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
    2017-12-27T17:10:31+00:00

    Tried what you suggested and it didn't work, but thanks for responding anyway.

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  2. 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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  3. Anonymous
    2016-09-06T03:18:42+00:00

    Seems like a ploy from Microsoft to get all users who run Vista or Win 7 to upgrade to Win 10! As long as Security Essentials is up to date and protection is running who cares about other system updates. Just turn off automatic updates and you don't have to worry about error codes and endless searching. Especially if running Vista since there is no longer any support from Microsoft so trying to update is obsolete.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-09-01T17:34:26+00:00

    Hi Sharief,

    I've read your previous suggestion on how to resolve this problem and I tried method 2 which did not work - windows update keeps trying to find updates endlessly.

    I then tried method 3 and downloaded the DISM:

    Fix Windows corruption errors by using the DISM or System Update Readiness tool (https://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821)

    but after searching for running and searching for updates, it gave me the error

    0x8024001e  .

    I wonder if you could give me any suggestion to resolve this issue?

    Thank you so much for your time.

    Best Regards,

    RR90

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