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
    2016-03-08T14:02:13+00:00

    This is absolutely correct.  You HAVE to disconnect from the web when you first install the OS and block WU version 7.6.7600.320 from downloading.  By installing the two previously downloaded updates (KB3083710 and KB3102810) to block WU version 7.6.7600.320 from downloading.  If you don’t do this and let WU version 7.6.7600.320 install, you are done and stuck because unlike “normal” updates that allows you to uninstall them.  This nasty update cannot be uninstalled so as far as I can tell, there is no way to fix an install once this happens without a clean install. 

    It’s like Microsoft design this update to block you from getting updates and forcing you to buy Win10.  A sneaky Microsoft might do this, but unfortunately I don’t think they are actually that smart.  Case in point , I brought the new Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (this is their flagship $2,000 version) and going through 2 new machines I found that Windows Update (made by the SAME company....) corrupt files on them that cannot be fixed (2-weeks of troubleshooting with their premium online help…).  I send them both back and will not buy a machine with Win10 until they fix that – God knows when.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-03-08T12:23:40+00:00

    The step that disconnects the Internet is absolutely key.  

    On a fresh reload, Windows Update will automatically and without warning or any user action, update itself with a version from Microsoft's Update website.  I think that version has a defect that causes the symptoms, at least for some users.  Once that version is installed and Windows Update is broken, I haven't found any quick, easy or reliable way to recover, so it's back to another reload.

    If the Internet is disconnected, Windows Update can't update itself with the bad version.  Applying the two updates manually gets Windows Update past the version on Microsoft's site and so avoids the problem. Then you can safely reconnect the Internet and update as normal.

    I don't know for sure, but I think the whole issue could be avoided if Microsoft just pulled the defective Windows Update version from he website and replaced it with something more recent.

    My practice is to install all available updates (in batches of 25-30 followed by a restart) until there is nothing left to install and no Windows Update errors remain.

    Cheers!

    Ken Morley

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-03-08T12:05:16+00:00

    I managed the repair without a full reinstall, by following the instructions on this thread.  I also managed to do it with a one-off massive update run.  Yes, some did fail first time, but next time all went well. 

    Ian

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-03-08T12:04:58+00:00

    Lightness:

    Once the bad version of Windows Update is installed, Windows Update is then broken and I'm not aware of any easy way to fix it.

    Keep in mind that this post is written for the specific situation where a PC is being reloaded from scratch.  In that situation, reloading again is simpler, easier and more reliable than trying to screw around with fixing Windows Update. Reloading from the Windows 7 SP1 media takes well under 30 minutes, so it's not too catastrophic.

    Good luck!

    Ken Morley

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-03-08T11:57:41+00:00

    Robert:

    "I am getting some failed updates, but will look at those individually.  Am guessing I should probably solve those before pressing on with other updates, chronologically."

    My experience is the opposite.  You should apply patches in batches of 25-30 and restart between each batch.  If you do that, you will see the list of available updates is reduced following each batch.  I think some updates deprecate others. I think that at least some of the failures are with updates that are no longer applicable due to an update that was just installed.

    Just keep installing updates in reasonably-sized batches (with restarts between batches) until none remain available to install.  If you are at the end and you still have a couple of update failures, then troubleshoot and resolve those.  But in my experience, there is never anything left to troubleshoot if I follow this procedure.

    It may seem like a pain to apply in batches and restart, but I think it's actually the faster and more reliable approach.

    Good luck!

    Ken Morley

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