Windows Update just spins and spins, seemingly without end

There's that darn echo again...

Hi slipfoot:

Read through the step-by-step instructions posted 16-Jun-2016 in m#l's thread *Updates not working, it has been searching for updates for hours* before trying to install the standalone update package (.msu file). These instructions are based on Dalai's workaround at http://wu.krelay.de/en/ but include additional hints to avoid problems like the one you've described. Make sure you try the following...

Hi slipfoot:

Just an FYI  that Microsoft MVP Woody Leonhard posted an entry today in his Woody on Windows InfoWorld blog titled 2 easy steps to speed up Windows 7 Update scans that also includes detailed instructions for using Dalai's workaround at http://wu.krelay.de/en/.  Woody endorses Dalai's workaround for speeding up Windows Update for both Win 7 SP1 and Vista SP2 users.

Today is Patch Tuesday for August 2016, so be sure to check Dalai's webpage tonight to see if he has revised his list of five required Windows kernel-mode driver (Win32K.sys) updates that must be pre-installed to speed up Windows Updates if any of those five updates are missing from your system.  I can't confirm yet, but preliminary information would indicate that last month's KB3168965 has been replaced by KB3177725 (MS16-098: Security Update for Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers: August 9, 2016).

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox v48.0 * 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

Using Dalai's workaround at http://wu.krelay.de/en/, I was finally able to download KB3168965 and KB3177725, which are now listed in Installed Updates. Windows Update had last successfully downloaded updates on July 7 before it stopped working. After downloading these two updates, I disconnected from the Internet, did a cold reboot of my computer, and after searching for about an hour, Windows Update came up with 19 updates, nearly 182 MB total. Everything installed OK. My question now is: Can I set Windows Update to Automatically Check for Updates again instead of Never Check for Updates?

My question now is: Can I set Windows Update to Automatically Check for Updates again instead of Never Check for Updates?

Hi slipfoot:

You can if you wish, but my advice would be to leave automatic Windows Updates permanently disabled [Windows Update | Change settings | Important updates | Never check for updates (not recommended)].  These days it's very rare for Microsoft to release security updates for Vista or IE9 outside of Patch Tuesdays (the second Tuesday of each month) and I find it's a waste of system resources to have automatic Windows Update checking for updates every day - or hanging for hours on end if it's scheduled to run on a Patch Tuesday.  I don't use Microsoft security software like Windows Defender or ESET but my understanding is that virus definition updates for those programs can still be updated automatically via the built-in updater when Windows Update is disabled.  

I have automatic Windows Updates completely disabled on my Vista machine and my usual routine now is to wait for a day or two after each Patch Tuesday (the second Tuesday of each month) and then check Dalai's webpage at http://wu.krelay.de/en/ to see if a new Windows kernel-mode driver (Win32K.sys) update has been added to his list of required updates.  If the link for a new Win32K.sys update is posted, I download and install the standalone update package before running a manual Windows Update [Windows Update | Check for updates] to install my remaining Patch Tuesday updates.

If you disable automatic Windows Updates and don't feel comfortable running a Windows Update once a month you can always run a manual update at the time of your choosing (e.g., once a week).  My personal experience is that my "Checking for updates..." hangs will only occur for Patch Tuesdays when there are a large number of updates pending.  The rest of the month any manual Windows Updates run "normally'  (i.e., "Checking for updates..." doesn't hang for hours) until the next batch of Patch Tuesday is released.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox v48.0 * 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

Can I set Windows Update to Automatically Check for Updates again instead of Never Check for Updates?

It's your computer, you can do whatever you want to do...

...but I very strongly disagree with GWN's post above! Instead, I'd recommend re-enabling automatic updating and selecting the "Notify me but do not download or install" option.

• You'll know if & when an update becomes available, especially out-of-band updates (i.e., updates released other than on the second Tuesday of the month) so...
• You won't miss any updates and you won't have to run manual checks for updates either.
• No updates will download without your explicit approval.
• No updates will install without your explicit approval.
• You'll be able to choose which updates are downloaded, which updates are installed - as well as when they're installed. [If you want to install one or more updates as a standalone(s), you can do so.]
• If you're paying attention, Windows Update will NEVER restart your computer without warning.

Good luck!

PS: Extended Support (i.e., all updates) for Vista ends on 11 April 2017.