Windows 8.1 - Windows Update stuck at "checking for updates"

Anonymous
2014-08-12T15:51:29+00:00

Hi. I see this issue has been brought up by many people. I've tried applying as many suggested methods to fix the issue as I could find on the Microsoft.com site, but so far nothing has worked. I bought the Windows 8.1 Pro full disk, formatted my old hard drive, installed it on there, and the updates were working fine. However, that hard drive had an issue that I couldn't seem to fix, so I purchased a new hard drive. I installed Windows 8.1 on the new hard drive without any problems. The very first thing I tried to do on here is apply Windows Updates, but it just keeps "checking for updates" even when I leave it on overnight. My internet is working, of course, since I am using it to post here. I thought maybe there was an issue with the Windows 8.1 installation on the new hard drive, so I formatted it and reinstalled Win8.1 again. The same problem is still happening with Windows Update. I ran the Update troubleshooter, and it detects problems and claims to have fixed them, but it still keeps "Checking for Updates."

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2016-08-26T03:17:53+00:00

To resolve the issue, please follow the suggested methods below:

Method 1. Run the scan again.

If the scan freezes and doesn't complete when Windows Update is scanning for updates, try to run the scan again.

Method 2. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter.

You can download the troubleshooter from this link: Windows Update Troubleshooter.

Method 3. Perform a System Restore.

  1. Turn off your computer manually by pressing the power button.
  2. Start your computer by pressing the power button.
  3. At the logon screen, tap or click the power icon in the lower-right corner.
  4. Press the Shift key, and then tap or click Restart.
  5. On the Choose an option page, tap or click Troubleshoot, and then tap or click Advanced options.
  6. Tap or click System Restore. The computer will restart to System Restore. Select your account to continue.
  7. On the System Restore page, tap or click Next.
  8. When the restoration process is complete, tap or click Restart.

These steps are also available on this link: Windows Update freezes when you install updates in Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista.

Keep us posted.

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Anonymous
2014-08-22T16:12:07+00:00

I formatted my new hard drive again, and reinstalled Windows. It took a few hours of testing to figure out what the problem was. Long story short, the Windows installation would get stuck at one point every time. It only happened on my new hard drive. If I tried a force restart, Windows would start up fine but Windows Update would not work. I was trying to split the hard drive into two partitions. After trying to install on a halved partition, I figured I'd just try not making a partition. I don't know what the heck the problem could be with partitions (other than the hard drive is faulty), but the installation FINALLY went through completely normally. Windows Update works just as it should.

Thanks for all your help!

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Anonymous
2017-01-01T12:24:43+00:00

I recently bought new laptop and windows 8.1 came with it.  I have same problem that windows keep checking on updates for very long time without finding anything to download.

Method 2 worked for me :)

Had the same problem with fresh install of W8.1 pro with the 2014 April update 1 rollout installed.  Tried everything and only 1 thing worked.  Solved

  • open command prompt using "run as administrator"
  • type in "net stop wuauserv" (without inverted commas) (this stops windows update)

download KB3102812 for W8.1 (I had 64bit) from Microsoft catalog

  • click on downloaded file and install update
  • Restart computer
  • open command prompt using "run as administrator"
  • type in "net start wuauserv" (without inverted commas) (this starts windows update again)
  • then run windows update again

Should only be about 10-15 mins before windows update finds about 1 gig of updates

All credit goes to this link where I found the answer

http://superuser.com/a/1120656

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-08-23T15:39:43+00:00

    Hi,

    Thank you for updating us with the status of the issue. Let us know if you have any other issues with Windows in future.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-08-23T20:17:33+00:00

    Hi

    I'm having much the same problem as mentioned above.

    I have an 8 month old laptop which came with Windows 8 installed, then upgraded to 8.1.  However I cannot get the Windows update to work, it checks for updates then asks if I want to install, I click on "install" and it appears to be downloading.  However this goes on for hours and nothing happens, just shows that it is "downloading" not showing any percentage having been downloaded...... I have also tried the update fix, which again says it finds a couple of problems and has fixed them, but the same thing happens.

    I have about 37 updates awaiting and am getting very frustrated.  Can anyone help with a simple solution please?

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