Windows update stopped working

[hyde]

I am running Win 8.1 on my T450s and recently my outlook started acting up (exchange) so I removed old profile, created a new one started from scratch, but it still was clunky. I was told there are some updates, but for some reason I wasn't getting any updates.
Windows Update wasn't receiving any updates either, I reset the PC (nondestructive), that didn't help. So I went through recovery and factory-reset the Thinkpad.
After losing everything (did not start recovering from backup) I still cannot get any updates. It says "Checking for updates..." and nothing else.

I tried following several different instructions (stopping services, deleting/renaming folders, restarting services, using troubleshooter fix, etc) nothing seems to help.

What is my option?
Thanks.

[Cigarguy]

When it says "Checking for Updates..." how long did you wait? Without manually installing a few updates first, Win 7 can take up to 14 hours to do the first check for updates. I'm sure at this stage Win 8.1 is not any faster either. You might have to leave it checking for updates overnight, then almost as long waiting for it to do the updates.

[hyde]

When it says "Checking for Updates..." how long did you wait? Without manually installing a few updates first, Win 7 can take up to 14 hours to do the first check for updates. I'm sure at this stage Win 8.1 is not any faster either. You might have to leave it checking for updates overnight, then almost as long waiting for it to do the updates.

Thanks for your suggestion, I'll leave it running overnight, and I will report back in the morning.

[Puppy]

This is known issue of old non-updated setup. The solution is here http://wu.krelay.de/en/

[hyde]

This is known issue of old non-updated setup. The solution is here http://wu.krelay.de/en/

Thanks, it was happening before I reset the Windows, but I'll give this a try.


Cigarguy, 8 hours later, still searching. I will wait longer before trying Puppy's solution.

[hyde]

Poppy, can you check, the links don't work for me. Is it just for me, or is it same for you too?
I get "We are sorry, the page you requested cannot be found." when I click on update links.

[RealBlackStuff]

Micro is $hafting you/us with their "Downloads".
At least the "Direct link September 2016" ones work.

[hyde]

Micro is $hafting you/us with their "Downloads".
At least the "Direct link September 2016" ones work.

But those are for Win 7.

I am considering resetting again but I am afraid it will be same result. I already reset my windows once. I can't believe it stopped working.
I don't know if I should try and get Win 10 or if it will make things worse.

[RealBlackStuff]

Have you no fantasy?
Click on KB3172614

[hyde]

Have you no fantasy?
Click on KB3172614

This is like a scary nightmare. Yes I clicked on the KB links but the download links in those KB pages also lead to "We are sorry, the page you requested cannot be found."
Can you try? Is it just me?

I just downloaded Win 8.1 ISO and mounted on USB, if I can't get to the bottom of this, I'll try formatting my drive completely and installing from ISO, but I don't think that will fix it. Although I don't think it's any different than the windows installation built into the thinkpad's recovery partition.

[RealBlackStuff]

Well, there were plenty good reasons why W8/W8.1 fell flat!
This is probably another foul trick to steer people to that crappy W10.
Personally I'll stay with W7 until it expires in 2020. No more Windows for me after that!
Never bothered with W8/W8.1 and I definitely don't want W10 or whatever else Micro$haft tries to stuff down our throats.
In the meantime I'm beginning to like Linux.

[Pokrzept]

It is not only you who has serious problems with W8.1 WU service. At this very moment I am trying to update remotely my friends L440 and it is stuck on searching phase aswell. You may try to download all the updates to your HDD by using WSUSoffline client and than install them locally.

[hyde]

It is not only you who has serious problems with W8.1 WU service. At this very moment I am trying to update remotely my friends L440 and it is stuck on searching phase aswell. You may try to download all the updates to your HDD by using WSUSoffline client and than install them locally.

Hmm.. It's interesting. Are you telling me that I went through all this and it was all an issue with MS's update servers? Since I wiped my windows, I probably will need to get a lot of updates. I'll give it a try.

I will not wait anymore, it's been close to 18hrs, it is not getting anything.

Well, there were plenty good reasons why W8/W8.1 fell flat!
This is probably another foul trick to steer people to that crappy W10.
Personally I'll stay with W7 until it expires in 2020. No more Windows for me after that!
Never bothered with W8/W8.1 and I definitely don't want W10 or whatever else Micro$haft tries to stuff down our throats.
In the meantime I'm beginning to like Linux.

I wish I could stay with 7. 7 was another reason why I loved my X220 so much.
Now with this T450s, 8.1 was forced down my throat, not to mention constant nags to upgrade to Win 10.

If my outlook was working properly, I wouldn't bother with updates anyway but once things started failing, it felt like it was going downhill.

PS: How does WSUSoffline know system specific updates, or does it skip those and install only "important" updates and not hardware-targeted updates?

[dr_st]

I wish I could stay with 7. 7 was another reason why I loved my X220 so much.
Now with this T450s, 8.1 was forced down my throat, not to mention constant nags to upgrade to Win 10.

You would have the same nags with Win7 as well, and they were not so difficult to turn off.

If my outlook was working properly, I wouldn't bother with updates anyway but once things started failing, it felt like it was going downhill.

PS: How does WSUSoffline know system specific updates, or does it skip those and install only "important" updates and not hardware-targeted updates?

AFAIK, it does not do hardware-targeted updates. There are very few "hardware-targeted" updates anyways, and they appear in a separate category. These are device drivers from the manufacturers; you can always get them later.

For Win7/8.1 you should be able to do without WSUSoffline. Try the suggestions here:
http://wu.krelay.de/en/

[hyde]

I wish I could stay with 7. 7 was another reason why I loved my X220 so much.
Now with this T450s, 8.1 was forced down my throat, not to mention constant nags to upgrade to Win 10.

You would have the same nags with Win7 as well, and they were not so difficult to turn off.

If my outlook was working properly, I wouldn't bother with updates anyway but once things started failing, it felt like it was going downhill.

PS: How does WSUSoffline know system specific updates, or does it skip those and install only "important" updates and not hardware-targeted updates?

AFAIK, it does not do hardware-targeted updates. There are very few "hardware-targeted" updates anyways, and they appear in a separate category. These are device drivers from the manufacturers; you can always get them later.

For Win7/8.1 you should be able to do without WSUSoffline. Try the suggestions here:
http://wu.krelay.de/en/

Thanks, after I did WSUSoffline, It seems to trigger something or clear the pathway for more updates,



Now things also run much faster, in fact it feels even faster than the first time I got my Thinkpad, maybe it's just an illusion or the latest office making things snappier, it's overall better now.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions, especially WSUSoffline, without this I couldn't get things done.

[Pokrzept]

The WSUS Offline Updater download up-to-date list of packages directly from MS servers. Once you have all of the required packages on your hard drive Update Installer triggers verification procedure built in into the OS - same procedure that is being used by the Windows Update Client. After comparison between the downloaded list and installed packages the new list of missing updates is generated followed by the installation of those packages.

Due to the WindowsUpdate service "updates" made by the M$ last year system update procedure became an nightmare. You wont be able to do anything about it any soon and most likely it wont work as it should ever again. The best solution to reduce frustration to the minimal level is the mentioned WSUS Offline Update client.

And when it comes to the better system responsiveness - WindowsUpdate service build in into system runs 24/7 and when your system decide to check updates it consumes up to 2 GB or RAM and 25% of your CPU (1 Thread out of 4 when it comes to 2C/4T CPUs like yours). As soon as dealt with the update procedure it does not consume system resources any more.

[hyde]

The WSUS Offline Updater download up-to-date list of packages directly from MS servers. Once you have all of the required packages on your hard drive Update Installer triggers verification procedure built in into the OS - same procedure that is being used by the Windows Update Client. After comparison between the downloaded list and installed packages the new list of missing updates is generated followed by the installation of those packages.

Due to the WindowsUpdate service "updates" made by the M$ last year system update procedure became an Overused word. You wont be able to do anything about it any soon and most likely it wont work as it should ever again. The best solution to reduce frustration to the minimal level is the mentioned WSUS Offline Update client.

And when it comes to the better system responsiveness - WindowsUpdate service build in into system runs 24/7 and when your system decide to check updates it consumes up to 2 GB or RAM and 25% of your CPU (1 Thread out of 4 when it comes to 2C/4T CPUs like yours). As soon as dealt with the update procedure it does not consume system resources any more.

It's funny how MS's own update client fails but 3rd party update works very smoothly and extremely efficiently. Everything is out in the open and you know exactly what is going on.
For now, I will stick to important updates. Thanks everyone. My Thinkpad is now the way it should be.