Windows Update Hangs

With the July 2016 Windows Updates (for Windows 7) , yet again as in previous months, it stated it was downloading updates but it hanged on 0% for a long time.

This time around I found that by stopping Windows Update in Services, then manually installing KB3168965 ( Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems - Security update for Windows kernel-mode drivers) and restarting, afterwards Windows Update worked normally.

Lately, Windows Update has been broken in one way or another and a lot of the updates themselves have been botched screwing up user's computers and wasting their time troubleshooting problems and repairing the damage done.

I don't understand why Microsoft executives, especially Satya Nadella, won't do anything to solve all these problems with Windows Update and patches.

Edit:

I found the answer to my question on a Computer World Windows Update for Business article comment:

"Microsoft has already explicitly told its business customers that consumers -- who will for the most part receive updates when they're released -- will serve as guinea pigs, who will turn up bugs and problems in each Windows 10 update months before enterprises have to commit to the fixes. Congrats on the promotion, consumers, the company no longer views you as pigs. Now you're guinea pigs. Sure hope you don't lose anything you want to keep when your untested updates are forcefully applied."

http://www.computerworld.com/article/2918574/microsoft-windows/microsoft-touts-new-update-service-as-way-for-enterprises-to-go-slow-on-windows-10.html

To late as far as the computer I was on yesterday when I posted above. Already installed Linux on that machine. Still have 2 Windows computers left though, so will see if I already have that update installed and go from there.

Unfortunately, 1 computer is wife's and she won't let me put Linux on that machine! :(

Thanks for that reply though, Volume Z. :)

Edit:

Aw, darn! Not that rollup update?! I know I don't have that update installed as I figured that was just another sneaky way for MS to add telemetry junk and that stupid get Windows 10 thing.

That was a temporary workaround. A permanent fix has been issued a few weeks ago. Interrupt the search process and install KB3161608.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3161608

Then try again.

Regards, VZ

I already have those updates installed and Windows Update is still taking any where up to 3 hours to check for updates!

Guess it's about time to wipe Windows off my last 3 machines and install Linux. Have already done this on 5 other machines. :)

I can install, update and start using a Linux distro in less time than it takes to check for updates in Windows anymore!

I tried this and for now the computer is running normally, including Windows Updates. I am not holding my breath that this will be more than a short-term fix, but so far so good.