Windows Update frozen on fresh 7 install

tucansam

n00b
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Apr 16, 2012
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I just installed Windows 7 SP1 on a new PC, immediately ran Windows update. It hung for two days at the "checking for updates" screen until I got fed up and started troubleshooting. For every post on the web, there is a different solution. Unable to try them all, I tried six or seven, then re-installed Windows. Same exact thing is now happening. svchost.exe goes to 50% (100% of one core) and 1.17GB RAM in use (and RAM in use hasn't changed in four hours) and TrustedInstaller.exe goes into 17MB RAM in use (and also has not changed RAM in use in four hours). There is minimal network traffic, I don't think the machine is communicating with *.microsoft.com, at least not right now. It certainly isn't downloading anything.

Just updated four other Win7 PCs, it is not a network issue.

The machine in question can connect to the web, various Microsoft sites, my LAN, etc. So the wifi card in it is working fine.

At this point I have no idea how to proceed. The first time around I downloaded some freeware utility that manually downloaded all updates, but I was unable to run any of them (and research suggests I have to run them in order, and after downloading 200+ updates, I have no idea in what order they should be installed anyway, so the point is moot).

I've had Windows update appear to hang before, literally taking hours to get past the "Checking for updates..." banner, but never this long.

Any advice?

Is there a way to forcefully download and install updates? Besides this freeware utility that appeared to work but left me with a human-unreadable list of update catalog numbers with which I could do nothing but stare?

Again, this is a fresh install, 100% clean, as was the first attempt.

Thanks.
 
Did you google it?

I did fix this exact issue this week. It turned out to be some basic bullshit to reset a component used by windows update. There is a good fix on an M$ webpage with 4-5 steps. Took a few to get it going for me.

My internet is running >1000bps currently so i can't link shit to you as google search doesn't even work and the ISP is liable for government action as they do not meet the minimum speed requirements set at law. Of course the govt doesn't care and won't do shit.
 
Thanks. Yes, I googled it. Like I said, I found as many results as if I had searched for the word "the," and each result indicated some different course of action, it was completely overwhelming and after trying a half dozen, I gave up and re-installed Windows. Still sitting there spinning its wheels.

ETA I have also tried connecting to my phone's hotspot to 100% rule out my network, same result. And other machines on the network are updating just fine.
 
Yeah, I don't know what's up with Windows Update. My computer (not a new install though) was stuck for hours 'checking for updates'. Then one day it checked and started downloading immediately. Now it's back taking hours to check.
 
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There are two updates that need to be applied when you are not connected to the Internet (this is what screws most people up when they apply them) - for whatever reason if you're actually online when you go to apply these update (done so in numerical order) it doesn't actually fix the long-time wait and see bullshit that so many people are having trouble with. Download the two updates from the Microsoft pages below (if you haven't done that already or installed them), disconnect from the Internet, and install the updates with a reboot between each (sadly it actually seems to matter) and then you shouldn't have any extended delays with updates. It will still be slow on the first big update but subsequent attempts should work much faster.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3138612

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS16-039 - Critical

As expected, get the one that matches your operating system version (meaning 32 bit or 64 bit).
 
I just built 2 Win7 laptops for customers Monday
Installed the OS (Sp1 integrated)
Installed IE11 and let it also install the 'required components'
Opened IE and went through the initial setup/home page stuff
Ran WSusoffline and went to bed
Next day turned the machines back on and ran windows update, had 2-3 passes and it was all up to date
On some old builds, Ive had to stop the BITS and WU services and clear out the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder , restart the services and then run WU (which refills the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution with current info
 
I'll tell you what's up. Microsoft is deliberately fucking with you to try and get you to install Win10. They are douches, no two ways about it.
 
Windows update can be a fickle bastard, sometimes you click 'check for updates' and updates immediately download and install, other times it just sits there doing nothing for hours and all of a sudden starts downloading.

The updates for high memory usage as well as high CPU usage help to some degree, although updating Windows 7 on a laptop equipped with 2GB ram is still a disaster (yes, people do run PC's/laptop's with 2GB RAM).
 
I'm curious to see how long (if at all) it takes for the Windows Update Client to be done "checking for updates" and show me what is left to update. I just installed Windows 7 Pro 64-bit (SP1) on a new SSD on a computer I got. My internet was disabled the whole time (ethernet unplugged). I installed the updates mentioned above that are supposed to help, I then installed the prerequisite update (
April 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2) for the Rollup, then I installed the rollup. I then plugged in the ethernet cable and hit "check for updates" and so far it has been...30 minutes and it is still checking for updates.

(I do think "Microsoft Security Bulletin MS16-039 - Critical Security Update for Microsoft Graphics Component (3148522)" didn't install, I tried but it said it wasn't compatible with my system).

Update: Three hours later and it is still searching for updates. :mad:

Update 2: Done searching, found around 100 updates (48 important, 40+ recommended). Here is hoping they install well and it goes smoothly.
 
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