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
    2016-02-10T09:06:29+00:00

    Thanks CT. 

    For clarity, I did install W10 successfully on my laptop but uninstalled it (taking 21 hours), I thought successfully, when it started to slow down.  It was only when I tried to apply updates that I hit problems and contacted MS online help.  They failed to sort it and recommended restore or reinstall.  Restore didn't work (just hung in start screen), so I went for reinstall.  Inability to update is what prompted the search that found this thread.

    Final job (other than monitoring updates) is to create the system image now that it looks OK.

    Thanks again for the support offered on this thread.

    Ian

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-02-10T14:08:29+00:00

    Ian:

    I thought you might eventually give up trying to fix it and just revert to reloading.  I think in many cases, reloading is a lot less work than trying to piece something back together.  And, reloading is more likely to result in a stable and reliable system.

    I'm glad that you got it fixed.

    Cheers!

    Ken Morley

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-02-10T16:32:13+00:00

    Thanks Ken.  I was half expecting to have to go for a reinstall.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

    Ian

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-02-13T20:38:05+00:00

    I just upgraded my mother's computer with an SSD, and I'm keeping her on Win7. I did a clean install, and the updates went smoothly - until after SP1. The next update after SP1 was 7.6.7600.320, and then nothing would update after that. I installed Security Essentials, it couldn't update. The Nvidia driver installer could not update the .net framework, and I had to download that separately. I let it sit for hours stuck on checking for updates, but nothing happened.

    I finally did a system restore to prior to installing SP1, and I was once again able to immediately update to SP1. Then it updated to 7.6.7600.320 again, and all progress again came to a halt. 

    After finding this post, I downloaded the two recommended updates, did a system restore to just prior to the installation of 7.6.7600.320, installed them, then checked for updates again. I was initially crestfallen because Windows Update said "Windows needs to install new update software (the same message it had said the prior two times) but I let it sit a while and it came up with a list of updates.

    Just a few days ago I reinstalled Windows 7 on an Intel computer, and I had none of these issues. This is an AMD computer, and I wonder if the others that have been having this issue are also working with AMD based computers?

    This nonsense cost me a lot of time and effort, as the restore rollback meant I had to reinstall lots of software. My mother lives a few hours away from me, so I couldn't just leave it as it was, and hope for the best, I had to get it updated!

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-02-13T22:01:27+00:00

    Doug:

    I haven't seen a computer with an AMD processor for years.  I can't speak for the others who have had problems, but the computer that gave me all the trouble was equipped with an Intel Core i3 CPU.  The recovery media for that PC was Windows 7 SP1 RTM and per your experience, it may be that the problem doesn't occur until SP1 is involved. 

    Be happy that you only wasted a few hours on this.  I wasted about a day and a half and decided the problem could not be resolved.  Then I got up the next morning ****-bent on figuring it out.  That resulted in another day and a half until I found a solution.

    I'm glad you got it fixed and didn't have to make a return trip!

    Ken Morley

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