13:10:43+00:00

    I have the same problem as the original poster. On this laptop updates have worked perfectly for years and today I noticed that windows update has not completed the update check on it's own (there's a button saying check for updates). If I do it manually, it just sits there saying checking for updates and meanwhile svchost.exe eats 1,5 GB of RAM and CPU load is 80 %. And it does not complete, ever. I have to kill the svchost process to be able to use the laptop.

    What I have tried so far:

    Windows Update error 0x80070005(2015-08-12-T-01_34_38P)

    Fixed

    Resetting Windows Update data store Completed

    DataStoreAndWULogFiles.zip

    35.13MB

    File Name:  DataStoreAndWULogFiles.zip

    Error1

    Access to the path 'C:\Windows\softwaredistribution' is denied.

    Even though it says Fixed, there is an error (access is denied).

    • The WindowsUpdate.log at C:\Windows gives no clues:

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:507 6728 1ad4 Misc ===========  Logging initialized (build: 7.6.7601.18804, tz: +0300)  ===========

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:507 6728 1ad4 Misc  = Process: C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:507 6728 1ad4 Misc  = Module: c:\windows\system32\wuaueng.dll

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:506 6728 1ad4 Service *************

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:507 6728 1ad4 Service ** START **  Service: Service startup

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:507 6728 1ad4 Service *********

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:524 6728 1ad4 Agent  * WU client version 7.6.7601.18804

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:524 6728 1ad4 Agent  * Base directory: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:528 6728 1ad4 Agent  * Access type: No proxy

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:529 6728 1ad4 Agent  * Network state: Connected

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:613 6728 1bf8 Report CWERReporter::Init succeeded

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:613 6728 1bf8 Agent ***********  Agent: Initializing Windows Update Agent  ***********

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:614 6728 1bf8 Agent  * Prerequisite roots succeeded.

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:614 6728 1bf8 Agent ***********  Agent: Initializing global settings cache  ***********

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:614 6728 1bf8 Agent  * WSUS server: <NULL>

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:614 6728 1bf8 Agent  * WSUS status server: <NULL>

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:614 6728 1bf8 Agent  * Target group: (Unassigned Computers)

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:614 6728 1bf8 Agent  * Windows Update access disabled: No

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:615 6728 1bf8 DnldMgr Download manager restoring 0 downloads

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:615 6728 1bf8 AU ###########  AU: Initializing Automatic Updates  ###########

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:616 6728 1bf8 AU  # AU disabled through User preference

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:616 6728 1bf8 AU  # Power management is turned off through policy

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:616 6728 1bf8 AU Initializing featured updates

    2015-08-12 15:05:33:616 6728 1bf8 AU Found 0 cached featured updates

    2015-08-12 15:05:37:982 6728 1ad4 Report ***********  Report: Initializing static reporting data  ***********

    (snip) the reporting data for the laptop hardware

    2015-08-12 15:05:38:685 6728 1bf8 AU Successfully wrote event for AU health state:0

    2015-08-12 15:05:38:734 6728 1bf8 AU Successfully wrote event for AU health state:0

    2015-08-12 15:05:38:734 6728 1bf8 AU AU finished delayed initialization

    That's it, no more log lines. Also, it says AU disabled due to user preference. That's because I disabled the automatic check because it just eats up the RAM and CPU every once in awhile.

    Seems like the windows update version is 7.6.7600.320. Another thread suggests that this version is flawed in some way: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/new-windows-update-agent-767600320-causing-error/46b72f85-1fec-4445-877f-fc530510cba1

    Please MS, how we are going to fix this?

    Edit: More information, I checked "View Update History" and noticed that no updates other than definition updates for MSSE has been installed since July 21st this year. The last update was kb3079904.

    Also, this may be connected to the issue that I couldn't change the windows update settings as to when to install/download updates. The setting was greyed out with a text "some settings are managed by your system administrator". I am the sysadmin... Managed to get that setting open by editing local group policy. So maybe all this has something to do with losing adminstrator privileges...

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-10-30T13:50:12+00:00

    Followed steps exactly as outlined - no change, repeated step one again, also disabling all AV. Non Change. Windows continuously searches for updates - after 72 hours of searching, I gave up.

    Have tried restore point. However as last successful up date as now more than 60 days ago, thereis no restore point that far back!

    What guidance to the Win 7 gurus have now?

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-10-21T21:57:23+00:00

    Tried all these - none solved the problem. Windows update continues to check - now over six days!

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