Can I manually update?

I just installed a copy of Windows 7 onto an old laptop. This is a fresh install, I believe it has SP1 included.
But it seems I can no longer connect to the windows server to get any other updates. Is it possible to apply the other service packs and updates manually?
Is there any trusted source to get the updates from?

Marscaleb:

You didn't say which version(Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, etc.) and which bit number(32, 64) of Windows 7 you installed in your old laptop, and if it includes Service Pack 1.

You also didn't describe your old laptop(brand name, model name, model number, etc.), so we don't know which primary device drivers(chipset, graphics, audio, ethernet, wireless, etc.) it needs.

Use the link that SIW2 provided in post #2 so you can download and save the Simplix installer tool.
Once you double-click that tool to run it, it will detect and download the June 2022 update pack - which is 808 MB in size.
After that 808 MB size file is downloaded and saved, copy it to a USB thumb drive.

Once you have the June 2022 update pack and the primary device drivers for your old laptop downloaded and saved, do the following in the order listed:
1. Do a clean install of Windows 7 SP1.
2. Run the June 2022 update pack - which may take an hour or longer to complete.
3. Install the primary device drivers.
4. Obtain a working internet connection.
5. Load Windows Update, then do a "check for updates" scan.

you can update, you will need to go to

Microsoft Update Catalog

and install

KB3138612

KB4490628

KB4474419

KB3179573

you don't have to restart after installing each update, you can restart after installing all 4 updates, but after you do that windows update will work

flavallee said:

Marscaleb:
You didn't say which version(Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, etc.) and which bit number(32, 64) of Windows 7 you installed in your old laptop, and if it includes Service Pack 1.
You also didn't describe your old laptop(brand name, model name, model number, etc.), so we don't know which primary device drivers(chipset, graphics, audio, ethernet, wireless, etc.) it needs.

Sure.
Windows 7 Professional, Service Pack 1, 64-bit
installed on Acer 5253-BZ661; AMD Dual Core E-350 & AMD Radeon HD 6310.
It originally had Win 7 Home, but I foolishly took the free update to Windows 10. I have an image of the old hard drive but I'd like to not revert to it since it ran so poorly.

At the moment the only driver that is giving me problems is the wired ethernet (wireless is fine.)

So you have fixed Windows Update in the meantime.

Today it is normal to do a new install of Windows 7 and have Windows update not working. However, after you manually install updates to a certain point automatic updates will start working again.

I have an 18 year old HP Pavilion laptop that I upgraded to Windows 7 Home 32-bit. Right now automatic Windows update is working fine. Of course there are very few updates now but it occasionally gets some.

As old and slow as that laptop is, good luck with re-installing and running Windows 7 SP1 64-bit in it.
It is going to have the speed and performance of a turtle.