Solved Windows Update is so slow it is unusable - How to fix?

[gloopinh]

Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP 1
ASUS laptop K52F

Windows update is extremely slow. Windows Update IS downloading updates but the download speed is so very slow - about 10 - 15 kbps - that Windows Update is essentially unusable. I tested my download speed against other sites, for example updating Malwarebytes database & that download speed was 760 kbps (as measured using NetWork 'Speed Meter' utility). I tried rebooting but this did not work. What could possibly be wrong? I have scanned my laptop with Avast, Malwarebytes, etc & nothing was found. I ran sfc /scannow and nothing was found I have had this type of problem before and rebooting solved the problem. Not this time. Any suggestions?

 

[whs]

It could be due to a server overload. Try to download the updates during odd hours. Maybe the servers are less laoded.

It could also be your AV program or the firewall making extensive checks. For a test, take those down during the updates. That is an iffy operation so you really do not want to do that all the time. But at least you could determine whether that is the cause.

 

[gloopinh]

To close the loop on this problem:

As to the problem with Microsoft Windows Update -- I downloaded from Microsoft a program that "fixes" Windows Update. When I ran this program, it found two problems (although it did not specify the details :-( ) that it fixed. From then on, I was able to complete all of the updates. I did 17 updates of approximately 140 MB in about 50 minutes. For some folks, this would be quite slow. But I was fine with this speed.

 

[Chaz47]

I have found that it's not the downloading and installing of the updates that is so danged slow, it's the actual searching for just a couple of updates that takes FOREVER. Doesn't seem to matter what time of day or night it is done. It is very annoying waiting all the time it takes for windows update just to locate a couple of updates. With all of Microsofts years of experience you would think they would have this running much more smoothly. This is an important service to keep all of the Microsoft programs up to date and secure, yet it is such a hassle to waste all the time it takes for the SEARCHING of the updates. What the hell is the search program doing all that time? I don't use proxy settings to go online as I have a direct connection via DSL so I know that is not the problem. The problem has to lie on Microsofts end somewhere.

 

[heres2life]

I have a 3 day old install of win7. It did some updates and restarted. Yesterday it had more updates that failed. I used the Microsoft fix it tool and noticed there were 190 updates. I tried to do ten at a time. The download progress bar scrolls but there is no percentage increase even after 3 hours. I cancelled and rebooted. Now I chose only one that is 47k. It has been 2 hours and no percentage increase and hasn't even started to install yet. It seems its not even possible to update. Especially if I have 189 more to do.

I also tried the SURT it took 20 minutes to download and stays on "Searching for updates on this computer"

47k update download 2hrs and counting is ludicrous.

 

[Brds7t7]

I have a 3 day old install of win7. It did some updates and restarted. Yesterday it had more updates that failed. I used the Microsoft fix it tool and noticed there were 190 updates. I tried to do ten at a time. The download progress bar scrolls but there is no percentage increase even after 3 hours. I cancelled and rebooted. Now I chose only one that is 47k. It has been 2 hours and no percentage increase and hasn't even started to install yet. It seems its not even possible to update. Especially if I have 189 more to do.

I also tried the SURT it took 20 minutes to download and stays on "Searching for updates on this computer"

47k update download 2hrs and counting is ludicrous.

Out of the 190 updates it tried to install, I'm guessing around 80-90 failed? This is actually normal, although it looks like things have gone wrong. I tend to reboot after the first lot have installed then check again for more updates. You'll see it won't come back with anywhere near around the 90 that failed.
Everytime it's installed more just ignore the failed ones and do another reboot then check again.

This usually tends to work for me.

EDIT: I just noticed the date of the original post on this thread. It's probably better to start a new one as this is over a year old.

 

[bullfrog13]

I use WUD. Especially for new installs with lots of updates you can download most of them straight away instead of waiting for an hour for windows updtae to determine what you need.
Plus you can also keep an off line copy for all updates for the next install. win win

Windows Updates Downloader (WUD) Program Files

and dont forget to get the appropriate ul's file to load into it.

 

[toby45]

Looks a good idea (WUD) but going by the ul lists dates they don't appear to get updated very often, the last win7 sp1 x64 was updated back in march 2015 nearly a year ago, or do they only update the lists once a year?

 

[txslim55]

amazed but also confused

I down loaded Microsoft office 2003 SP3, which took about 1 3/4 hours (for 117mb). After installing i rebooted an downloaded (90mb) of updates for ms office amazing it only took 1 1/2 minutes. Dont ask why because need someone a lot more smart in pc than me, because you cant edit windows updater