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

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

223 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2018-04-23T02:21:26+00:00

    I am having the same problem with installing Windows 10 Updates to my Dell Laptop that is only two years old. It appears to be a serious problem with the Technical Support that is out of India because I have been going through this for a few months.  I asked them if there was another Technical Support Team in the US, and they said, "not that we know of". The same error is coming up with different codes as follows:

        "There were some problems installing updates, but we'll try again later. If you keep seeing this and              want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help: (0x80070424)"

         "Your device is at risk because it's out of date and missing important security and quality updates.

           Let's get you back on track so Windows can run more securely. Select this button to get going:"

    When I select the button, It goes  into a wrap around with the same error messages. 

    The first time I called, support tried to remove Windows and reinstall it. It was blocked every time. They finally got it reinstalled and it lasted about a month. The second time, the same thing. Now, when I called a few days ago, I was elevated to a level that had to call be back the next day with the same two hour open window to tell me that they are researching the problem and will call me back tomorrow. I am beginning to wonder about the competence of the Technical Support Team. After two to three months, for sure they will have researched the update problem that I am having. Not to mention the problems others are having with updates for the past two years. Come on Windows, you can do better than this!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2018-04-22T21:35:42+00:00

    Good for you. With automatic updates disabled, this issue could not be acquired in the first place. Then again, it's not the recommended setting... :)

    Something about settings that are labeled "Not Recommended" make them attractive.  ;-)

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2018-04-22T17:00:08+00:00

    But it's not preferable over, easier or less intrusive than temporarily setting automatic updates to "Never check for updates".

    I've got mine set permanently on "Never check for updates" -- I'd rather have full-time control over the situation.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2018-04-21T17:25:37+00:00

    Thanks worked for me

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2018-04-14T09:59:44+00:00

    This works! Thank you Keyser_Soze. And EXCELLENT instructions. I am a Technical Writer of 15 years and appreciate how well you wrote this up.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments