Solved Windows update never stops checking for updates

[cpmusic]

This is a shot in the dark:

The last several times I booted or rebooted this computer, the "starting Windows" animation stops just short of completing. The computer brings up the sign in screen right after that, but it seems odd that the animation doesn't complete. Is this a symptom of a corruption?

Just FYI, I've tried booting to a command line for one fix or another, but pressing F8 (continually or tapping) won't give me the advanced boot screen.

 

[Blackink]

cpmusic....At this point, if you feel comfortable with doing a clean install, that would be your best option to hopefully straighten things out with your wife's PC.

Keep in mind that if you do a clean install and you start trying several different options for getting the Windows Updates, before one of them works, takes notes of what you're doing and make a note of what did work.
Reason I say this, is if you do a clean install of Windows 7 and start doing this and that to get the updates and by the time you found a solution you've tried several different things, who knows what kind of a "clean' install it actually is, by the time your done fooling around with getting the updates.

If you find a solution, and it was after several different options that you've tried before one works, I would do another clean install of Windows 7 and then do the solution that worked for you to get those updates.
Then you'll really have a clean install without making several changes on your OS.

Good Luck....... You're not alone in this dilemma friend!

 

[cpmusic]

Blankink, that's an excellent suggestion. With other problems I was able to re-trace my steps, but I've gone so far down this rabbit hole that I'd get lost trying to find my way back out. Thank you!

 

[Blackink]

This is a shot in the dark:

The last several times I booted or rebooted this computer, the "starting Windows" animation stops just short of completing. The computer brings up the sign in screen right after that, but it seems odd that the animation doesn't complete. Is this a symptom of a corruption?

I don't think that is a problem. I noticed the speedier loading up of that animation (the 4 little circles don't fully finish loading) after doing clean installs, or after a new PC build.

I have Windows 7 Pro 32Bit on an older Dell desktop and that animation finishes loading but my newer (built myself) desktop with Windows 7 Pro 64Bit doesn't get finished before it goes to the desktop. Both PC's have the OS installed on 250GB SSD's.

The laptop I just did a clean install on after putting in a new 500GB SSD does the same thing, the animation doesn't fully load up before going to the desktop.

 

[Blackink]

Updates worked on a clean 7 Pro install....

Go figure.
This "searching for updates" bug must have a mind of it's own.

I just did a clean Windows 7 Pro 64Bit install on an older Dell 530 Inspiron.

The only thing I did after the full install was to install Microsoft Office 2010. When that program was installed, it asked me several questions. one was about getting Microsoft updates for my Office product. i selected YES and closed out of the install, it was done.

Then I started the Windows updates. I had 215 within minutes!!!

I have no idea why it worked so flawlessly this time where as I just did a clean install a couple of weeks ago, same OS with a clean install on a Dell laptop, and it searched......and searched.......and searched.....for updates until I did the "100% Solved Checking for Updates Stuck" link.

Go figure??!!??

 

[weamish]

Gotta love it when Microsoft and others criticize users for not updating their systems. Think they could possibly make it any harder?

 

[cpmusic]

I "solved" the problem on my wife's computer by upgrading it to Windows 10. I did a basic install of 10 on a new SSD before the free period ran out with the thought that it might be useful. Turns out, it was very useful. I don't like some of the "features" that 10 brought with it, but it's worth it for peace of mind.

 

[syntax53]

KB3172605 fixed this issue for me. Place where I saw it posted to try this KB also mentioned making sure KB3020369 was installed, but I already had that one.