Win7 Ultimate 32bit Reformat, Windows update stalling

DublinMeUp · 23 Mar 2015

Hi Guys,

Was given an old(ish) netbook by my brother as it had become unusable;

Packard Bell dot s
Atom N570 1.6GHZ
1GIG single channel DDR3
OEM Windows starter 32bit
(Can provide any other specs/info if needed)

I'm on my third format now, everything works fine until after I install the SP1 update (manually by downloading direct from MS site). Win Update then populates 190 or so important updates, I get up to around 140 then update stalls and the computer freezes/crashes making anything but another format impossible. I don't think its any specific update as I've been noting them an unchecking on the next try.

Am I wasting my time here trying to install ultimate? Pretty hard to provide logs or tech info as the comp pretty much bricks when update stalls.

Many Thanks

EDIT: Just read your clean install guide, never knew about the ! on the shutdown. I'll try this and come back with results. Sorry for posting above without researching first.

AddRAM · 23 Mar 2015

How will you activate Ultimate ?

Do you have a key ?

Install the version that came with the PC.

Do the updates 10 to 15 at a time.

Re boot when it tells you to.

Installing updates is your choice, you don`t have to install them.

DublinMeUp · 23 Mar 2015

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah I have a license from an old laptop, it has validated fine the past 3 formats

Think I'm past being able to install the original version, don't have iso's or bootable usb for it and as far as I know i rendered the OEM partition obsolete by formatting with ultimate?

Had thought of doing them 10-15 at a time, only issue is when i've spent hours upon hours doing this then it stalls again i'm in the same position. BTW when i say stalls i mean crashes.. can't even get to recovery on startup.

Cheers

gregrocker · 23 Mar 2015

Start over and follow the steps in Clean Reinstall Windows 7 to reinstall the version for which you have a license with a readable Product Key.

Use the latest ISO with SP1 to save problems. If you must use pre-SP1 then as suggested install the updates in small batches watching for queued Updates on the shutdown button. This "getting ahead of oneself" during updating can be avoided by turning Updates off to do them manually until all caught up, then setting them back to fully Automatic.

DublinMeUp · 26 Mar 2015

Hi again,

Took my time and installed a few updates at a time, went without a hitch.

Thanks for the help/advice.

AddRAM · 26 Mar 2015

Glad to hear, and Thanks for the rep :)