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

jdlweb said:

Just follow my above list, if it is already installed it will tell you it is.
This has "NEVER" failed and I own a computer repair shop. I, like many others have always looked for a way to streamline Windows 7 updates. This is the solution that will accomplish three things.
First KB3020369 is a prerequisite to install the roll up package
second (KB3125574) is a roll up package to reduce the total umber of updated needed at the end
Third (KB3102810) will help with the high CPU usage during updates
Fourth (KB3112343) is the update client first release
Fifth (KB3172605) is the next release
Sixth (KB3161664) is the September 2016 update client release

Although like some others have mentioned, you can cut some of these out and it will indeed update, however this will reduce our actual time needed for installing all security updates...

thanks, I follow your method, if you do not mind, this method works with a clean install of W7 64bit sp1 ?. To follow the method, I must be connected to the Internet or indistinct ?. Thanks in advance.

jdlweb said:

I know this is an old post but this will fix all you update issues:
Here is a 100% guaranteed solution to the updating blues for Windows 7
You should first download these 6 files:
1. 64 Bit- https://download.microsoft.com/downl...020369-x64.msu
32 Bit- https://download.microsoft.com/downl...020369-x86.msu 2. 64 Bit- http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/...1264cd93b9.msu
32 Bit- http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/...b0a74b2cbd.msu 3. 64 Bit- https://download.microsoft.com/downl...102810-x64.msu
32 Bit- https://download.microsoft.com/downl...102810-x86.msu 4. 64 Bit- https://download.microsoft.com/downl...112343-x64.msu
32 Bit- https://download.microsoft.com/downl...112343-x64.msu 5. 64 Bit- https://download.microsoft.com/downl...172605-x64.msu
32 Bit- https://download.microsoft.com/downl...172605-x86.msu 6. 64 Bit- https://download.microsoft.com/downl...161664-x64.msu
32 Bit- https://download.microsoft.com/downl...161664-x86.msu Ok Now that you’ve downloaded everything, here is the precise process. Please don’t skip any steps or it may or may not work properly for you. I’ve included the 32 bit links even though most people have problems with the 64 Bit.
1. Click Start, type in CMD, right click the search result “command Prompt” and left click on run as administrator, click yes
2. In the “elevated” command box, type in NET STOP WUAUSERV and press enter, after service is stopped, install the first on you downloaded earlier (KB3020369)
3. Click close after in finishes
4. Click back into the command box and again type NET STOP WUAUSERV and press enter, after service is stopped, install the second one you downloaded (KB3125574)
5. Restart the computer at the end when it asks you to do so.
6. Click Start, type in CMD, right click the search result “command Prompt” and left click on run as administrator, click yes
7. In the “elevated” command box, type in NET STOP WUAUSERV and press enter, after service is stopped, install the third download (KB3102810)
8. Click close after in finishes
9. Click back into the command box and again type NET STOP WUAUSERV and press enter, after service is stopped, install the fourth download (KB3112343)
10. Click close after in finishes
11. Click back into the command box and again type NET STOP WUAUSERV and press enter, after service is stopped, install the fifth download (KB3172605)
12. Restart the computer at the end when it asks you to do so.
13. Click Start, type in CMD, right click the search result “command Prompt” and left click on run as administrator, click yes
14. In the “elevated” command box, type in NET STOP WUAUSERV and press enter, after service is stopped, install the final downloaded file (KB3161664)
15. Your updates will now work! You’re Welcome

Many, thank you very much brother. I followed your method and everything works perfectly.

A big hug from Mexico.

I, too, have joined the Forum to say, my sincere thanks to rd1981 and all of you.

Installing this single update item (KB3172605) did the trick.

I downloaded it from the link provided, double-clicked it to install it, rebooted,
tried an Update -- and it worked!

I really had to dig for this one. There are LOTS of people talking about it, and lots of
complicated "solutions". I finally found this simple one. Isn't there someway to broadcast
that to Win7 users -- put it in their faces, so they don't have to scour the Net to
find a simple answer? This is another shame-on-Microsoft issue; for many non-techie users,
that's IT -- this bug breaks Windows Update for them, permanently.

Normally, I'm not this cynical, but, isn't it interesting that this occurred right after
the great Win 10 push, impacting the people who obviously, deliberately declined 10?

Here's the humorous part. I found KB3172605 sitting in the Optionals list, marked as "Recommended".
I never do the optionals, considering them low-priority, and not wanting to "fix what ain't broke".
It's a Catch-22 anyway: you need to update the updater -- which is broken, so you can't.

This and other recent MS insanities (such as trying to ram 10 down our throats with that
asinine GWX nag-ware) has me looking at Linux. Haven't done it yet -- but I would LOVE to cut the
Windows cord. It's just become such a monstrosity over the years -- and I'm getting really,
REALLY tired of stuff like this happening. They aren't driving me to 10 -- they're driving me
away from Windows.

I'm so grateful that there are people out there like you guys, in forums like this.
You're the ones making things the least bit tolerable. You're the saviors. You're the greatest.

vickyv said:

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 looked VERY hard to find my SevenForums login after finding this post!

After days of frustration , hours of waiting for updates that never came, SEVEN re-imagings of my hard drive, I happened across this posting and followed it to the letter.

SUCCESS! The updates began flowing...

The only odd thing I would mention is that one of the new October 2016 updates didn't want to come down so I just downloaded it manually from Microsoft and installed it. Surprise, later that night, the SAME update came down AGAIN on it's own and installed correctly so my update history is now correct.

Thanks again so much! You've have helped lower one person's stress tremendously. Cheers!

jdlweb said:

Just follow my above list, if it is already installed it will tell you it is.
This has "NEVER" failed and I own a computer repair shop. I, like many others have always looked for a way to streamline Windows 7 updates. This is the solution that will accomplish three things.
First KB3020369 is a prerequisite to install the roll up package
second (KB3125574) is a roll up package to reduce the total umber of updated needed at the end
Third (KB3102810) will help with the high CPU usage during updates
Fourth (KB3112343) is the update client first release
Fifth (KB3172605) is the next release
Sixth (KB3161664) is the September 2016 update client release

Although like some others have mentioned, you can cut some of these out and it will indeed update, however this will reduce our actual time needed for installing all security updates...

Thank you. Really. I joined this forum only to say this.

I didn't follow your order but installed them progressively, but it works anyway.

I want to thank you because people like you (and me) are rare today. When you ask for an help with a problem, always you read "check with antivirus, perform a restore, do a clean install". What the hell. Those are the tech support 2.0 of the internet (even the specialized one) and you NEVER find a real solution. Never. When the Windows 8 upgrade (from Windows 7) was out, I couldn't install it. Generic error appears. Asked for help, NOONE EVEN TRIED to help. Even in Answer Microsoft. They said "do a clean install".....FFS why? I bought an UPGRADE because I didn't want to lose data and programs and you tell me that? Really??? It's like asking for a coffee and they give you coffe beans in a cup and says "here, grind it yourself and enjoy".
I digged into Google to search for something, I found the installation log, I analyzed it, searched againg for the problem and finally resolved (uninstalled Nvidia Updater, because it creates a phantom user with same user "ID" (the exadecimal one) as yours and the Windows 8 upgrade fails).

So, really, thank you for your support. If there were more people like us in the internet, almost any problems could be solved in a couple of minutes instead to going crazy and end to format and reinstall from scratch or "live together" with the problem...

vickyv said:

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.

And thank you too. Your solution alone didn't work for me, but you helped anyway :)

jdlweb said:

Just follow my above list, if it is already installed it will tell you it is.
This has "NEVER" failed and I own a computer repair shop. I, like many others have always looked for a way to streamline Windows 7 updates. This is the solution that will accomplish three things.
First KB3020369 is a prerequisite to install the roll up package
second (KB3125574) is a roll up package to reduce the total umber of updated needed at the end
Third (KB3102810) will help with the high CPU usage during updates
Fourth (KB3112343) is the update client first release
Fifth (KB3172605) is the next release
Sixth (KB3161664) is the September 2016 update client release

Although like some others have mentioned, you can cut some of these out and it will indeed update, however this will reduce our actual time needed for installing all security updates...

After 3 days of of trying to get updates of a fresh install of windows 7 home premium on my dads Dell xps m1730, I finally did it thanks to the above guide. I didnt realise how long you needed to leave it to search for updates so that would be the first thing id suggest before following the above.

I just downloaded the 6 files listed above and installed them one at a time. some require a reboot but you just carry on down the list when it boots back up.

Thanks people.

I just joined to thank jdlweb for his solution:

jdlweb said:

Just follow my above list, if it is already installed it will tell you it is.
This has "NEVER" failed and I own a computer repair shop. I, like many others have always looked for a way to streamline Windows 7 updates. This is the solution that will accomplish three things.
First KB3020369 is a prerequisite to install the roll up package
second (KB3125574) is a roll up package to reduce the total umber of updated needed at the end
Third (KB3102810) will help with the high CPU usage during updates
Fourth (KB3112343) is the update client first release
Fifth (KB3172605) is the next release
Sixth (KB3161664) is the September 2016 update client release

Although like some others have mentioned, you can cut some of these out and it will indeed update, however this will reduce our actual time needed for installing all security updates...

Worked first time.....You sir are a gentleman & a scholar!