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
    2016-04-16T13:41:10+00:00

    Thanks for your understanding Gordon, much appreciated.

    Surely after the next official patch day (10th May, or, if I am busy, on 11-12th May, surely not later) I will let you know here if the above quoted KB bulletin resolved my issue and I was able (or not) to ckeck for updates in 3-15 minutes instead of 3.5 hours.

    I promise that I will let you know. Thanks.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-04-16T12:52:38+00:00

    For what it is wort, I was in the group this thread was originally about who did a complete system restore and found themselves stuck at never finishing the search for updates. 

    Following this and some things in other threads has allowed me to get my computer working again. When I finished I had deliberately refused all the currently documented W10 malware updates and turned WU "OFF" and set WU to show me the list of "RECOMMENDED" updates so I could choose.

    BUT, for me at least, something happened 4 days ago that:

    1. Turned WU back to "AUTOMATIC"
    2. Reset it to even automatically download and install "RECOMMENDED" updates.
    3. Brought the W10 malware out of hiding.
    4. Installed all that garbage which caused 6997 Registry entires to get changed.
    5. Put me back into WU being stuck at "searching for updates".

    Fortunately I had made a Restore point and a System Image immediately after getting everything setup and running so I rolled back to the restore point and I have now  disabled the WIFI adapter.

    Fortunately this is a computer I don't regularly use for the Internet and when I do, I verify my WU settings before I turn on the adapter. Check those setting again before I turn off the adapter and computer. 

    To me it looks like an updated version of WU (which has been repeatedly noted as being beyond owner control) is the culprit and MS is determined to try and FORCE me to see the W10 malware and part of their plan to "convince" me to upgrade to W10 is to make W7 effectively useless since the malware degrades the Update Function and who in their right mind would want a computer that could be updated? On that same line of thinking, who in their right mind would want a computer that they had no control over what the OS maker was able to do to the computer??

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-04-16T12:38:46+00:00

    Gordon:

    You said "Ken's idea is not necessary and sending someone to do a complete OS re-install is always a bad idea".

    While it might be a bad idea in your case, I can't imagine how you conclude that it's always a bad idea.  Reloading from scratch is something I do frequently for a variety of reasons that make complete sense.  For three quick examples, a PC might suffer a disk drive failure, be infected with malware or might be re-purposed for a different task.  I can easily think of a dozen more entirely logical reasons.  That is why techs like me are hired to reload PCs from scratch on a very regular and consistent basis and why this thread is relevant to one problem that techs like me face.

    Besides all that, I have clearly and consistently stated that this thread is for someone who has 1) already reloaded their PC from scratch and 2) experiences the WU "Looking for updates" indefinitely.  I did not write this for folks who have a long delay while "Looking for updates", haven't reloaded their computers or for folks experiencing any other issues that I haven't considered, troubleshot or worked on.

    I am truly glad that your problem is resolved.

    Ken Morley

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-04-16T12:14:56+00:00

    Instead... I wait to verify

    Only on 10th May I will be able to say if Chooky' solution worked for me too. It seems a reasonable approach ;)

    OK. Of course you have a right to verify. Will you please let me know if it worked for you?

    I have already verified as I downloaded 14 updates yesterday after following the instructions. Those were the updates from a week or two ago, which I was unable to download due to the Update problem.

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-04-16T10:22:04+00:00

    Instead... I wait to verify

    Only on 10th May I will be able to say if Chooky' solution worked for me too. It seems a reasonable approach ;)

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