Windows update never stops checking for updates

It finally finished.....took forever, but update lists seem quicker to install now that all 55 of those things finished installing! Thanks!

Good to hear that it finally finished.

It took about 1.5 hours for the "Scanning for updates" to finish after I installed 3112343 (and 3102810, since I didn't know about 3112343 until afterwards). Not sure how long it too before that since I always gave up after 1/2 and hour or so, assuming it was stuck. The 3112343 udpate itself would stay stuck on "Scanning..." until I rebooted and tried it again.
I just worry that these updates (ie. 3112343) are some way to force Win10 in the future. I read awhile back where some people that were researching some of the udpates offered in Windows Update to Win7 saying they showed signs of being for that reason.

Thanks!

You can remove all updates to the Windows Update Client and stick with a version that predates the W10 stuff. You might revert to having long search times.

Yes, a newer update agent version improves the situation a lot! After Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.320 was installed automatically as soon as I connected my Windows 7 SP1 to the internet and searched for updates, the "update mechanism" got corrupted and searched, and searched, and searched... Then I installed KB3138612 (downloaded with another PC) and after a reboot and searching for updates for about 15minutes Windows finally found ~200 updates.

Here are another interesting topics regarding this issue:

Sticking with Windows 7? The forecast calls for pain | ZDNet
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...10cba1?page=12
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...581c6d?page=12
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...6bedc5?page=13
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...d-2ad18284f80a
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...=1461522846734

Here's what worked for me after having the indefinite "Checking for Updates" and trying but failing to install either KB3102810 or KB3112343 while getting hung up for several hours at "Checking Computer" before I rebooted.

The follwing solution stopped the "Checking Computer" problem. It relates to attempts to access a registry key that does not exist, over and over, forever:

Browsed the registry using REGEDIT to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SQMClient\Windows and
Add/Create a New Reg_DWord(32-bit) called CEIPEnable with a Value of "1"
(Thanks to SteveSims1wa who researched the hang up and posted this solution on answers.microsoft.com)

I then ran the downloaded KB3112343 again which now installed instantly. Went back into Windows Update which then sat at "Checking for Updates" for 25-30 minutes before installing the first set of Windows 7 updates and I am now on my merry way.

Background: I installed a brand new SSD in an HP Omni 120 1333w, purchased a new Windows 7 Pro w/SP1 on CD with product key, installed Windows 7 Pro w/SP1 onto the SSD, activated Windows 7 Pro with no issues, then tried to Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro which hung at "Checking for Updates" for hours. Then tried to install the Windows 7 Updates which were also hung at "Checking for Updates" for hours before finding this combination of solutions.

I have the same "searching for updates" issue on my clean install of Win7 pro on my new SSD. I would simply install the KB3112343 file except that it causes the Windows Update Standalone Installer to hang up on "searching for updates in your computer". So I can't even do that. Same for Windows Update Readiness Tool.
"Searching for updates" has continued for over 12 hours......

Please help

robebcan said:

I have the same "searching for updates" issue on my clean install of Win7 pro on my new SSD. I would simply install the KB3112343 file except that it causes the Windows Update Standalone Installer to hang up on "searching for updates in your computer". So I can't even do that. Same for Windows Update Readiness Tool.
"Searching for updates" has continued for over 12 hours......

Please help

If you disconnect from the Internet before installing KB3112343 - that should put an end to the search and let the KB install go forward. That said, skip KB3112343 (December 2015) and install KB3138612 (March 2016).

If the search continues - even with no connection to the Internet - then try option three of this tutorial:
Windows Update - Reset