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
    2016-06-30T05:30:26+00:00

    There is a trick to that "old" browser problem. You don't use update but instead use the download center. I reformatted my drive a few times while troubleshooting and I discovered that I could use the download center to bring the IE 11 (or whichever version) down and save it on a usb drive. Just as long as you put the installer someplace that won't disappear if you have to reformat again.

    One of my programs or devices wanted framework 4.5 but that would Not come down through update. I searched for the 4.5 installation files and got them at the download center. After my next installation of Win7 and before I went to update for anything. I ran these installation files and ended up with ie 11 and framework 4.5.

    Incidentally, The starter file for ie 11 was about 53MG and while it was installed I let it do some updating. Since I wasn't using Wuapp, there was no interference from whatever had been tripping me up. When I did fire up wuapp, it showed that I had a number of installed update files. That put me on the path to being a happy camper.

    Thanks - how I wish you had been online a couple of days ago.  I did finally work that out for myself sometime yesterday but it is good information to know.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-06-30T05:16:48+00:00

    Okay~

    So today I finished all your steps Ken, Clean install, SP1 update, install KB3102810, reconnect the network cable and do the updates – I was thrilled to be working again and the checking for updates + installing was going without a hitch for several hours.  Then, after the latest batch of updates, I was back to the forever checking for updates again.  It would not stop even if I closed the WU – I had to actually shut down the computer to get it to stop.  While this was going on I was unable to connect to my other computer’s e-mail which gave me a heart stopping moment but that cleared after I closed down and restarted BOTH computers – just closing down the one did not get me going again…  The only downloads I did were security updates so far.

    As an aside:  thought I would throw this in in case anyone else runs into a very weird episode I have not had happen before:  Just before the latest problem and just after a successful download my mouse gave out on me.  Just up and died – was about to make a trip to the store for a new mouse and happened to notice when I unplugged the mouse that the laser flashed on it.  Plugging and unplugging gave me flashes like a short – so I figured a bad hub and plugged it into a different socket.  Voila it was working again.  Then, after a few more batches of downloads finished I got a peculiar edit on my screen telling me: Driver software installation – Generic USB Hub ready to use and USB Composite Device ready to use.  Sure enough moving my mouse back to what I thought was a defective hub resulted in the mouse being functional again.  Have never had that happed before and I only mention it in case someone else experiences the same thing – don’t toss your mouse until you finish the downloads!

    I then tried VZs  remedy of KB3161608.  Like you, I had a problem with it but found that you needed to download another file and install it first: KB3020369 and adding both of those files got me going again (Thank you VZ) and at that point only had 1 refused download which cleared on the next batch. 

    Hallelujah!  Success is mine.

    Just want to say a huge thank you to Ken, Davi, VZ, Cavman, Canadian Guy and all the people on this forum that gave me a helping hand.  Never have I had so much help for a problem – guessing in main it is because this is such a huge issue for so many of us currently.  Nevertheless, kudos to every one of you who stepped in and gave advice.  I was kind of overwhelmed with the amount of information on this thread and at times it was difficult to follow and choose but I think I learned quite a bit from everyone and I hope I managed to throw in a thumbs-up for each person who gave me helpful advice.  If I overlooked anyone it was most definitely unintentional – there were so many. 

    Ultimately I chose Kens solution (slightly modified for my situation bless you Ken) because it was the easiest for me, personally, to understand and feel some confidence in following.   I absolutely could not have managed this without the help and advice freely given on this forum.  You certainly saved my computer from the trash pile and probably my sanity as well…  Still have a lot of work left: Security, equipment & apps to add, backup to restore, etc., so you may be my hero’s again shortly – hopefully on a different thread.  Sorry, did not mean to write a book here.   Appreciate you all more than I can say…

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-06-30T04:10:57+00:00

    Worked for me today on ASUS N53SV Win 7 Pro 64bit.

    Thanks for posting solution.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-06-30T04:07:54+00:00

    There is a trick to that "old" browser problem. You don't use update but instead use the download center. I reformatted my drive a few times while troubleshooting and I discovered that I could use the download center to bring the IE 11 (or whichever version) down and save it on a usb drive. Just as long as you put the installer someplace that won't disappear if you have to reformat again.

    One of my programs or devices wanted framework 4.5 but that would Not come down through update. I searched for the 4.5 installation files and got them at the download center. After my next installation of Win7 and before I went to update for anything. I ran these installation files and ended up with ie 11 and framework 4.5.

    Incidentally, The starter file for ie 11 was about 53MG and while it was installed I let it do some updating. Since I wasn't using Wuapp, there was no interference from whatever had been tripping me up. When I did fire up wuapp, it showed that I had a number of installed update files. That put me on the path to being a happy camper.

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-06-30T01:47:49+00:00

    Hey VZ, I tried the WU client download and when I try to run it, it says "this update is not applicable to your computer". Im no Guru but im running win7 pro Version 6.1 Build 7601 64bit with SP1 and tried the x64 download which is for my system as the x86 is for a 32bit system. Anything else I could try.

    Best regards

    I just tried it and the exact same circumstances you cited got the same "not applicable to your computer" for me as well.  I'm not 100% sure, but I think Ken had the same result of it not working for him.  I tried because after several hours of downloading success using Ken's method, I suddenly had the checking forever problem resurface.

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