Windows 7 Update Problems? Read this first.

Anonymous
2016-07-29T13:38:24+00:00

There are now two discussions for Windows Update problems.

This original one which still works fine and a new Advanced Users Discussion.

The Advanced Users Discussion may be more appealing to users that are comfortable maneuvering around some more advanced areas of Windows, those already familiar with downloading and installing Windows updates or have an aversion to using Internet Explorer.  No fancy words or screen shots for those users that don't need them:

Click here for the Advanced Users Discussion

Keep reading for the original discussion about Windows Update problems.

The original method of downloading the two Microsoft updates has gotten unreliable and pushed down to the bottom of this page separated by a row of @@@@@ signs.

The new method involves downloading some updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog and seems more reliable but you must use Internet Explorer to download the updates.  If you visit the Microsoft Update Catalog with another browser these downloads will not work.

Here is what we have so far for the process using Internet Explorer to get the downloads needed:

You may have better luck using the Microsoft Update Catalog but that will require using Internet Explorer.

If IE is not your default browser you can't just click on and open these links or your default browser will open and you won't be able to get the Update Catalog to work.

These are not things to "try".  These are things to "do".

Do this:

Open Control Panel and change the View to Small icons so you can see things easier (some folks are shocked when they see all the stuff on this screen!):

Choose Windows Update, Change Settings and make a note of the current setting because you need to change them.

Make these adjustments and click OK to save the changes:

Restart your system for the changes to take effect. 

That adjustment will immediately stop any kind of background update activity that might be stuck (causing your system to run slow) and allow you to manually download two other updates you need to fix the other Windows Update issues.

To access the Microsoft Update Catalog you must use Internet Explorer.

Open Internet Explorer and copy and paste this URL into the address bar:

http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/home.aspx

When using the Update Catalog you can search for the updates and then add them to your "basket" and then when the two updates are in your basket you can download the contents of your basket (two updates) to your desktop or someplace you can find them and then install them.

The first update to search for is KB3020369:

Click the Add button to add the appropriate update (32 or 64 bit) to your basket and you will see that your basket now has one item:

Then search for the second update KB3172605:

Click the Add button to add the appropriate update (32 or 64 bit) to your basket and you will see that your basket now has two items:

Now you are ready to download the contents of your basket which should have 2 items in it:

Click view basket:

Then click the Download button:

Then choose the location folder for the downloads (your desktop or someplace you can find them):

Click OK to start the download process and wait for the two updates to download.

Locate and double click the package for KB3020369 to launch the installer and let it complete. 

If the update is already installed you will see this (not a problem):

Restart your system so the update will take effect.

Locate and double click the package for KB3172605 to launch the installer and let it complete. 

Restart your system, the go back to Control Panel, Windows Update and choose to Check for Updates:

Wait patiently...  The Microsoft servers are also very busy after Patch Tuesday (the second Tuesday of every month) and several days after that as millions of systems around the world are being updated.

When your system is fully updated you can delete the files you downloaded.

Many experienced troubleshooters and technicians suggest leaving the Windows update settings the way they are now - to never check for any updates:

That doesn't mean you will never get updates or cannot get updates - it means instead of Microsoft deciding what updates get applied to your system, you are in control of the update process and you can decide when to check for updates, review the updates and you can decide which updates you want or need to apply to your system.

Being able to review the updates before installing them will allow you to hide any updates you don't want such as hardware driver updates (video, audio, network).  Microsoft does not know what the best hardware drivers are for your system and will often send driver updates that will cause your system to malfunction or not work at all.

Since you are now in control of Windows Updates you will have to check periodically for updates yourself but that is really the best way to be sure you don't get some updates that will cause your system to malfunction.

Microsoft issues a batch of updates the second Tuesday of every month (Patch Tuesday) so you should at least check once a month for updates.  Of course now that Windows Update is behaving you can check as often as you want.

If you don't like the idea of being in control of your system updates you can set the settings back to the way they were in the beginning.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Old Instructions

I hope to pull what I think are the best ideas and procedures to address Windows Update issues (not working, hung up, taking too long, nothing happens, etc., etc., etc.).

Taking input from several sources and putting it all in one place with enough illustrations to be easy to understand and will work for new/fresh/reinstalls of Windows 7 and also work for already installed systems.

Please take a look at it and reply to the discussion with any changes and I can just change the top part.

Then when we see a "Windows Update isn't working, taking too long, broken, nothing happens, etc." we can refer to the discussion and it that doesn't work we can adjust the discussion so it does work.  Then everything is in one place and we will all deliver a consistent message that will hopefully work for everybody.

These are not things to "try".  These are things to "do".

Do this:

Open Control Panel and change the View to Small icons so you can see things easier (some folks are shocked when they see all the stuff on this screen!):

Choose Windows Update, Change Settings and make a note of the current setting because you need to change them.

Make these adjustments and click OK to save the changes:

Restart your system for the changes to take effect. 

That adjustment will immediately stop any kind of background update activity that might be stuck (causing your system to run slow) and allow you to manually download two other updates you need to fix the other Windows Update issues.

If your installation is new or a reinstall you need to start by installing KB3020369:

April 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7

If you already have KB3020369 installed you won't be able to install it twice so go ahead and visit this link to be sure:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020369

If your system is 32-bit download the x86 package.

If your system is 64-bit download the x64 package.

Choose to download the correct package for your system and save the file to someplace you can find it - like your desktop.

Double click the package you downloaded to launch the installer and let it complete. 

If the update is already installed you will see this (not a problem):

Restart your system so the update will take effect.

Next visit this link and choose to install KB3172605:

July 2016 update rollup for Windows 7

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605

If your system is 32-bit download the x86 package.

If your system is 64-bit download the x64 package.

Choose to download the correct package for your system and save the file to someplace you can find it - like your desktop.

Double click the package you downloaded to launch the installer and let it complete.

Restart your system, the go back to Control Panel, Windows Update and choose to Check for Updates:

Wait patiently...  Remember that these are the last hours to get the Windows 10 upgrade for free so the Microsoft servers are probably taking a pounding.  The Microsoft servers are also very busy on Patch Tuesday (the second Tuesday of every month) and several days after that as millions of systems around the world are being updated.

When your system is fully updated you can delete the files you downloaded.

Many experienced troubleshooters and technicians suggest leaving the Windows update settings the way they are now - to never check for any updates:

That doesn't mean you will never get updates or cannot get updates - it means instead of Microsoft deciding what updates get applied to your system, you are in control of the update process and you can decide when to check for updates, review the updates and you can decide which updates you want or need to apply to your system.

Being able to review the updates before installing them will allow you to hide any updates you don't want such as hardware driver updates (video, audio, network).  Microsoft does not know what the best hardware drivers are for your system and will often send driver updates that will cause your system to malfunction or not work at all.

Since you are now in control of Windows Updates you will have to check periodically for updates yourself but that is really the best way to be sure you don't get some updates that will cause your system to malfunction.

Microsoft issues a batch of updates the second Tuesday of every month (Patch Tuesday) so you should at least check once a month for updates.  Of course now that Windows Update is behaving you can check as often as you want.

If you don't like the idea of being in control of your system updates you can set the settings back to the way they were in the beginning.

Reply to this discussion if there are things missing or ideas how to make it easier to follow understand.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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.

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-01-01T16:30:38+00:00

    I assume from what you are telling me that you are using an install disk that predates SP1.  It would be better to use one that has SP1.   If you do not, and you have the SP1 install disk itself, it would be better to install it immediately after the install itself, then proceed to Windows Update. 

    If you do not have the SP1 disk, the way I would do it is to simply start Windows Update and let it do its thing.  It will take much longer and will eventually offer up SP1 by itself, then proceed to offer another 200 or so updates after that.  I would expect an overall elapsed time of about 12 hours.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-01-01T16:20:27+00:00

    Just want to add one more success story to the many already here. I've recently had to reinstall Windows 7 on 2 Dell computers due to hard drive failures. In both instances, updates were processed normally for what seems like a couple of weeks, but then began the endless update search.

    The procedure outlined here worked perfectly for correcting each computer's ability to find and install updates.  The bad news is that the last one is over 1,000 updates behind.

    I was wondering.....should I go ahead and upgrade to SP1 instead of trying to catch up on the updates?

    Thanks,

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-12-31T11:11:36+00:00

    This topic is really just about how to get Windows Update working and it's good that you fixed that.

    If you have some updates that are not installing that is a different problem so you should start a new topic/question/thread about that and include the updates that are not working and the errors you see and then somebody can help figure those out.

    New and fresh topics will get lots of eyeballs on them since they will be on top of the list.

    To get started at the top of the page do this:

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-12-31T06:21:59+00:00

    Thank you so much for this information.  I bought a laptop earlier this year.  Could not load Microsoft Office on.  Phoned the retailer and they said "must be a software problem".  End of help.  My son thought I needed to update Windows 7 but it would not start.  I researched myself and found your guide.  Windows is now updated.  129 updates out of 131 for 64 version.  I received an error code 66A stating 2 files would not copy.  Could you please provide any further assistance to resolve these errors?  Many thanks!!!

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  5. Anonymous
    2016-12-29T13:19:03+00:00

    I had different problem on Windows 2008 R2 SP1 but solution was to try install KB3020369. Tried to install and got message that its already installed. But if I look at the list of file version number in article https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020369 then they are not same but smaller. Article says that file versions must be 6.1.7601.18766 (or greater if some new update is installed) but I see versions 6.1.7600.16385 or some others but still less than 6.1.7601.18766 . I don't understand how the update is installed when file versions are not same or greater?

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