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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

580 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-12-12T23:07:52+00:00

    I do not know if you can call it a conspiracy or not, but I agree MS could remove the bad update version with little effort. And obviously MS is aware of the issue. So logically the correct assumption would be that MS does not want to correct the problem. I stick with my initial assessment that this is a attempt to discourage the usage of W7 in lieu of W10 which updates with no problem (and updates, and updates, and updates......)!  I am not ready for W10, so I will continue to use your resolution and once again Thank You for making this information available!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-12-12T12:09:28+00:00

    GHowey:

    I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist and I have a hard time believing that Microsoft would deliberately sabotage the updates.  Call me naïve...

    With that said, MS is certainly aware of the issue and the workaround described herein.  Further, it doesn't take much labor or cost much to remove a bad update, so I am at a loss as to why MS doesn't do something or anything. 

    There are other Windows Update versions that operate correctly and it seems like Microsoft could simply remove the defective version to solve the problem.  But they don't.

    I reloaded a Windows Server 2008 SP1 server recently and had similar symptoms.  I didn't waste a lot of time verifying the failure details, but did see that it had updated to WU version 320.  So I reloaded the OS and then manually installed the same updates listed herein, but the WS2008SP1 versions.  Avoiding WU 320 worked on that server just like it works on Win7.

    Be aware that the same WU issue might also apply to Windows Server 2008 SP1.

    Ken Morley

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-12-11T22:48:44+00:00

    From my research, I have learned that the Windows Update (WU) problem with Win7 is not quite intentional.

    I understand that what happened was a serious cut in staffing, combined with a focus on Windows 10 to the expense of all others.  The best of the remaining staff fled to other jobs.  The result being many, many errors (you may call them screw-ups) in creating WUs.  I believe Win10 is a victim of this fiasco just as much as Win7.  The actual number of WUs and the huge number of re-issuances of them is a matter of severe concern to all Microsoft customers.

    So, I believe it is a matter of cost cutting and incompetence.

    Tune into Woody Leonhard's blog at www.askwoody.com  Woody is considered an expert in WU.  I sure consider him an expert.  Woody usually advises NOT installing updates unless you have to for some good reason or there is some very badly needed patch.  He publishes a Defcon rating on his page.

    You may wish to join a discussion at:

    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-update/windows-update-how-will-it-change-your-system/6d2ee7f8-908f-4ddb-8fd9-1eab55773141?tm=1476461665170

    You may wish to change your WU strategy as I have.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2016-12-11T22:33:09+00:00

    Actually I think MS has got it exactly right from a Corporate point of view. IMHO this is an effort to thwart the use of W7 in lieu of a newer OS. This problem has existed for so long there is no other logical explanation. This is a intentional effort to prevent updates on a "supported" OS. MS makes little money on supporting W7, however, quiet a bit or revenue is made on sales of new OS's to end users, corporations, educational, and government entities. So a deliberate update "foul" has been thrown our for clean installs of W7. However, I was utterly shocked to find this also applies to WSUS. I am in the process of configuring a new domain for a near future roll out. Needing a reasonable way to keep workstations up to date I thought to incorporate WSUS, a tried and true method. I spent a lot of time trying to get WSUS to work with virtual W7 machines (A LOT OF TIME!). I was amazed, shocked, angered to find that even WSUS does not overcome this "foul". Starting over numerous times, I have discovered that installation of the two previously mentioned patches before providing Internet access to my VM's immediately resolved the WSUS issue. Be warned enterprise users! Ken Morley, Thank You Very Much!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2016-12-11T19:00:26+00:00

    Thank you sir for saving many from this microhard problem. You would think after 25 to 30 years of doing this a multi- billion dollar company would get it right but they still can't get it right..smdh..

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments