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
    2016-07-19T11:51:31+00:00

    Beachromo:

    Your issue is a bit different than what this post describes, but I will try to help.

    When restoring using OEM media, I always uninstall "crapware" first, before installing anything (updates or applications).  The idea is to make the system as pristine as possible before adding anything back.  There's no scientific reason for that approach other than experience - that's what seems to work best for me.

    Also, I have had plenty of problems trying to install updates en masse and have concluded that it's just not worth the trouble.  I install updates in batches of 25-35 each, with a restart between each batch.  I also re-run "Check for Updates" each time around.  I have found that Windows Update is not very "smart" about prerequisites.  Frequently, Windows Update will allow you to select updates that are no longer necessary due to an already installed update.

    By using this method, you may start out with "needing" 200 updates but you only end up installing 150.  The other 50 updates are the ones that end with a failure when you try to install en masse.

    When restoring a system, my overall goal is to produce a system that I have a high degree of confidence in.  Trying - and failing - to install 200 updates in one pass leaves me questioning the state of the system.

    If feasible, I suggest that you start fresh on the problem computer using the suggestions above.

    Good luck!

    Ken Morley

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-07-19T03:39:02+00:00

    Hello Ken,

    First let me congratulate you on figuring this WU problem out...thanks very much! I'm nowhere near as qualified as it appears you are from what I am reading, however given the right direction and guidance I have been successfully maintaining all of the home office equipment that my wife and I use in our RE business for the past 20 years or so. Thank goodness for folks like you that have the smarts!

    Here's my story:

    I was simply doing a clean install on one of our Lenovo ThinkPad Laptops (T530) from the recovery media I made when it was new 3 years ago. Just replaced the HDD with a Samsung 256 GB SSD 850 Pro. This WU problem really had me going until I tried your method. Still had some trouble with the updates (almost 200) when I tried to bring them all down at one time. I ended up trying it in 40 update chunks and it worked well. In the meantime I was carrying on with the reinstallation of programs, etc and I ran into another snag. This laptop came stock with certain programs and program trials that I did not want, one of them being Norton Antivirus. When I uninstalled it I could no longer get anymore updates and even though I have downloaded over 100 and they show in the log the WU says last update "Never". Now I'm back to the same problem I had originally. There is probably more out there somewhere I could read up on about this but figured you were probably the person to talk to. I followed many recommendations about installing and optimizing an SSD, amongst them a daily image and bu on an external drive and turning off system restore. Don't know if this will be of help if I have to go backwards but I sure hope so.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-07-18T14:14:41+00:00

    Sems sad that the ultimate resource for Windows is not the manufacturer :(

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-07-18T14:00:09+00:00

    Baryfulwiler:

    I appreciate your interest in getting Microsoft to fix this issue, but I am afraid that you are wasting your time and effort. 

    Microsoft could easily resolve the problem by replacing the defective version of Windows Update (320) with a later version on the Windows Update website.  I am guessing that would take less than five minutes, but with paperwork, approvals and other large corporation bureaucracy, still less than a day.

    Microsoft is already well aware of the problem, is already well aware of the solution and has already decided to take no action.  Given that they aren't stupid or incompetent, it is reasonable to assume that Microsoft makes that choice for some strategic reason that we just don't understand.

    Unless your last name is "Gates", good luck getting them to change their minds.

    Cheers!

    Ken Morley

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