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

Anonymous
2016-01-19T16:22:55+00:00

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:\Windows\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.

CURRENT PROCEDURE:

  1. Download https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020369 and https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605 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. When the installation prompts for updates, choose "Ask Me Later".
  5. Apply KB3020369 and then KB3172605 in that order.
  6. Restore the Internet connection, configure update settings to your preference and launch Windows Update as normal.

Credit to Canadian Tech, Volume Z and other contributors for developing this current procedure.

ORIGINAL PROCEDURE FROM JANUARY 19 2016 HAS BEEN DEPRECATED BY THE NEW PROCEDURE ABOVE:

  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.

Ken Morley

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-07-21T14:41:11+00:00

    CT:

    Of course I know you.  You've contributed a lot to this thread and we all appreciate it.  Thanks!

    I started in this industry before the initial IBM PC was developed or released, so I have been around a long time as well.  I was formally trained by many companies that no longer exist, like Data General, CalComp, Control Data, Basic4, etc.  I was a Novell Master CNE for at least ten years and worked for MAI/Sorbus as a Field Engineer at one point.

    I am mainly a Network Systems Engineer these days and I am top-level technical support for well over 5K personal computers in about a dozen states.  I also support somewhere around 100 servers.

    Large customers have in-house technical support departments that handle day-to-day break/fix issues on the PCs themselves and for those customers I serve as top-level support.  But I have a handful of smaller customers with up to 20 PCs where I do the routine day-to-day maintenance myself.

    I used to follow the same practice as you outlined and in many cases, left the media inside the computer case so it didn't get lost when I needed it.  That was OK when you could burn an image to a single CD, but became less practical when it started requiring multiple DVDs.  Since I bill by the hour, it became harder to justify spending an hour making DVD media when it was questionable as to whether you would ever need it and, if you did, it may not save much time anyway.  So I retired that practice at least five years ago.

    These days, if I have to make backup media, I use a 32GB USB thumb drive.  I buy them in bulk, professionally label them and usually never reuse them.  But I really don't even do that very often.

    That's why I find myself reloading from scratch at least a dozen or so times per year.  For my workload, I still think that's the most efficient alternative.  As they say, "your mileage may vary" ;)

    Thanks for the suggestion and for your continued contributions to this thread!

    Ken Morley

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-07-21T06:10:18+00:00

    Hi Ken Morley,

    I am sure you are right, confirmed to some extent by the absolute silence of PA Bear. If this is the case, it is tantamount to a sabotage, deliberate or negligent, of the Win 7  operating system. Google Steve Balmer 400 million copies of Win 7 sold. That is a lot of companies, and people, at risk. No, clearly risk implies there is a chance. Win 7 installs will not update. It is broken. No question, no chance about it. Disappointed? Angry? I am. I would like to hear from Microsoft that Microsoft is un screwing what they screwed up.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-07-20T05:09:12+00:00

    Hello again,

    Thanks very much for such a quick response. Looks like I may have gotten lucky. I let WU run overnight and guess what, yep I had updates. As mentioned I had already received and installed over 100 before I had the stall out but I must be living right...it's working now. I did as you suggested and installed in smaller chunks and that proved to work well. I got all caught up now and was able to put the unit back in use in the office. I need to do the same procedure to my desktop soon and now know the routine.

    Appreciate your willingness to help, 

    Rich

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-07-20T00:19:07+00:00

    Ken, you probably know me already, but in case you do not, I am a long time computer pro.  I support 150 or so client Windows 7 PCs.  Part of what I do is help people find and buy the right PC for them.  Then they have it delivered to me.  I do all the setup stuff, but I do one more thing that is rather special.  The result is I rarely have to rebuild an OS. 

    Once the PC is fully up to date, all drivers are installed, and stable apps like Office are installed and up to date, I do an image on a set of DVD +Rs.  It usually takes about 4 to 6.  I give those to my client and tell them it is insurance that they have to keep.  I do this before loading any dynamic apps like Java or AV, or any data.

    When a situation comes about like the ones you describe, I restore from the image and bring the system up to date from there. 

    I have been doing it this way ever since the first Win7 came to my desk.  I have used this system many times and it is a wonder how much time and hassle it saves.

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-07-20T00:06:33+00:00

    Fishfreq:

    VolumeZero has previously reported a method for getting around the Windows Update V320 problem and you have maybe just added one more.

    My work may be unique: when I reload a PC its because the PC needs to be reloaded (disk has failed, OS is compromised or corrupted, etc.).  The reload isn't something I have to do and would rather avoid - it's actually the goal. 

    When a PC has suffered some catastrophic problem, reloading is the best - and usually easiest - method of restoring the computer to a known, stable and reliable state.  There are surely other methods, but none provide the same confidence as returning the PC to the original out-of-the-box condition.

    For those users where Windows Update is broken and the PC is not feasible to reload, yours and VZ's methods may provide an alternative. 

    We all appreciate you taking the time to post your results.  Thanks for your contribution!

    Ken Morley

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