W7/SP1 Windows Update stuck checking for updates

[Hans Gruber]

Yeah, I noticed that the Windows Vista x64 Business updates were also pretty slow around the same time the Windows 7 updates got slow. Did you just get the WSUS offline updater from download.wsusoffline.net?

Yes.

[cadillacmike68]

The above only applies to FRESH W7 installs.
If you have updated W7 already BEFORE applying those 2 KBs, you're in trouble.
Time to start blaming Micro$haft...

I have found this to be true. The two KBs just keep "checking for updates on this computer". I guess its time to get that offline updater configured.

[cadillacmike68]

Can we just DL then extract the WSUS zip file to a directory and run it from there?

[jronald]

To add a time frame:

I loaded W7 on a X120e single core machine with 4 gigs.
Did not have SP1
Little under 24 hours to get it to full update.

Loaded W7
Shut Update Down
Loaded SP1
Loaded the 2 updates from this thread
Added .Net 4
Added Lenovo Update
Added the Lenovo Specific Drivers and Bloatware I wanted
Added the Windows update Lenovo wanted to add
Turned on Update and requested updates.

20 mins later it found 248
Told it to download and update and went to bed

In the morning it had installed 140 or so and shut its self down
Told it to find more, and it found well over 100 (I dont remember)
Had it download and install, 30 mins later it kicked out 4 (not installed).

Counting the overnight nap cycle, about 18 or 19 hours?
Thats about as fast as I have ever gotten one to re-install

By the way, with Office 2003 Im sitting at 19.1 gigs with out ANYTHING else.

Ron

[theterminator93]

By the way, with Office 2003 Im sitting at 19.1 gigs with out ANYTHING else.

Ron

You can knock that down pretty heavily by doing a few things, which I usually do when I build images:

Run cleanmgr.exe (disk cleanup) as administrator to do a Windows Update cleanup
Disable system restore
Turn off hibernation (powercfg.exe hibernate off)

This usually cleans out 3-5 GB, depending on the system specs. Obviously you can't disable hibernation and remove hiberfil.sys if you intend to utilize the feature...

The smallest I have gotten a fully updated install with Office 2010 Pro Plus and a handful of other minor programs (typical plugins, runtimes, web browsers assortment) down to is about 12 GB.

[MrMaguire]

Microsoft has released a new hotfix for Windows Update. Yet another alteration to win32k.sys. This time it's KB3161608. I have installed this hotfix and found Windows Update scan times greatly reduced. Windows Update returns results in 3-7 minutes. These are existing installs. I have yet to try it on a fresh install.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3161608

Direct links:

Windows 7 x86: https://download.microsoft.com/download ... 08-x86.msu

Windows 7 x64: https://download.microsoft.com/download ... 08-x64.msu

[kfzhu1229]

On a Frankenpad like A30 with Pentium III, you are already shocked that it runs Windows 7 just fine so just forget about updates except SP1 and IE11 on that thing...

[lophiomys]

Microsoft has released a new hotfix for Windows Update. Yet another alteration to win32k.sys. This time it's KB3161608. I have installed this hotfix and found Windows Update scan times greatly reduced. Windows Update returns results in 3-7 minutes. These are existing installs. I have yet to try it on a fresh install.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3161608
...

Trying to install this KB3161608 gives me "this update is not applicable on your computer". (T43p Win7) I have checked and the updates contained have not yet been installed.

[MrMaguire]

Trying to install this KB3161608 gives me "this update is not applicable on your computer". (T43p Win7) I have checked and the updates contained have not yet been installed.

Do you have KB3020369 installed? It is required to install KB3161608. Apologies for not mentioning it earlier. I have only just found out through testing.

After installing Windows 7 fresh, then SP1, then KB3020369 and finally KB3161608, I had Windows Update return results in just 10 minutes.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/3020369

Direct links:

Windows 7 x86: https://download.microsoft.com/download ... 69-x86.msu

Windows 7 x64: https://download.microsoft.com/download ... 69-x64.msu

[cadillacmike68]

The last two KBs mentioned installed on my test T61 and its running much better now.

Of note this nonsense is considered an "important" update :

Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB3173040)

Download size: 5.3 MB

You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect.

Update type: Recommended

Install this update to resolve issues in Windows. For a complete listing of the issues that are included in this update, see the associated Microsoft Knowledge Base article for more information. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

More information:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/3173040

Help and Support:
http://support.microsoft.com


Summary
If you have Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), the following full-screen notification might appear on your computer:

Sorry to interrupt, but this is important.

Windows 10 free upgrade offer ends July 29.

[img]

This notification is a reminder that the Window 10 free upgrade offer ends on July 29, 2016. Microsoft recommends that you upgrade to Windows 10 before the offer expires. You can choose to upgrade directly from the notification, dismiss the notification permanently, or choose to be reminded later. For more information about the Windows 10 upgrade and how to manage notifications, see the "More Information" section.

This message appears when you unlock Windows through the end of the upgrade offer, and reoccurs three days later if you select the Remind me later option.


Might as well add KB3173040 to the list of updates to NOT install!

[kfzhu1229]

Might as well add KB3173040 to the list of updates to NOT install!

No need to worry about this if you are using Windows 7 on any ThinkPad before T43 (At least Windows is smart enough to realize your computer is illegible for Windows 10 as SSE2, NX, and/or PAE instruction set is/are missing from your mb and CPU)
And yes, I can understand the annoyingness as Microsoft is pushing Windows 10 to users and try not to exceed the extent of forcing users to install at the same time.. Also if you are tired of this go to BIOS settings and disable NX and this should not appear again...

[TonyJZX]

I have two new laptops (new to me). One is a Dell e6400 4gb 120gb ssd, other is an Elitebook 6930p also 4gb 120gb ssd.

Both CPUs are high speed 2.8 dual cores.

e6400 took to Win10 fine and it did all the updates at good speed.

The 6930p did not take to Win7 fine at all. Its sitting at 50% and 3Gb ram trying to do *something* in the background.

I tried the April rollup tool and it too sits on 'checking'.

I get the feeling MS moved the update servers from Win7 -> Win10. I dont know what else to do. Maybe move to Win10?

The reason why I'm using Win7 on the HP is that I though it was an Optimus type switching gpu but it turns out its not.

Really wish they had a downloadable SP option.

[RealBlackStuff]

Get W7 SP1 here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... px?id=5842

[TonyJZX]

I used an sp1 iso. Kinda funny now, I did a manual check button and now its hitting 100% on both cores and using all my memory. Strangest install on Win7 ever for me and I have multiple Elitebooks, what makes this on special?

[Puppy]

You might experience a very slow Windows Update scans during last few months. It takes several hours to finish checking for new updates. There is a fix KB3161647 released. It is included in June 2016 update rollup for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 (KB3161608) that's delivered as optional update.

Make sure KB3020369 is already installed before installing the KB3161608.

It has resolved the issue for me.

[cadillacmike68]

The two updates that Puppy mentions did the trick for me. It (w7) now scans for updates in a few minutes.

You Still need to watch out for "updates" that are nothing but w10 or telemetry nonsense. Click on the more info when looking at an update and it will open up the ms KB page on your default browser on that update.

[teamde78]

The two updates that Puppy mentions did the trick for me. It (w7) now scans for updates in a few minutes.

You Still need to watch out for "updates" that are nothing but w10 or telemetry nonsense. Click on the more info when looking at an update and it will open up the ms KB page on your default browser on that update.

I am getting quite frustrated by this issue as well, this is still working as of 7/29/2016, and the best solution the above problem?

[TPFanatic]

My understanding is to avoid Windows 10 you have to turn off "give me recommended updates" and never allow WU to download or install updates by itself. I dunno about the telemetry, I've given up on that one.

[cadillacmike68]

My understanding is to avoid Windows 10 you have to turn off "give me recommended updates" and never allow WU to download or install updates by itself. I dunno about the telemetry, I've given up on that one.

My method will Not download ANY update unless you specifically OK it. I keep a list of the baddies from George's post and i always use the "more info" link on the right side of the panel to see exactly what it it. That link opens a page with the ms KB for the update.

To recap, I have updates set to NOT download Or install any updates, but only to notify me that there are updates available.

Control Panel / Windows Updates / Change Settings / Important Updates:
Drop Down and select "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them"
Make recommended updates the same.
You're all set.

I have an optional update to check on right now.

[teamde78]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605

Note that it looks like the June rollout was replaced by the July fix. I am currently trying it out and will respond if it works.

[teamde78]

Just wanted to update, that this did work for me. The latest July Rollout update made checking for updates take less than 3 minutes.

Just wanted to point out thought, that it did take 30-40 minutes for the KB i linked above to install (not sure why).

[TonyJZX]

Mine fixed itself but I dont know if its because I just let the HP System update tool install all the stuff it think it needs.

I suspect its because the base hardware under the HP is a pain while my Dell is much more mainstream.

[teamde78]

Mine fixed itself but I dont know if its because I just let the HP System update tool install all the stuff it think it needs.

I suspect its because the base hardware under the HP is a pain while my Dell is much more mainstream.

The whole thing seems very complicated, why can't Microsoft just make an important update that fixes everything? Just seems like they were pushing people to switch to Windows 10.

[cadillacmike68]

^^^ The were, and will still do so.

[TonyJZX]

Microsoft want to control updates. We will never see a standalone SP1 again. And yet they dont want to move to a Win7 SP2. And why would they? They're throwing everything at Win10.

I have the Win10 Anniversary Update (silly name btw.) and I believe the latest ISO has everything rolled into it.

Look I'm all for Win10 if your hardware supports it.

A lot of mine doesnt.

[Puppy]

Microsoft want to control updates.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=121743

[WaNaWe900]

Thanks for the reference, will try it