Windows 7 Updating Is Still Broken

Megalith

Megalith

24-bit/48kHz
Staff member
Joined
Aug 20, 2006
Messages
13,000
This guy put Microsoft’s new Convenience Rollup (CR) for a spin and found that things didn’t go as well as he’d hoped. The CR was recently released for Windows 7 users as a more practical way of updating the OS.

Based on the feedback I received on Twitter yesterday, this issue–where Windows Update just sits there saying “Checking for updates…” but not actually doing anything—is common in Windows 7. Naturally, I’ve been largely unaware of this since I long since moved in turn to Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and now Windows 10. But for the subset of those several hundred million people who do in fact use Windows 7 every single day and need to reinstall the OS from time to time, this is obviously a problem. For those who need to update the OS on multiple machines, it’s a freaking nightmare.
 
Anyone who is worried about reinstalling the OS from "time to time" should just make their own media with slipstreamed updates. It takes less time to make the media than it does to sit through the updates.
 
Ocellaris said:
Anyone who is worried about reinstalling the OS from "time to time" should just make their own media with slipstreamed updates. It takes less time to make the media than it does to sit through the updates.
Click to expand...

do you just pull the updates from a current install? I'd like to make install media with all the updates already in it.
 
Zepher said:
do you just pull the updates from a current install? I'd like to make install media with all the updates already in it.
Click to expand...

I haven't done this in a bit, however the basic premise is this:

-Extract the original installation ISO to files
-Run tools to automagically download all of the Windows Updates (there have been multiple tools that do this, not sure what the best tool currently is)
-The tool will then update the extracted files from the original ISO
-Create a new ISO from those updated files
-Burn that to a disc or thumb drive
-Install Windows and all of the updates are now already applied

I did this pretty regularly once Windows 7 passes 50+ updates and we needed "clean" PCs for Windows application testing.
 
Last edited:
T_A said:
F You Microsoft for not making Win 7 SP2 and SP3 with all the updates over the years.
a fresh windows 7 SP1 will require about 300-400 updated before its up-to-date
Click to expand...

^^^ this.
I spent days trying to get Win7 installed and updated. Windows update would just sit there with the cpu pegged at 100% for a day at a time before needing a reboot, then starting again for the next batch of 100 updates.
 
Here's a tip from my own personal experience: don't rely on wifi to do this, use a hardwired network cable for better/faster response times. For some unknown reason, windows 7 update really doesn't seem to get along with wifi and using a hardwired connection for a new install really speeds things up. At least in my experience. Also, don't try to get all the updates at once, it caused me to run out of memory with 8 gigs.
 
dwd999 said:
Here's a tip from my own personal experience: don't rely on wifi to do this, use a hardwired network cable for better/faster response times. For some unknown reason, windows 7 update really doesn't seem to get along with wifi and using a hardwired connection for a new install really speeds things up. At least in my experience. Also, don't try to get all the updates at once, it caused me to run out of memory with 8 gigs.
Click to expand...

This really just points out how broken the update system really it. It should automatically handle efficiently installing updates instead of smashing headfirst into so many updates it kills 8GB of RAM. Linux can often be a dumpster fire, but at least they handle updates extremely well. Very easy to see a PC queue up 50+ package uodates and work through them with zero issues.
 
Ocellaris said:
This really just points out how broken the update system really it. It should automatically handle efficiently installing updates instead of smashing headfirst into so many updates it kills 8GB of RAM. Linux can often be a dumpster fire, but at least they handle updates extremely well. Very easy to see a PC queue up 50+ package uodates and work through them with zero issues.
Click to expand...

You'd almost think they're doing it on purpose.
 
Isn't this how class action lawsuits begin? What exactly did Microsoft promise with respect to Windows 7 updates?
 
Show of hands, who's put windows update speeds (7, 8.x or 10) side by side with say Ubuntu, and tested which updates faster?

You might be surprised with the results ;)
 
I'm guessing that Thurrott is either an idiot and/or he doesn't read well. It clearly stated in the announcement for this that it doesn't install every possible update from Windows Update, thus the need for some additional updates after installing this. It also states this included updates up to April, not May. So any of the May updates are not included, if logic is in play here.

His article came off as a lot of bitching and whining. Someone of his many years in the field could have done a better job controlling himself.
 
ir0nw0lf said:
I'm guessing that Thurrott is either an idiot and/or he doesn't read well. It clearly stated in the announcement for this that it doesn't install every possible update from Windows Update, thus the need for some additional updates after installing this. It also states this included updates up to April, not May. So any of the May updates are not included, if logic is in play here.

His article came off as a lot of bitching and whining. Someone of his many years in the field could have done a better job controlling himself.
Click to expand...

A but sensationalism sells better my friend.
 
I tested this patch at work on a test machine with a fresh install of Windows 7 SP1. It took about 15 minutes to install. Afterward, it did take a long time to check for updates as 7 is prone to do, however it only ahd about 50 remaining instead of a couple hundred. So it does work, and it does reduce the amount of time required to get a fresh 7 install up and running, but there's definitely room for improvement.
 
I still just use the Simplix UpdatePack to make my own, just made one with the latest update from last week (5-18-2016) and it works fine, I do it monthly so I'm always covered. I tested this rollup a few days ago after it was released and realized it's still not what it should be and Microsoft - this being my personal belief - is creating these slowdowns and glitches on purpose to frustrate consumers with Windows 7 as much as they reliably can so that people decide "Enough's enough..." and move to Windows 10.

Sorry, Microsoft, that ain't gonna happen in my neck of the woods.
 
Its good to see Thurrott can occasionally pull Microsoft's dick out of his mouth. I can see why he's getting frustrated: At this rate Windows for PC's is going to end up as wildly successful as Windows for phones. That's going to hurt Paul's book sales.

The situation is ridiculous, Microsoft needs to release a proper Service Pack and fix Windows Update. Not just some half-baked rollup an intern threw together.
 
As ron.lolly said, it is an easy fix to get the updates going again.

Frustratingly shitty bug... no testing M$? Seen it on so many machines with various hardware types.
 
N4CR said:
Frustratingly shitty bug... no testing M$?
Click to expand...

But that's the point: it's not a bug, it's a feature. ;)

This is a rare occasion where it's not defective by design - in this situation it's precisely effective by design.
 
  • Like
Reactions: N4CR
like this
does this new unofficial SP2 include all those Windows 10 nagware updates as well?...if so it's just another shady move by MS disguised as a way of helping W7 users
 
I cover IT for about 20 systems (yeah, I know, not a lot), but all are running Win10 quite nicely and all users are pretty happy. I just don't see a lot of reasons to fight the upgrade path.
 
Tiberian said:
I still just use the Simplix UpdatePack to make my own, just made one with the latest update from last week (5-18-2016) and it works fine, I do it monthly so I'm always covered. I tested this rollup a few days ago after it was released and realized it's still not what it should be and Microsoft - this being my personal belief - is creating these slowdowns and glitches on purpose to frustrate consumers with Windows 7 as much as they reliably can so that people decide "Enough's enough..." and move to Windows 10.

Sorry, Microsoft, that ain't gonna happen in my neck of the woods.
Click to expand...


Some people sure have short memories, or maybe Microsoft was deviously planning this to happen with Windows 10 out before Windows 8 was even a thing. Because Windows 7 updates have sucked massively for many years. Computers have gotten faster, everyone has an SSD these days and doesn't like to wait, and there are more updates than ever but the slow checking of updates has been a thing as long as I can remember. Probably since around the time SP1 came out.
 
I have two VMs on my home lab. One is Windows 7 32-bit, the other 64-bit. Both SP1. I have them fully updated. Every month, I run fresh updates, sysprep them, capture them to WIM, then create a custom ISO. Can be used for retail and with some hacking, even activate OEM licensing (legit). This is how I handle new installs. Even a new out of box computer from HP is getting my custom ISO.
 
And of course all of this really only started happening with any frequency within a few months after the roll out of Windows 10. My office computer has spent the last 30 minutes indicating that it is trying to download the latest MS securities essentials virus and spyware definition pack.

LigTasm said:
Some people sure have short memories, or maybe Microsoft was deviously planning this to happen with Windows 10 out before Windows 8 was even a thing. Because Windows 7 updates have sucked massively for many years. Computers have gotten faster, everyone has an SSD these days and doesn't like to wait, and there are more updates than ever but the slow checking of updates has been a thing as long as I can remember. Probably since around the time SP1 came out.
Click to expand...

I've had SSD's since the earliest SATA III drives. Before Windows 10, the only thing that ever took any real amount of time in doing an OS install was that Intel's own X79 board didn't come with builtin RAID firmware compatible with Windows. Convincing the drivers to play nice during the install was a pain. Outside of that delay, doing a full install including the manifold updates for Windows (except the language packs) was normally done in an hour to an hour and a half.
 
Last edited:
N4CR said:
As ron.lolly said, it is an easy fix to get the updates going again.

Frustratingly shitty bug... no testing M$? Seen it on so many machines with various hardware types.
Click to expand...

That "fix" doesn't work 100% of the time. It works a good percentage but not always.
 
MavericK said:
That "fix" doesn't work 100% of the time. It works a good percentage but not always.
Click to expand...

That's crap to hear. I did see 5-6 steps in increasing PITA'ness to do it when I ran through it. For me took till step 2 but it seems like a damn common problem.
 
I have to say that updated Windows 7 machines didn't become a chore until Windows 10 was released. Before that it was press the check for updates button, wait 5 minutes, select the updates and wait around an hour, reboot and do it again to pick up the other 16 or so and job done.

Now you wait for over two hours to check and then have around 300+ updates. Also the updates and update system seem to take up more system ram to install which means the machine grinds to a halt with just 4-6GB of ram at the 160th update. Never used to do that either.

I reckon around 2012 Windows 7 had 1000 update servers. Then by 2014 they dropped it to 500 and in 2015 they dropped it to 10.
 
Windows Update for Windows 7 SP1 has been broken for a long. I'm glad the newly released "Convenience Roll-up" is finally bringing some attention to it; Microsoft has basically band-aided it. From a fresh install of Windows 7 SP1, Windows Update literally hang for hours (or indefinitely) while building a local database and searching for updates online. Also, if it manages to finish, Windows Update typically fails to detect SP1 and tries to download/reinstall it and many superseded updates that are unnecessary. To prevent the madness, you can manually install the latest Windows Update Agent and Windows Update Standalone Installer before running Windows Update for the first time. It will still take a long time to build a local database and check for updates online, but it typically completes.
 
Screw it, I'm going back to 98 SE.

Obviously, I'm kidding. I would of course pick ME over 98 SE.

MS should have definitely released at least one more SP for 7. Hours spent updating is ridiculous.

Luckily I skipped Win 8/8.1, and I'm pretty happy with 10.
 
After using the links in Thurrott's article to install the CR, I still have Internet Explorer 8. Is that normal? I thought this would include a newer version of Internet Explorer.
 
Wyodiver said:
Screw it, I'm going back to 98 SE.
Click to expand...

Windows 2000 Professional was vastly superior at that period of time, an awesome OS to this day.

Windows ME?

LHM.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top