Windows update taking forever

Brds7t7 · 17 Apr 2016

Yes Groze, I have those updates installed. Nothing has worked for me lately. The update clients seemed to resolve things for a little while. But lately they're borked again.

Callender · 17 Apr 2016

My connection isn't superfast:

Windows update taking forever-speed-test.jpg

I had the same problem more than once. It began with a WUC download - I forget which one was responsible, Then I spent two weeks trying multiple fixes before getting it sorted. Then in December another WUC download made the problem resurface. So I fixed it again.

I see some people report that "windows updates is now working" but unless RAM usage by datastore.edb remains low then it is not really working as well as it should be.

Why do I think this is the case?

I saw slow Windows Updates checks/ download with RAM usage climbing to over 3GB

Fixed and then RAM usage during Windows Update checks was a more reasonable 2.5GB

RAM usage with just background programs running was around 2.2GB

Then after the problem returned and was fixed once more:

RAM Usage during Windows Update checks never exceeds 2.5 GB but RAM usage with just background programs running is currently around 1.68GB

That's nearly 0.5GB less!

RE: VM's

Check these ideas after fresh install:

Sticking with Windows 7? The forecast calls for pain | ZDNet

Sticking with Windows 7? The forecast calls for pain

As for fixes that I used -it did require some steps to be performed without an internet connection.

It does require a full removal of Windows Updates to get things working again. That includes any leftover locked files/ folders that these "Fix/ reset Windows Updates" scripts cannot deal with.

Brds7t7 · 17 Apr 2016

Not sure how 2.5GB is classed as a reasonable amount for an update check?? That seems extremely excessive to me. And this wouldn't be very helpful to people on low spec systems. Older systems would struggle with this. The most RAM usage I've had on some of the newer update clients is around 300mb. That's what I would class as a reasonable amount.

If MS has caused this issue, then MS should be the ones fixing it.
As you say, it took you two weeks to sort out. I don't see any of that as a reasonable solution, especially for users who don't have a vast knowledge of how PC's work.
The amount of people complaining on here and all over the Internet is pretty big so it's clearly a widespread issue.
And my updates are still slow despite any fix posted on here.
Been having on/off problems and trying to sort these out for around the past 6 months.
And my Internet connection is very fast as I'm on the top package from virgin fibre optic, so it's no slouch when it comes to speed.
Until Microsoft pushes out a proper fix which sorts out this widespread issue, I'm happy to manually update. I find it less hassle anyway.

Callender · 17 Apr 2016

I meant total RAM usage not just RAM used by WU!

Windows update taking forever-resource-monitor.jpg

I totally agree that MS should sort it out as most users won't be able to fix it themselves.

torchwood · 17 Apr 2016

gettin to be a real joke now,
Had mine running for ages, JUST ON CHECKING FOR UPGATES thought oh well
CHANGED the default to D/L but let me choose -- Rebooted
Went on line to here
POP-UP appeared Updates have installed, click here to check WTF

Roy

Brds7t7 · 17 Apr 2016

Ah sorry Callender, misread that. So how much RAM does the Windows updates service use on average while you're doing a check? The update checks shouldn't be going over 500mb. Anything over that just seems excessive to me. I'm pretty sure that it never used to grow like that while doing updates. But then again, I could be wrong, as I wasn't keeping an eye on the RAM usage until these issues started.
Hell I've tried everything and it's banging my head against a brick wall time for me

Although that might knock a little sense into me too!

groze · 17 Apr 2016

Aren't some people having trouble with windows 10 updates as well?

Callender · 17 Apr 2016

I don't know how much RAM WU checks actually use. I have a couple monitors that I keep an eye on and when there were problems with WU memory usage would be sky high. If I run an update check those monitors usually shows no more than 2.5 Gb total usage during the check.

Windows update taking forever-monitor.jpg

Callender · 17 Apr 2016

Maybe you can see screenshots (before and after fix) of RAM usage by datastore.edb during WU checks?

Windows 7 updates

Brds7t7 · 17 Apr 2016

I do remember at one point (before I had installed any newer update client) that mine was rising to around 1.5gb just used by the update service. As soon as I had updated to one of the newer clients the most it would use was around 300mb. So, they definitely improved something performance wise and I was getting the updates a LOT faster.
I don't know what's happened in the past few weeks to cause them to go back to being slow again though.