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
    2016-04-25T12:42:09+00:00

    Ken, I ran your fix many months ago with complete success, mine was a 32-bit Win 7 system.  I use the x86 versions and they worked fine.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-04-25T10:20:59+00:00

    Shane:

    The article is written for Windows 7 64-bit because I haven't touched a 32-bit system in years.  With that said, when you download the two patches, you are given the choice to download x86 or 64-bit versions.  You should download whichever version matches your OS architecture.

    Ken Morley

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-04-25T10:01:09+00:00

    Hi TH, im having the exact same problem so will these updates also work on a Win7 Pro x64 bit OS as well, if not would you be able to provide the correct ones which refer to my Pc. Thank you.

    Best Regards

    Shane

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-04-25T09:50:32+00:00

    Hi Ken what a great read, I know the post is a few months old but im having the same problem with the exact same problem regarding the automatic update, hopefully I can a bit of help from you. Im running a clean install of win7 Pro x64 bit OS and i would like to ask you a question regarding these two stand alone installer updates you provided in Q 4&5. I have looked at both and they seem to be for a 32bit OS being x86 or would the x64 architecture still follow the x86 architecture. Thanks

    Best Regards

    Shane

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-04-22T17:49:14+00:00

    I would like to publicly Thank Ken Morley for his resolution to Updates concerning a clean install of Windows 7. Recently I decided to give Windows 10 a go on my laptop. Although there is a lot of eye candy with Windows 10, from my perspective the functional abilities have been hidden making things difficulty to access. And MS wants you to share a lot of information with them. After what I deemed an appropriate test, I decided to revert back to Windows 7 Pro. A clean install of Windows 7 Pro went seamlessly with the exception of updates. I let the laptop in question powered on for three days in order to update, the CPU hanging at 50% attempting the same. Nothing. So I thought something must have gone awry with my clean install. Five clean installs and two weeks later, trying every resolution I could find on the Internet still did not improve my situation. Windows still refused to update, processor hanging at 50%. I was actually at my wits end and considering returning to Windows 10. Fortunately a search last night happened across Mr. Morley's solution on this forum. I thought what the heck, I have nothing to loose but a little more time. I followed his example to the letter. After installing the previously mentioned KB's and connecting to the Internet I was presented with 161 Windows Updates ! In under five minutes! Now I have reinstalled Office and my updates total 269 with Zero failures! I am baffled and amazed that MS has not addresses this Windows update issue on clean installs, and Kudos to Mr. Morley!

    Greg H

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