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
    2016-06-19T12:17:50+00:00

    I decided to try disconnecting the network cable

    Just set automatic updates to "Never check for updates" and restart. Better yet: on "Set up Windows", select "Ask me later". ;)

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-06-19T11:20:36+00:00

    Gurra1, several of us already mentioned this way to fix the problem (I did on May 31, 2016 post) without a reinstall of windows. However, this is probably the most succinct description of it. Don't know why MS engineers haven't developed a patch for this.

    You're right, if I had read through the entire tree it would have saved me considerable time troubleshooting. Instead, I just went to the end where I found Kens post saying he didn't know of a solution other than reinstalling.

    I was looking at active network connections and when I realised that network connections were being established while both KB3083710 and KB3102810 were hanging at searching for installed updates I decided to try disconnecting the network cable. I then went straight for KB3102810 and that was the solution on this machine.

    This machine appears to be working fine now after installing the initial 212 updates followed by an addtional 50 or so updates.

    As part of the initial batch of 212 updates, KB3138612 gets pulled in, this updates the WU components to 7.6.7601.19161. Next time I will try installing this one manually instead of KB3102810.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-06-19T03:30:06+00:00

    After some "interesting" cleanup I think I am about ready to try the update. I've stopped and restarted the services and that appeared to go cleanly. But I have a couple of issues I'd like some advice on. You advised to removed updates if they were part of the list you provided. About four are on my machine and they will not uninstall, at least not the way I am attempting. In each case the uninstall process would run for a few seconds and then crash. Is there a more "forceful" way to remove these files?

    Prior to finding your information my updates had gone completely out the window. I'd get a list of update files and more than likely they would be unable to install. There was a comment in your post of you advising people on a monthly basis which updates to install and which ones to avoid. Is that information that we, the general public, can receive?

    Richard McCoy

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-06-19T01:07:27+00:00

    Just Read and applied, your Post, from 01-19-2016,

    Worked very well for me, Thank You for Your Time and Talent, You are much Appreciated.

    RHoL495

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-06-18T22:06:11+00:00

    Please read my info under  Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.320

    Once that update gets installed multiple items get messed up not just the updates getting locked up. It also changes your file access privlidges  plus multiple other things.

    Windows 7 64bit: Windows Update Service Not Running (but it is running in services.msc)

    Windows Update error 80246008

    Windows 7 Windows Update error code 80070005

    All windows updates fail with error code 80070005

    Why do all windows 7 updates fail to install?

    New Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.320 causing error 80246002 during search for updates

    The only way it worked right was to reload before that automatic update gets installed.

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