Updates not working, it has been searching for updates for hours

Anonymous

My PC is quite old and I have tried the microsoft fix it tool. The fix it tool never works.

I have been trying to check for new updates from since yesterday (Tuesday 14th June) in the afternoon. It is now Wednesday morning (12 hours approx) and it is still checking. There is no error code, it is just checking for the updates.

I have no technical skills so please do not ask me any technical questions. I would just like a solution to this problem.

Thank you.

It is August now and my pc has been searching for updates for 1 week now. This is****ridiculous

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

lmacri 2,505

My PC is quite old and I have tried the microsoft fix it tool. The fix it tool never works.

I have been trying to check for new updates from since yesterday (Tuesday 14th June) in the afternoon. It is now Wednesday morning (12 hours approx) and it is still checking. There is no error code, it is just checking for the updates...

***** IMPORTANT NOTICE as of August 3, 2020 *****

Microsoft has announced they will be deactivating Windows Update on August 3, 2020 for computers with unsupported Windows operating systems that do not support SHA-2 code signing - see the 24-Jun-2020 Microsoft support article Windows Update SHA-1 Based Endpoints Discontinued for Older Windows Devices for more information. Win XP and Vista users will likely see one of the following error codes when Windows Update is run after this date.

Error code 80072ee2 or 80244019: The device cannot connect to Windows Update.
Error code 8024402c: The device is unable to locate Windows Update.

Unfortunately, this means that the instructions below to fix slow Windows Updates and automatically patch a Vista SP2 OS to end of extended support (11-Apr-2017) will no longer work. After 03-Aug-2020, Vista SP2 users who are still missing security updates released prior to 11-Apr-2017 should read post # 9 in the VistaForums thread WinVista HomePremium-X86 (SP1) Reinstallation Question about using the **** Dism++ utility to patch Vista SP2 back to end of support.
___________________________________________________________________________

**** INSTRUCTIONS BELOW WILL NOT FIX WINDOWS UPDATES AS OF 03-AUG-2020 ****

Hi m#l:

There is a known issue on Vista SP2 computers where Windows Update can hang on "Checking for updates..." for several hours (or even days) without throwing an error message. This problem was first reported in August 2015 and these slow Windows Updates have become progressively worse over time. In June 2016, IT expert Dalai began posting lists of "speed up" patches (a small number of security updates for the Win32K.sys kernel mode driver, graphics components, and IE9) at http://wu.krelay.de/en/ that could be manually installed each month to fix this problem. Here are step-by-step instructions for Dalai's solution:

REVISED for the JUNE 2017 Patch Tuesday (valid as of July 2020):

Disable automatic Windows Updates [Windows Update | Change settings | Important updates | Never check for updates (not recommended)] and re-boot to terminate any Windows Update sessions currently running in the background on your system.
Search your installed updates at Control Panel | Programs and Features | View Installed Updates to see if any of the following "speed up" patches are missing from your system: KB3205638 (rel. 13-Dec-2016); KB4012583 (rel. 14-Mar-2017); KB4015380 (rel. 11-Apr-2017); KB4019204 (rel. 09-May-2017). If IE9 is installed then KB4018271 (the 09-May-2017 cumulative security update for IE9) is also required. When searching, enter the full KB number in the search box (e.g., "KB3205638" and not a partial string like "3205638".
Download the standalone installers (.msu files) for any missing "speed up" patches from the the Microsoft Update Catalog and save them to your Windows desktop using the download links in Note 1. Use the Vista x86 installer if you have a 32-bit OS; use the Vista x64 installer if you have a 64-bit OS. See Note 2 if you have problems downloading the .msu installers.
Double-click to run each .msu standalone installer. Re-boot after all .msu installers have run to completion unless the installation wizard for one of the installers specifically requests a re-boot to finish the installation. See Notes 3 and 4 if you have problems running the .msu installers.
Once all missing "speed up" patches are pre-installed, run a manual Windows Update [Windows Update | Check for updates] to detect and install any available updates released as of 11-Apr-2017. It might take a few re-boots and manual Windows Updates to get everything patched, depending on how many months or years your Vista SP2 OS is out of date. See Note 5 if Windows Update continues to hang at "Checking for updates...". [WARNING*: If you following these instructions after July 2020 and Windows Update throws an error see the IMPORTANT NOTICE at the top of this post.]*

**** EDIT as of June 2017: Microsoft released five out-of-band emergency security updates for Vista SP2 in June 2017 were posted on the Microsoft Update Catalog but will not be delivered via Windows Update. See the thread More Shadow Brokers Exploits Patched June 2017 for Win XP and Vista for instructions on how to install these emergency updates if they are still missing from your system. ****

**** EDIT as of April 2020: Since March 2020 multiple users performing a clean reinstall of their Vista SP2 OS have reported that Windows Update can throw an error 800B0109 ("A certificate chain processed, but terminated in a root certificate which is not trusted by the trust provider") while trying to install KB4014984 (Security and Quality Rollup for NET. Framework 2.0, 3.0, 4.5.2, 4.6 on Windows Vista SP2 and Server 2008 SP2: April 11, 2017). To fix this error, download the MicrosoftRootCertificateAuthority2011.cer file from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=747875&clcid=0x409 and save it to the root C:\ directory of your computer (i.e.., so the location is C:\MicrosoftRootCertificateAuthority2011.cer), open anelevated command prompt with Administrator rights, and enter the command certutil -addstore "Root" "C:\MicrosoftRootCertificateAuthority2011.cer" to apply the required trust certificate. Kudos to greenhillmaniac for posting about this fix in his 06-Apr-2020 post in the MSFN threadCertificate Trust Provider Error Installing Updates. ****
______________________

Note 1: Download 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) .msu installers from the Microsoft Update Catalog at the following links:

REQUIRED:

KB3205638: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB3205638 Vista

KB4012583: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4012583 Vista
KB4015380: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4015380 Vista

KB4019204: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4019204 Vista

OPTIONAL (if Internet Explorer 9 is installed):

KB4018271: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4018271 Internet Explorer 9 Vista

OPTIONAL (if MS Office 2007, MS Office 2010 or the MS Office Compatibility Pack SP3 is installed):

See Note 5 below.

Note 2: If you have problems downloading the .msu installers using Internet Explorer 9 then try an alternate browser like Firefox ESR v52.9.0 (the legacy extended support release for Win XP and Vista, last updated 26-Jun-2018). You can also download the .msu installers to a USB thumb drive from another computer and copy the .msu installers to your Vista desktop.

Note 3: If you try to install a speed up patch that is already installed on your computer, download an installer that does not match the bit architecture of your OS (e.g., you try to run a 64-bit .msu installer on a 32-bit Vista machine), or try to install a speed up patch that has been superseded (replaced) by a newer update you will see a "The update is not applicable to your computer" error - see the MS support article Windows Update Troubleshooting for other common causes of this error.

Note 4: The standalone update packages (.msu files) will get stuck at "Checking for updates..." if there is a Windows Update session already running in the background on your computer. Most users find that disabling automatic Windows Updates and re-booting is sufficient (STEP # 1), but if your .msu installer still gets stuck you can temporarily disconnect from the internet or stop your Windows Update service (wuauserv) at Control Panel | System and Maintenance | Administrative Tools | Services while running these installers. Unlike Windows Update, these standalone update packages (.msu files) are associated with the Windows Update Standalone Installer (C:\Windows\System32\wusa.exe) and can be installed on computers without an internet connection.

Note 5: This issue has not been prevalent since 2018, but if you have MS Office 2007 SP3, MS Office 2010 SP2 and/or the MS Office Compatibility Pack SP3 (an add-on that allows older MS Office products like MS Office 2000/2003/2007 to work with files with newer Open XML formats like .docx, .xlsx, etc.) and find that Windows Update is still running slowly after completing the instructions above then links for additional "speed up" patches (.exe self-extracting installers) for these MS Office products are posted below.

If MS Office 2007 SP3 installed:
KB4018355: for Word 2007 (rel. Apr 2018)

 [KB4018353](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=56780): for Excel 2007 (rel. Apr 2018)

If MS Office Compatibility Pack SP3 (MS Office 2000/2003/2007 add-on) installed:

 [KB4018354](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=56800): Word converter file (wordconv; rel. Apr 2018)

 [KB4461607](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=57877): Excel converter file (xlconv; rel. Feb 2019)

If 32-bit MS Office 2010 SP2 installed:

 [KB4493218](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=102981 "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=102981"): for 32-bit MS Word 2010 (rel. Apr 2021)

 [KB3017810](https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=dbf63fea-6134-43ed-8960-a5e6822b494a "https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=dbf63fea-6134-43ed-8960-a5e6822b494a"): for 32-bit MS Excel 2010 (rel. Apr 2021)

If 64-bit MS Office 2010 SP2 installed:

 [KB4493218](https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=0ad9421d-1f16-4ed2-bc3c-59c293c11ad5 "https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=0ad9421d-1f16-4ed2-bc3c-59c293c11ad5"): for 64-bit MS Word 2010 (rel. Apr 2021)

[KB3017810](https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=0d5a97be-08a4-485f-aba0-9fa27f072a93 "https://www.microsoft.com/download/details.aspx?familyid=0d5a97be-08a4-485f-aba0-9fa27f072a93"): for 64-bit MS Excel 2010 (rel. Apr 2021)

If you have performed a clean reinstall of your MS Office product and are missing the final Service Pack then links to MS Office 2007 Service Pack 3 (KB2526086) and MS Office 2010 Service Pack 2 (KB2687455) are posted in the Lifewire article Latest Microsoft Office Service Packs. These Service Packs should be installed before applying the above "speed up" patches for your Office product(s).

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * FF ESR v52.9.0 * Malwarebytes Premium v3.5.1 * MS Office 2003 Pro SP3
HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

0 comments

703 additional answers

Anonymous

2016-12-04T18:13:39+00:00

Note that this is only a temporary workaround and a new Win32K.sys update will likely be posted on Dalai's webpage next month that will have to be pre-installed before you run your July 2016 Patch Tuesday updates.

Just a heads up that it's Patch Tuesday (the second Tuesday of the month) for July 2016 and Microsoft has released another batch of updates. Dalai updated his list of Windows kernel-mode driver (Win32K.sys) updates today at http://wu.krelay.de/en/ to include this month's KB3168965 (MS16-090: Description of the security update for Windows kernel-mode drivers: July 12, 2016), which replaces last month's KB3161664. Note that KB3164033 (rel. 14-Jun-2016) also replaces the old MS Graphics Component update KB3087039 (rel. 08-Aug-2015) in Dalai's current list.

If you find that "Checking for updates.. ." hangs for several hours when you run Windows Update to apply your July 2016 Patch Tuesday updates, just follow the step-by-step instructions posted in this thread on 16-Jun-2016 to see if this speeds up Windows Update. Users who were able to install their June 2016 Patch Tuesday updates last month should only have to pre-install this month's Win32K.sys update - KB3168965 - in order to "trick" the Windows Update Agent so it finds the remaining dozen or so July 2016 Patch Tuesday updates.

Users who haven't been able install updates for several months are likely missing additional Win32K.sys updates and will have to follow all steps listed in the 16-Jun-2016 instructions. As of July 2016 Dalai's full list of five required Win32K.sys updates at http://wu.krelay.de/en/ for Step # 2 of those instructions is now:

KB3078601 (18-Aug-2015); KB3109094 (07-Dec-2015); KB3145739 (12-Apr-2016); KB3164033 (14-Jun-2016); KB3168965 (12-Jul-2016)

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox v47.0.1 * IE9 * NIS v22.7.0.76 * MBAM Premium v2.2.1

HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

You guys are doing a great job at trying to keep Vista machines up to date, but frankly I am not satisfied that Microsoft is undertaking its legal obligation to provide support in an appropriate manner, basically in my eyes to kill off earlier versions of Microsoft software earlier that advertised. Anyone interested in joining me in a legal challenge on the basis of breach of contract?
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
lmacri 2,505 Reputation points

2016-12-04T16:21:32+00:00

I run two PCs, one with Vista and one with Windows 7. On Windows 7, the Windows Update Solution and the July 2016 rollup with the updated Windows Update Agent and other updates you mentioned failed to correct the days long search for updates- going through Dalai's work arounds for October 2016 seemed to fix the problem for November 2016 updates as Windows Update automatically and quickly found and installed just fine.

To Vista SP2 users: Please note the following comments only apply to Win 7 SP1. Vista SP2 users should refer to the step-by-step instructions posted on*page 1** of this thread.*

Hi RonTFL:

The permanent solution for Win 7 SP1 posted on Dalai's webpage at http://wu.krelay.de/en/ (under the heading Solution to the issue) is essentially identical to the solution posted in Canadian Tech's thread Windows 7 Update Solution. To fix Windows Update on a Win 7 SP1 machine, Dalai now recommends that users install the KB3172605 update (July 2016 monthly update rollup for Win 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2) after ensuring that at least one prerequisite servicing stack [either KB3020369 (rel. Apr 2015) or KB3177467 (rel. Sep 2016)] is already installed. If the instructions for installing KB3172605 in Canadian Tech's thread didn't permanently fix Windows Update on your Win 7 SP1 machine then you should either post in Canadian Tech's main thread or read his supplementary instructions at Windows Update Doesn't Work even with the SOLUTION to how to reset the Win 7 SP1 Windows Update components.

The links to the monthly updates for Win 7 SP1 posted on Dalai's webpage at http://wu.krelay.de/en/ (under the heading Monthly updates) are only intended for users who do not want Windows Update to automatically install their Monthly Rollups on Patch Tuesdays and prefer to control how and when all updates are delivered to their computer. If any Win 7 SP1 user isn't clear on the possible consequences of manually installing this month's KB3197867 (the non-cumulative Security-Only rollup) versus KB3197868 (the cumulative Monthly Rollup ) then they should read the discussion in Canadian Tech's thread Windows Update -- How will it change your system?.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox v50.0.2 * NIS v22.8.1.14 * MBAM v2.2.1

HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2016-12-04T12:07:09+00:00

...The slow Windows Updates on my Vista SP2 machine started over a year ago in August 2015 (one month after the official release of Win 10) and I've never heard of an instance where SFC (System File Checker) or DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool - aka CheckSUR: System Update Readiness Tool) fixed one of these "Checking for updates..." hangs where Windows Update gets stuck for several hours but doesn't throw an error message....

If Windows Update Agent files were corrupted, it is a stone not turned. No way to know all of the updates he may or may not have downloaded and installed.

Hi RonTFL:

If the Windows Update Agent (or any other Windows Update component) was corrupted then Windows Update should throw an error message. In that case, yes, it would be prudent to start running diagnostics like SFC (System File Checker) and MS CheckSUR (System Update Readiness Tool).

My own thread August 2015 Windows Update for Vista Requires One Hour to Run to Completion includes results for some of the basic diagnostics I ran when I first noticed these "Checking for updates..." hangs (e.g., chkdsk /r, sfc /scannow, MS CheckSUR etc.) and none of these diagnostics found a problem with my Vista SP2 OS or Windows Update components. I even had my system checked by a malware removal specialist in Malwarebytes' Malware Removal Help forum (FRST, ESET Online, AdwCleaner, JRT, RKill, etc.) and there was no evidence of a malware/PUP infection.

I first heard about Dalai's workaround to pre-install the Windows kernel-mode driver (Win32K.sys) updates each Patch Tuesday in a May 2016 article on Woody Leonhard's Woody on Windows InfoWorld blog, and this is still the only viable workaround I know of that will speed up a Vista SP2 Windows Update that hangs on the initial "Checking for updates..." phase without throwing an error message. (Note: step-by-step instructions for Dalai's workaround are posted on page 1 of this thread).

Many Win 7 SP1 computers are also affected by these "Checking for updates..." hangs and Microsoft released a permanent fix for this OS - see Canadian Tech's thread Windows 7 Update Solution. The optional KB3172605 update (July 2016 monthly update rollup for Win 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2) is a bundle of six separate non-security hotfixes and includes KB3161647 (Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: June 2016) that updates the Win 7 SP1 Windows Update Agent to v7.6.7601.23453 and provides "an optimization that addresses long scan time for updates". Unfortunately, Microsoft has not released an analogous patch for the Windows Update Agent v7.6.7600.256 for Vista SP2, and I doubt Vista users will see a permanent fix for their "Checking for updates..." hangs before extended support for Vista SP2 ends on 11-Apr-2017.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox v50.0.2 * NIS v22.8.1.14 * MBAM v2.2.1

HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

I totally agree with your troubleshooting steps. I run two PCs, one with Vista and one with Windows 7. On Windows 7, the Windows Update Solution and the July 2016 rollup with the updated Windows Update Agent and other updates you mentioned failed to correct the days long search for updates- going through Dalai's work arounds for October 2016 seemed to fix the problem for November 2016 updates as Windows Update automatically and quickly found and installed just fine.

Vista on the other hand has required referencing Dalai's tips and Woody's as well a stumbling through Microsoft's security bulletins for Vista for October and November to finally get updates to quickly work correctly- as you mentioned, Vista has been neglected as Microsoft has not updated it's agent since 2012 and apparently will not as support ends in April 2017.

Thankfully, for both Vista and Windows 7 there has been help from Dalai and Woody and users on this forum in getting the necessary security updates. Again, shame on Microsoft.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
lmacri 2,505 Reputation points

2016-12-04T06:03:47+00:00

...The slow Windows Updates on my Vista SP2 machine started over a year ago in August 2015 (one month after the official release of Win 10) and I've never heard of an instance where SFC (System File Checker) or DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool - aka CheckSUR: System Update Readiness Tool) fixed one of these "Checking for updates..." hangs where Windows Update gets stuck for several hours but doesn't throw an error message....

If Windows Update Agent files were corrupted, it is a stone not turned. No way to know all of the updates he may or may not have downloaded and installed.

Hi RonTFL:

If the Windows Update Agent (or any other Windows Update component) was corrupted then Windows Update should throw an error message. In that case, yes, it would be prudent to start running diagnostics like SFC (System File Checker) and MS CheckSUR (System Update Readiness Tool).

My own thread August 2015 Windows Update for Vista Requires One Hour to Run to Completion includes results for some of the basic diagnostics I ran when I first noticed these "Checking for updates..." hangs (e.g., chkdsk /r, sfc /scannow, MS CheckSUR etc.) and none of these diagnostics found a problem with my Vista SP2 OS or Windows Update components. I even had my system checked by a malware removal specialist in Malwarebytes' Malware Removal Help forum (FRST, ESET Online, AdwCleaner, JRT, RKill, etc.) and there was no evidence of a malware/PUP infection.

I first heard about Dalai's workaround to pre-install the Windows kernel-mode driver (Win32K.sys) updates each Patch Tuesday in a May 2016 article on Woody Leonhard's Woody on Windows InfoWorld blog, and this is still the only viable workaround I know of that will speed up a Vista SP2 Windows Update that hangs on the initial "Checking for updates..." phase without throwing an error message. (Note: step-by-step instructions for Dalai's workaround are posted on page 1 of this thread).

Many Win 7 SP1 computers are also affected by these "Checking for updates..." hangs and Microsoft released a permanent fix for this OS - see Canadian Tech's thread Windows 7 Update Solution. The optional KB3172605 update (July 2016 monthly update rollup for Win 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2) is a bundle of six separate non-security hotfixes and includes KB3161647 (Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: June 2016) that updates the Win 7 SP1 Windows Update Agent to v7.6.7601.23453 and provides "an optimization that addresses long scan time for updates". Unfortunately, Microsoft has not released an analogous patch for the Windows Update Agent v7.6.7600.256 for Vista SP2, and I doubt Vista users will see a permanent fix for their "Checking for updates..." hangs before extended support for Vista SP2 ends on 11-Apr-2017.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox v50.0.2 * NIS v22.8.1.14 * MBAM v2.2.1

HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments