Following a clean install, Windows Update remains at "Checking For Updates" forever...

I've reloaded hundreds of Windows computers over the years and I like to think that I am reasonably proficient at that process.  I have just encountered an issue that required a lot of time and effort to resolve and I am posting this to try and save someone else the same ordeal.

My customer had a late model, name-brand Windows 7/64 SP1 computer with a disk drive that was failing.  I changed out the disk drive with a replacement and went through the recovery process, using the manufacturer-provided Recovery Media.  That media is supposed to be identical to the image loaded on the drive from the factory - Windows 7/64 with SP1.

Following the reload, I followed my normal procedure and launched Windows Update.  Windows Update remained at "Checking for Updates" for hours, without ever displaying any updates to install.  I restarted the PC and tried again, with exactly the same result.  The Software Distribution folder would get built and there were plenty of entries in WindowsUpdate.log, but eventually disk activity would cease but CPU activity would remain over 50%.  And Windows Update just showed "Checking for Updates" forever.

I decided the reload must have been bad and so I repeated it from scratch again with exactly the same result.  At that point I decided the image on the manufacturer's Recovery Media must be defective and so I reloaded from my MS Partner Program Windows 7/64 SP1 DVD.  I had the same exact symptoms and result again.  I thought that maybe I was not waiting long enough, so I left it running overnight.  The next morning, it was still at "Checking for Updates".

I tried additional reloads using SURT and that also remained at "Checking for Updates" without accomplishing anything.  I tried using the Windows Update Troubleshooter - with no luck.  Ditto for manually resetting Windows Update and various combinations of these techniques.  I verified that Windows was activated and that date/time were correctly set.  Nothing made any difference.

I then started meticulously documenting everything as I went along and I think I've found a solution:

After the reload, I checked the Windows Update components in C:\Wndows\System32. The components are wuapi.dll, wuapp.exe, wuaclt.exe and wuaeng.dll and all are version 7.5.7601.17514 dated 11/20/2010.  Once you launched Windows update or run SURT, these are all updated directly to version 7.6.7600.320.  At that point, I get the symptoms described above and there doesn't appear to be any way to recover.

When Windows Update is launched, it first updates itself automatically and without the user having any option.  It appears that upgrading the WU components from7.5.7601.17514 directly to 7.6.7600.320 causes the issue.  I suspect that it works fine for computers that are updated incrementally.

Once WU version 7.6.7600.320 is loaded, there is no easy recovery that I could find.

The following procedure was successful for me and I repeated it again just to be sure:

1. Download KB3083710 and KB3102810 in advance.
2. Disconnect the computer from the Internet so Windows Update cannot automatically update itself to 7.6.7600.320.
3. Perform a fresh reload from Recovery Media or Windows 7/64 with SP1 RTM.
4. Manually install KB3083710 and restart - WU components will now be version 7.6.7601.19016 dated 9/25/2015.
5. Manually install KB3102810 and restart - WU components will now be version 7.6.7601.19046 dated 10/20/2015.
6. Restore the Internet connection and launch Windows Update as normal.
7. After a few minutes, you should have plenty of updates to download and install.

I am not sure that both steps 4 and 5 are required, but I didn't want to mess with success.  I hope this saves someone else some time and effort.

Ken Morley

Tried your recommended fix.  Works like a charm.  Now I won't be knocking myself out trying to fix this MSdebacle.

Hi all,

Just reporting in.  Both PC and laptop still doing fine, though after a small hiccup with the PC.

A couple of days ago I ran Windows Update and checked the resulting list against the list on this thread (incl. the extra one), which I'd copied on to my desktop.  When I restarted the PC, that damned W10 invitation was back.  A quick look at installed updates showed me that, somehow, I'd missed KB3035583.  I ran GWX and cleared the W10 boxes and it's been fine since.  When I ran Update on the laptop just now, the only update shown was that one, which I hid.  Result.

Ian

Hi all,

For what it's worth, the laptop I had serious issues with has an Intel i3 processor.  The PC, which required only minor disinfecting per the processes above, has an AMD processor, but that machine hasn't suffered a failed W10 update, just the update hanging issue.

So far, so good on both.

Ian

i have mcafee is going to delete than other software get effect on program  i like to know  wheninstall  then what happen  how save  from  reinstall

Ken Morley you are an absolute genius !!

After struggling for two days to get round the initial problem of windows update constantly checking for updates and numerous other attempts at trying to get my head round it considering i'm pc literate i came across your answer to the problem and it worked first time, for any others that are having similar issues then i can recommend that you follow Ken's instructions as above.

I also used steps 4 and 5 by downloading onto a second pc and saving the two files to a memory stick for use as detailed above in the problematic machine.

I now have 210 updates downloading, but be patient as it took a good ten minutes for windows update to find these.

Thanking you once again Ken for sharing your answer to a problem that i'm sure many people will come across.

Long live windows 7.

Steve Field.

Hi all,

For what it's worth, the laptop I had serious issues with has an Intel i3 processor.  The PC, which required only minor disinfecting per the processes above, has an AMD processor, but that machine hasn't suffered a failed W10 update, just the update hanging issue.

So far, so good on both.

Ian