Solved windows 7 update stuck at "checking for updates..."

[sgayres]

Thanks to Vicky! Yours works every time. And kudos to glasskuter for an alternate method that I hope I never have to use. ha!

I'm self employed in computer repair and this issue with updates in Windows 7 began for me last year. Now it seems that EVERY SINGLE Win7 install I do, I have to repair the updates section to even get the first round of updates. This did not used to happen. It happens with the old non-SP1 installs and also the newest installer gotten through the Windows ISO Downloader utility.

Microsoft has to be aware of the problem and it has to be on their end.

I was avoiding having this update headache for a year by installing Win7 and doing the free upgrade to Win10 and THEN talking up Win10 to my customers, telling them they "needed" to do it. I would install Classic Shell and Microsoft Games and show them how similar Win10 is. For added "icing" I would pin the Weather App to their taskbar which often sealed the deal.

Now that the free upgrade period is over, I'm back to fighting this Win7 update thing.

Just ranting. Thanks again for the help.

Steve

--------------------------------

This has worked for me every time:

The solution:

Stop the Windows Update Service (wuauserv).
Download and install KB3050265
reboot
Download and install KB3102810
Reboot and check for updates again. All of our machines found their required updates in less than 5 minutes.

 

[joshry101]

Tyler1118 solution was the only one that worked for me - thanks!

 

[ubose]

ThrashZone's tip worked!

ThrashZone said
Hi,
KB3020369 & KB3172605 is all that is needed
KB3020369
Win-7 32 bit
https://download.microsoft.com/downl...020369-x86.msu
Win-7 64 bit
https://download.microsoft.com/downl...020369-x64.msu

KB3172605 main article page with all versions,
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605
KB3172605
Win-7 32 bit
https://download.microsoft.com/downl...172605-x86.msu

Win-7 64 bit
https://download.microsoft.com/downl...172605-x64.msu

Thank you so much. This worked and it was quick. I wonder why Microsoft did not make Windows Update to check for missing or essential previous updates like in this case before it attempts to install new updates and gets stuck.

 

[BritAbroad]

Not solved with FixIt

@Tyler1118

One item not fixed by FixIt -

Windows Update error 0x80070057(2016-09-20-T-06_33
-32A)

Moving on ...I have the same issue with Windows Updater stalling on laptop and PC and I'm not super tech-savvy but I'll try anything right now!!

Windows7 Home Premium 64-bit

 

[BritAbroad]

Stuck installing ...

Tyler1118

Got to step 15 in great time
Newlines added to cmd telling me installing ...
A couple that said
Installing windows update scan prerequisites...
Installing updates 1 of 1 (stage size 240)...
Verifying integrity of ... etc
Hashdeep64.exe: Audit passed
now seems hung up installing ...
Installing ..\w61-x64\ ...etc, etc
do I just need to be patient at this point?

 

[joshry101]

BritAbroad this might help...

Different PC (fresh install) ran into this again & Tyler1118's solution stuck this time
This worked for me:
Download KB3138612
Download KB3145739
Unplug / disable ethernet or Wifi (get offline basically)
Install KB3138612
Reboot
Install KB3145739
Reboot
Enable ethernet / wifi

At this stage you 'should' be able to use the Windows update - 10 - 15 mins apparently
I re-ran the 2nd part of Tyler's (UpdateInstaller) and it literally whizzed through the first batch
Just rebooted & the second lot are coming through nicely

 

[BritAbroad]

Thanksjoshry101 - I have started a new thread as I saw this would be considered hijacking this thread-sorry - maybe you can answer a question on my new thread so I don't get blocked for rule breaking (I'm new to all this!)

 

[Rogers2850]

Windows update error

Hello!

Here are a couple of Methods that could work for you. Please let me know if your issue does -OR- doesn't get resolved.

Here are 3 Methods that I've found, that worked for people in the past.

Note: Try to make sure you Windows Update is/isn't working by letting it "Checking for updates" for at least 1 hour.

Method 1: Difficulty: Easy

1. Download the following tool below.
2. Download this tool: Microsoft Fixit Tool
3. Run the file once it finishes downloading.
4. Once the window appears on your screen, click the "Next" Button.
5. Let the program scan for errors, DO NOT click "Cancel". (This process may take some time.)
6. Once the program finishes scanning, it will list the following errors that have been "Fixed" or "Not Fixed".
7. If any errors were "Not Fixed", report them to me here. Left-Click the "Close the troubleshooter" Button.
8. Restart your computer. Try to update your Windows.
   
   If Method 1 doesn't work proceed to Method 2.

Hoping to bring this to Tyler1118's attention:
I ran method 1 and it fixed 3 problems but the following was "Not fixed"
Windows Update error 0x80070057 (2016-09-20-T-11_50_42a)
Any thoughts? (before I try 2 and 3?

 

[jade99]

I was also stuck at "checking for updates...". I tried every single method I could find here and elsewhere (troubleshooters, hotfixes, etc), and nothing worked. The various update fix tools kept coming back with update error 0x80070057.

Somewhere along the way I read that somebody got the updates to work simpy by getting online via ethernet cable (rather than wifi). Well, IT WORKED FOR ME! Windows was able to find all updates and install them without any issues. I can't find any information as to why updates fail over wifi, and it makes no sense, but there you go, that's Windows I guess.

Hope this helps someone.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hello!

Here are a couple of Methods that could work for you. Please let me know if your issue does -OR- doesn't get resolved.

Here are 3 Methods that I've found, that worked for people in the past.

Note: Try to make sure you Windows Update is/isn't working by letting it "Checking for updates" for at least 1 hour.

Method 1: Difficulty: Easy

1. Download the following tool below.
2. Download this tool: Microsoft Fixit Tool
3. Run the file once it finishes downloading.
4. Once the window appears on your screen, click the "Next" Button.
5. Let the program scan for errors, DO NOT click "Cancel". (This process may take some time.)
6. Once the program finishes scanning, it will list the following errors that have been "Fixed" or "Not Fixed".
7. If any errors were "Not Fixed", report them to me here. Left-Click the "Close the troubleshooter" Button.
8. Restart your computer. Try to update your Windows.
   
   If Method 1 doesn't work proceed to Method 2.

Hoping to bring this to Tyler1118's attention:
I ran method 1 and it fixed 3 problems but the following was "Not fixed"
Windows Update error 0x80070057 (2016-09-20-T-11_50_42a)
Any thoughts? (before I try 2 and 3?

Microsoft updates trouble shooter never really fixes anything
Use Option 3 below to reset updates components
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html

Just make sure these two updates KB3020369 & KB3172605 are installed if not manually install them in that order.

Review this for an older existing updating issue,
http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...ate-ive-tried-multiple-fixes.html#post3283907

 

[just2postthis]

thanks

This has worked for me every time:

The solution:

Stop the Windows Update Service (wuauserv).
Download and install KB3050265
reboot
Download and install KB3102810
Reboot and check for updates again. All of our machines found their required updates in less than 5 minutes.

I also created an account just to say thanks for this. Two days of trying every fix out there. This one worked for me.

Note: after the above installs, the CPU usage remained at 25% for several hours while checking for updates but memory usage dropped from 1.3 gig to 0.4 gig and then CPU went nice a quiet after downloads finished.

Thanks again.

 

[TimTown]

Worked for me

This has worked for me every time:

The solution:

Stop the Windows Update Service (wuauserv).
Download and install KB3050265
reboot
Download and install KB3102810
Reboot and check for updates again. All of our machines found their required updates in less than 5 minutes.

I, too, created an account just to let others know that this solution worked for me. It probably took about 15 minutes to complete the scan but I now have 177 updates installing. Thank you for the tip!

 

[cblouch]

This is the fix I've been looking for

Just to jump on the bandwagon, I've been stumped for two days and this is the fix that worked on the first try. I used Command Prompt run as Administrator and did net stop wuauserv to stop the update service, did the first install, rebooted, did the second install, rebooted, ran Windows Update and 5 minutes later had 235 updates to install. This was on a fresh clean install of Win7 x64 on a virtual machine with SP1 and it refused to update. Previously I had even let Windows Update run overnight and it was still checking for updates. Once it got going, downloads took about 10 minutes. I have a Gb internet connection and had peak downloads hitting 80MB/s - sweet. This was on a VirtualBox VM and I had similar issues under VMWare. Installing is about half way done after 30 minutes (running SSD drive on a Mac Mini). Finally got this one licked.

CB

This has worked for me every time:

The solution:

Stop the Windows Update Service (wuauserv).
Download and install KB3050265
reboot
Download and install KB3102810
Reboot and check for updates again. All of our machines found their required updates in less than 5 minutes.

 

[Daniel73401]

Download Windows6.1-KB310280-x64 or x86
install this update and restart computer

Download Windows6.1-KB3135445-x64 or x86
install this update and restart computer

Download Windows6.1-KB3138612-x64 or x86
install this update and restart computer

This will fix the windows update stuck checking for update on windows 7
x64 is for 64 bit windows 7
x86 is for 32 bit windows 7

install update in the order that I listed them

 

[NetWorthy]

I tried almost all of the KBxxxxxx downloads mentioned, but the wsusoffline method mentioned by Tyler and Larry is what worked for me. Thanks for the help, been pulling my hair out with this one.

 

[Ohmster]

Just bought a new Dell OptiPlex for a client with Windows 7 on hard drive. It came with a Windows 10 CD so I imagine it really is a Windows 10 PC with Windows 7 on the drive. Everything worked as it should, the PC is new, except Windows Update. "Searching for Updates" ...forever. Last update, NEVER.

The only way to fix this is the WSUS Offline Update. Click the blue bar, near top right for Most Recent Version, allow all to download, and then enter the client folder and let 'er rip with the UpdateInstaller.exe file. Check the box to allow reboots during the update. This did freak me out, it changed my username and desktop wallpaper to a plain pink. None of my settings were there, not even my username. The install went well for a short time, never got to the install part before it "got stuck". Rebooted to find my funky desktop and user name again, the app was ready to continue with permission. Now we are cooking with gas. Installed 27 updates and finished. I rebooted for good measure, had all my stuff back, and tried Windows Update. In less than 10 minutes it found another 20 or so updates, installed normally. Now Windows Update works fine.

NOTE: I believe this issue to be caused by firing up a Windows 7 PC with the original SP-1 Windows 7 Pro x64 that has never been updated. The servers that perform Windows Update have changed over a half dozen times in the past year since the release of Windows 10 so not only did the updater have to be updated, but the services that make it happen need updating too. Fortunately this offline update method supplied me with enough of the necessary files to get Windows Update working again.

I just wanted to say thanks and to verify to those that posted this answer that it did indeed help in situations like this, where Windows 7 has never or hardly ever been updated so trying to update now, your updating files are outdated. Thanks guys!

 

[robmar0se]

The problem with Win 7 Sp1 update process is that it is now taking so long that one is not sure if it is just Microsoft's servers giving priority to Win 10 (anniversary updates), or whether it is a due to a corruption on one's own system.

I first tried to do a repair install of the system, left it to run updates for over 15 hours, nana. So tried the usual trick of resetting the softwareDistribution/Catroot2 folders, tried again o/night, nana. tried a few other tricks including downloading the specific updates mentioned above, nana.

So now I have done a clean install of 7/sp1. Update has been running for a while, will probably leave it o/night. But frankly Microsoft's response to this issue is unacceptable. What are the options to get Microsoft to address this issue? They are supposed to continue support till 2020! The obvious thing is to offer an alternative solution so that when systems have to be rebuilt, that there is a quick way to get the over 200 updates necessary to bring the system uptodate.

Increasingly it is important to take a system image to protect against Microsoft's bizarre behaviour (wise after the event)!

 

[Scooby63]

What worked for me

I've read so many things, that I'm not sure where I read my eventual answer....too many tabs open while searching for answers, but what was posted was something about Windows Update Agent being "replaced" with Windows Update Client? And, although the old update agent may eventually, after a long period of time, get your updates, this problem was eliminated for me, by updating to the latest Windows Update "Client".

I believe, for the sake of having the reader find the latest possible version, at the time they are reading his post, he insisted on searching the web for it, so I did....And by searching "Latest windows update client" I found KB3172605. It was released in July 2016 ****BUT****, if you don't have the one that was re-released on Sept 13, 2016, you could still have a problem. Meaning, if you find that KB3172605 listed as installed, but not on Sept. 13th or later, I guess you could still have a problem. Don't know if it helps anyone still having a problem, but this is the only thing that worked for me. I got excited and joined the forum just to post my results in case it could help anyone.

And then I tried to execute that search again, and couldn't find it!!....so I searched it by number.... Here's a link to the page....

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605

Hope it helps someone!

 

[DJSEVEN]

Windows 7 Update Problem

Download Windows6.1-KB310280-x64 or x86
install this update and restart computer

Download Windows6.1-KB3135445-x64 or x86
install this update and restart computer

Download Windows6.1-KB3138612-x64 or x86
install this update and restart computer

This will fix the windows update stuck checking for update on windows 7
x64 is for 64 bit windows 7
x86 is for 32 bit windows 7

install update in the order that I listed them

...can you please tell me where I can find the above (3) exe's and or the link(s) to same ...Thanks!

 

[rd1981]

I've read so many things, that I'm not sure where I read my eventual answer....too many tabs open while searching for answers, but what was posted was something about Windows Update Agent being "replaced" with Windows Update Client? And, although the old update agent may eventually, after a long period of time, get your updates, this problem was eliminated for me, by updating to the latest Windows Update "Client".

I believe, for the sake of having the reader find the latest possible version, at the time they are reading his post, he insisted on searching the web for it, so I did....And by searching "Latest windows update client" I found KB3172605. It was released in July 2016 ****BUT****, if you don't have the one that was re-released on Sept 13, 2016, you could still have a problem. Meaning, if you find that KB3172605 listed as installed, but not on Sept. 13th or later, I guess you could still have a problem. Don't know if it helps anyone still having a problem, but this is the only thing that worked for me. I got excited and joined the forum just to post my results in case it could help anyone.

And then I tried to execute that search again, and couldn't find it!!....so I searched it by number.... Here's a link to the page....

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605

Hope it helps someone!

Thanks Scooby!

This and only this worked for me. Joined forum to acknowledge your help.