Windows Update: Keeps checking for updates for over 1.5 hours?

Well normally Windows alerts me to the updates awaiting but nothing this month.

Yey, WU just came in with 11 updates which I will carefully check before downloading and installing. The wait allowed me to shower, dress, do the dusting and make some fresh coffee...oh well, at least I accomplished something useful....now back to my machine ;-)

Hi,
Yep never boring but like the last few months manually installing KB3161664 expedites the search
Main download page KB3161664 as always switch your update settings to Never check for updates first and restart
https://technet.microsoft.com/library/security/MS16-073

Win 7 32 bit
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=52823
Win 7 64 bit
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=52794

I also ended up resetting the updates system first with option 3 here as well
Windows Update - Reset

Then I also installed the updates roll up update too
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3156417

Lastly installed KB3161664

KB3161664 was already installed and the roll-up had no effect as I was totally up to date anyway.
(Except the updates that induce W10).

(For TZ):

O.k. Here's where I'm at after following your steps above (after first setting WU to never check for updates - as you said do), in addition to doing the restarts required along the way.

1. I reset the WU using that Option 3 you referred to. Completed successfully.

2. When I clicked on the link to download KB3161664, it started to do a download, but within a couple of seconds, a message appeared on my screen stating that KB3161664 was already installed.

3. I then went to the WU in the Control Panel. It had the yellow-colored caution message about checking for updates.

4. I clicked on the [Check for updates] button. (That was at 10:06 a.m. - just over 1/2 hour ago. At this moment, WU is STILL checking for updates.

5. Since there was no button shown on the WU screen to "Stop checking for updates" - I just went and did a restart of this computer. Thus far, I haven't gotten an alert that updates are available like I would expect to see.

[ADDITIONAL NOTE]: I've noticed that Task Manager is no longer showing my CPU running in the 50% range, as it was before. At least, that's SOME...consolation.

What do you recommend doing now? Should I wait several days to see if I get the 'updates available' alert again and then check for updates?

Thanks again.

Hi,
Interesting it was already installed :/
But you should be able to switch your update settings to Check for updates but let me choose.....
Then do a manual search and just let it run it shouldn't take long mine was about 30-45 minutes
That's what resetting the update system does it has to recreate the cache again which was messed up.