Solution to ‘Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer’. Dec 2017

Anonymous
2017-12-11T20:19:37+00:00

I have seen many people experiencing the problem of ‘Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer’.

Today, 11th Dec 2017, I have had exactly the same problem with going in to Windows Update on Win 7 PC’s and getting this same scenario when I try to update windows.  I go in to Control Panel and Windows Update.  There is a red X in the box and when I click ‘Check for Updates’ I get the message

‘Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer’.

I restarted the PC and still had the same the same problem and I also checked the Update Service was running and it was.

I have One laptop and 4 PC’s at home all running Win 7 so I tried the same procedure of updating and all but one had the same issue as above.  I contacted a few friends whom I know have PC’s running Win 7 and when I asked them to try updating Windows they had the same problem I had.  The settings in Windows Update varied from ‘Download updates but let me choose when to install them’ ,  ‘Install updates automatically ( recommended)’, ‘Never check for updates ( not recommended)’ .  Ironically, the only PC I found I could check for updates was the one set to ‘Never check for updates ( not recommended)’. So we changed the settings on all the PC’s to‘Never check for updates ( not recommended)’ and then rebooted & then tried to check for updates and we could in all instances.**  We then changed the settings back to our preference of either *‘Install updates automatically ( recommended)’*or ‘Download updates but let me choose when to install them’ and all is well again. So, it looks as though there has been a common problem with a previous Windows 7 Update that caused this update problem recently.  

Can anyone from Microsoft please look in to this as there may be many people thinking their PC's are being updated and they aren't!

Since posting this a year ago it's obvious from the responses that the above fix doesn't work for everyone but it's certainly worth giving the above solution a shot as it's so simple, if it doesn't then follow one of the other solutions mentioned further on in the discussion.  Once you have the updates working again the problem does not reoccur so obviously Microsoft fixed the problem in a subsequent update. I also notice that one year on and some people are still only just discovering Windows has not been updating all this time, so guess it pays to check updates are being installed occasionally!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-12-15T16:42:09+00:00

    Just one other thought in case you haven't yet checked it.  Have you been in to '*Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Computer management/Services and applications/Services'*and scrolled down to see if Windows Update is Enabled and started.   Default should be 'Automatic (Delayed start)' 

    If it's set to 'Disabled' it produces the scenario of the red X in the box and when clicking for updates the message

    ‘Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer’

    It's worth checking that.  If it is disabled, re-enable it and reboot and try again.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-04-04T13:52:37+00:00

    I discovered a solution to the problem where trying to run Windows Update resulted in the pop-up message " *Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer"*on the WinTips website here.

    I followed the instructions from Solution #2 to resolve the error manually:

    Step 1: Stop Windows Update service.

    a. Simultaneously press Windows key + R  to open run command box.

    b. Inside run command box, type: services.msc and press Enter.

    c. In the Services window that just opened, search for Windows Update service, then right click on it and select Stop.

    d. Without closing the services window, proceed to the next step.

    Step 2: Delete or Rename Windows update temporary storage folder.

    To do this:

    a. Open “My Computer” and navigate to “C:Windows”folder**.**

    b. Delete (or Rename e.g. to “SoftwareDistributionOLD”) the “SoftwareDistribution” folder.

    (note:  I personally chose the option to rename the folder to SoftwareDistributionOLD, which seemed a far safer and easier to undo if this did not work!)

    Step 3: Start Windows Update service.

    a. In the Services window that you opened in Step 1, right click on the Windows Update service and select Start .

    b. Try to update Windows again.

    This solution worked for me, hopefully it will for you as well!

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-12-18T18:19:19+00:00

    To All:  my solution on 2-W7 laptops 1-W7 desktop that works:

    uncheck'm ALL and then request updates.  Update and reset to your specs/checks.

    RUN your new updates...  reboot...  reset to your specs/checks!

    These WUs are necessary and critical to many b/c they are NOT only for W7 'enhancements', but especially for updating apps like MS Excel, etc.

    happy updating!

    UPDATE to the UPDATE!

    IF after you have MS updates working again with the simple process shown above, make sure that your MS OFFICE updates are actually working too (provided you have Office - Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc).

    Mine was turned OFF because of a window choice i had in the process above.  SOOO, to get the OPTION back to make the selection for MS Office Updates, ron7000 had the simple answer back in 2014 and here's the link in case you find Office isn't being updated anymore:

    29 Sept 2014 ron7000

    https://www.sevenforums.com/microsoft-office/346784-not-showing-office-updates-thru-windows-update-office-2010-win7.html

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-10-16T16:46:43+00:00

    Thank you very much! Your solution worked for me! :)

    Windows Update Cannot Currently Check for Updates Because the Service is Not Running

    Solution:

    1. Go to Administrative Tools/Services, and stop the Windows Update service.
    2. Then go to the folder c: /Windows/SoftwareDistributionand delete all of the files and folders.
    3. Then go back to Servicesand restart the Windows Update service which will recreate all of those folders again.
    4. Then manually run the Update Service and everything should work.

    www.dell.com

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  5. Anonymous
    2018-01-20T10:22:19+00:00

    Fix: Windows Update Error installations failed Win ,7 ,8 ,10 | Windows update error code 80244019

    Will tell you in this tutorial 

    How to solve windows update error or installations failed.

    Follow the Steps:-

    1:- Go to services.msc.

    2:- find the windows update service and stop it.

    3:- Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download delete all the folders inside.

    4:-  Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore and delete all files and folder inside.

    5:- Now start stooped service.

    6:- Download update and install.

    Video URL:- Fix: Windows Update Error installations failed Win ,7 ,8 ,10 | Windows update error code 80244019

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