Author Topic: Windows Update Hangs Indefinitley (Read 25900 times)

q8v6ykMsR6 · « **on:** June 22, 2016, 04:57:26 pm »

Hi,
I ’m running Windows 7 Home Premium - 64 bit with SP1 and haven’t been able to get Windows Update to work since mid-March. I am experiencing 2 problems without receiving any error codes: 1) Windows Update will not download or install any new updates, not even 1 or 2 small updates, instead it hangs indefinitely indicating 0% downloaded; and 2) Windows Update hangs indefinitely when checking for updates. I ran Windows Update Troubleshooter 3 times today. Each time it found error 0x80070057, but was not able to fix it. Next I downloaded and ran your Windows Repair v3.9.3 twice in Safe Mode selecting 37 jobs both times, including Repair Windows Updates. No issues were found. However, I still have the same 2 problems with Windows Update, except now the update history was reset and no new updates are displayed until I can successfully check for updates.
Any suggestions how I can resolve this error and get Windows Update working properly.
Thanks, Gregg

Boggin · « **Reply #1 on:** June 22, 2016, 05:47:29 pm »

That appears to be the $64,000 question at the moment.

My problem is compounded on one machine with the Windows Update service maxing out the CPU.

It has been suggested that manually downloading KB3161664 can ease the problem of hung check for or the actual downloading - hasn't done anything for me though.

The other option is the Roll out update which is supposed to incorporate all of the Windows Updates - this is KB3161608

That told me it wasn't compatible with my machine for some reason or other.

There's also the System Update Readiness Tool (SURT) you can try and download to see if that will install and run without hanging at checking your computer for updates - got the T-Shirt on all of these

It's getting quite late here in the UK so I'm going to have to leave it to you to Google for those.

SURT is a 538MB download so it's best to select Save on that so that you can run it again whenever from your Downloads folder.

The reason your update history has gone is because part of the standard update fixes is to remove the contents of the SoftwareDistribution folder.

Did you run the Pre-Scan in Option 2 of the Windows Repair program to see if you had any missing/corrupt Package files or any corruption in the Reparse Points or Environment Variables ?

q8v6ykMsR6 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2016, 06:50:28 pm »

Hi Boggin,

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes, I did run the Pre-Scan in Option 2 before running the Repairs. The Pre-Scan found no Package Files or Environment Variables problems, but did find 61 Reparse Points problems - all of which your program fixed with Option 2.

Fortunately, running Windows Update has not maxed out my CPU.

I will try your other suggestions and let you know if I have any success.

Thanks,
Gregg

Tone111 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 23, 2016, 03:31:55 am »

Am very interested to see how this progresses for you q8v6ykMsR6 (?!) as I have almost exactly the same 'problem'. I turned Windows update off some time ago, around March I think, installed the GWX Control Panel and stopped all W10 nagging and intrusions, as I'm more than happy with W7 SP1 on my 6 year old machine, and so now regularly try to run WU manually - always with the same (non) result - it just runs indefinitely for as many hours as I patiently care to leave it, with it almost constantly maxing my CPU out and making other other work (or even just browsing) tricky and somewhat slow, in addition to the core temp going dangerously high .

I've also tried SFC, SFCFix - clean; SURT - also runs forever and never seems to complete on the occasions I've tried it, but doesn't error as such before I eventually kill it through the task manager. AIO Repair also shows shows clean on pre-scan with no corruption or errors, and running the repairs in safe mode also has no visible effect on WU running once back in normal mode, so I'm pretty stumped as well, but console myself with the fact that my machine runs just fine with WU off and everything else seems to work as it should, I'm just aware that it may not be as up-to-date as it should be and I may be missing some 'important' or even 'critical' non-W10 update

The only thing I haven't tried so far is the roll-out update, but as it hasn't worked for Boggin I'm not too hopeful it will do anything for mine either, but may try it if nothing else comes up. Anyway, no intention of hijacking the thread, just adding my own similar experiences and hoping that someone has a resolution for this frustrating and seemingly not-that-uncommon problem......

Boggin · « **Reply #4 on:** June 23, 2016, 04:10:21 am »

I think the Roll out one has worked for some but the Windows Secrets Lounge Forum is inundated with complaints about WUs in Win 7and for the most part, without any resolution.

www.windowssecrets.com

Click on the Lounge tab and you'll get to the forum - you may even see my thread

Tomas_Sweden · « **Reply #5 on:** June 23, 2016, 04:24:41 am »

Here is an article about "How to fix slow Windows 7 update scans":
http://www.infoworld.com/article/3086811/microsoft-windows/microsoft-releases-kb-3161647-kb-3161608-to-fix-slow-windows-7-update-scans.html

I have tried it and my windows update works as it should now.

When I search for new updates in Windows Update I take a look in Process Explorer and the cpu should go up on TrustedInstaller.exe and not Svchost.exe. If cpu goes up on Svchost.exe it will take several hours!

If Windows Update takes a very long time, you could go to services and go to Windows Update a click stop and then follow the article above!

Tomas

Tone111 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 23, 2016, 04:55:23 am »

Cheers Boggin - interesting thread, presuming I have the right one! (Windows Update Failure in W7 Forum?) - are you Sudo15??

Seems like sh*tloads of people have had/are having the same problem with W7 either not updating or taking an excessively long time, and it all seems to point to MS rather than the users or machines, surprise surprise

And thanks Tomas - that article looks very promising, though having to install 6 or 7 unrelated updates to resolve the update issue seems like a complex and long winded way, but I'll give it a shot this weekend. BTW, how the hell did anyone actually discover this??

some people (thankfully!) must have far too much time on their hands!

svchost does go up on mine though when I try to run it, not sure about trustedinstaller, but I'll check again before I try the fix, and after depending on how it goes.

Will post back results when I've done it, maybe the original poster has some feedback of his own too.....

Boggin · « **Reply #7 on:** June 23, 2016, 07:19:20 am »

Yes - that's me

The only snag for me in implementing Tomas' linked article is that you can only get KB3161647 by downloading the Roll up update and that fails on mine with it telling me it isn't compatible with my machine.

In my many Googles, I came across this article which had been suggested as a fix for the high CPU usage, but also didn't work - but it may help with actual update problems, although I don't know if it duplicates what WR does for its updates repairs.

http://wuauclt.info/scripts.asp

Right click in the appropriate batch file box - click on Select all - right click and select Copy.

Open Notepad - right click and select Paste then go File/SaveAS and name it aurepair.cmd as in the article.

Use the dropdown to select All File Types - Save

Go to your Documents - right click on the file and select Run as administrator where you'll see the cmds being executed in a cmd window.

I even downloaded the Windows Update service from http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/236709-services-restore-default-services-windows-7-a.html but that didn't help either.

As for the high memory use, I found that KB3050265 dropped it down to a level the laptop could cope with - approx. 2.5GB down from a little over 5GB which made the laptop run that hot that it was uncomfortable to hold my fingers on the touchpad - fortunately, I use a wireless mouse

Julian · « **Reply #8 on:** June 24, 2016, 11:29:24 am »

I wonder if bits is hanging shoot let me find the command to kill bits and stop all the Down loads

Boggin · « **Reply #9 on:** June 24, 2016, 02:07:10 pm »

I've sorted mine and am in the middle of installing my updates belatedly from a factory reset.

To alleviate the demand on the CPU I went into services and disabled SuperFetch then changed the Windows Update settings to Never...

I then manually installed the March 2016 Windows Update Client from http://wu.krelay.de/en/2016-03.htm and followed that with the 4 from the first block.

I then installed KB3145739 KB3153199 and KB3161664 - changed the update settings back to auto and within about 10 mins I was offered 223 Important and 6 Optional.

The bit that seems to have made the difference for me was to change the update settings to Never.... prior to installing the pre-ones, as for some updates I tried, they would stick at searching the computer for updates.

Tone111 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 25, 2016, 12:40:46 pm »

Ah ok, so you've gone down another route then, might have to give that a try

I've had a couple of goes at installing 3161608 but it gets to "checking your computer for updates" and sits there doing it's usual maxing the CPU, slowing everything down, getting hot, and after a full evening last night never got any further before I switched it off for the night!!

Not impressed, anyway I've changed my setting to Never.. (from ..let me choose, though I also had the WU service set to manual and off) so I might as well give the updates from that link a shot, maybe they will finally do the trick.....

Boggin · « **Reply #11 on:** June 25, 2016, 04:13:27 pm »

I've found that disabling SuperFetch lessened the demand on the CPU as well as stopping Windows Update and none of them stuck at searching this computer for updates.

Just got my other laptop back from repair this afternoon and it has the same problem.

As this has just started for this month's updates, I found that I already had some of those updates and some reported as not compatible for this machine.

After I'd installed the ones that would take and restarted Windows Update service and changed the update settings back to auto, I let it check for updates for about 10 mins - but nothing.

I changed the update settings back to Never and stopped the Update service, installed KB3161608 and changed those back again and while I've been writing this post - have been presented with this month's updates with the headline one being for Win 10.

If you get that, then you have to click on the small blue link below the box to see what else is on offer.

I'm in the process of vetting the rest before I give them the go ahead.

Tone111 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 26, 2016, 04:54:57 am »

Ok, well I'm getting somewhere but I'm not sure where!

I've installed the updates from the .de page (1 + 4) and they all installed and configured with no problems. Then rebooted and ran WU and this time ran for about 20 minutes then errored with 80070057 ( I think!). Ran .diagcab troubleshooter which did some stuff, reran WU and this time errored with 80080005 after about 20 mins. Reran diagcab, rebooted and reran WU - errored again after 20 mins with 80080005, so I guess it's progress of some sort from the never ending "checking" screen, but not exactly where I want to be.

What would you suggest now - is it worth trying to install the 3161608 or run the AIO repair in safe mode?

Tone111 · « **Reply #13 on:** June 26, 2016, 06:29:51 am »

Well I bit the bullet and decided to have another go at installing the roll-up update 3161608, it installed and configured fine, rebooted, reran WU and lo and behold after about 20 minutes it's run without erroring and told me I have 36 important

and 19 optional updates!! Whoop-de-bloody-whoooooo!!

first time I've seen that in about 3 months, now to put google to good use and trawl through all the so-called 'important' updates and see which ones I actually need and can safely install, hello GWX....

Willy2 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 26, 2016, 06:34:46 am »

- I was forced to re-install Win 7 SP 1 about 2 weeks ago (I can install it from a USB stick) . Had the same problem with WU. It ran for some 5 hours without finding anything. After manually installing KB 3102810 WU found over 180 updates within say 5 to 10 minutes. And up to now I didn't have any problems anymore. I hope it stays this way.

- There was a discussion on this topic on the Piriform forum as well.
https://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=46103

- A lot of people with WU problems asked for help on the "Bleeping Computer" website as well.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/

Willy2 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 26, 2016, 06:41:09 am »

- @tone111: You can safely install all the "Important" updates. The "GWX" update is hidden in the "Optional" updates.

See also:
http://www.tweaking.com/forums/index.php/topic,4643.0.html

Tone111 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 26, 2016, 07:11:28 am »

Cheers Willy, that's good to know

Looking at them the majority are security updates so should be safe, plus MSERT and Windows Defender update, and then a bunch of security updates to .NET 3.5.1 which I don't have as I've upgraded to 4.6, so I'm not sure if I should install these or not?

There's only one actual Windows update that isn't a security patch so I'll check that one out....

Boggin · « **Reply #17 on:** June 26, 2016, 09:53:37 am »

To find what an update is for, just click on it then on More info in the right pane which will open to a MS web page.

Even though you have .NET Framework 4.6.0/1 you still need to install those for 3.5.1 as 3.5.1 is part of Windows.

When I got the 220+ on the laptop I'd factory reset, even though I'd looked through them and not found any of the usual Win 10 suspects, when I rebooted I found I had the GWX icon in the system tray.

I downloaded GWX Control Panel and hit the various options which included monitoring for any Win 10 associated ones, but as the laptop seemed a bit slow, I uninstalled it.

I also looked for and uninstalled KBs 3035583 and 2952664.

Uninstalling GWX Control panel didn't seem to help with the slowness which also included a slow boot up, so had a look in Event Viewer and found Kernel-Tracing ID 3s and then remembered I hadn't re-enabled SuperFetch.

Guess I was that pleased to have resolved a month+ old problem that had included PC World replacing the CPU and they and me doing factory resets, that one got forgotten about

Tone111 · « **Reply #18 on:** June 26, 2016, 10:20:21 am »

Thanks, I selected everything except the .NET updates, 24 in total, and it installed 22 and failed on 2, then on reboot the configuring stuck at 51% for ages then suddenly went to logon, suspiciously, so I checked the updates and they were nearly all "pending", so I checked the Winsxs folder and found an old 'friend' of mine in there - the pending.xml file!! argh

renamed that rebooted again a couple of times and those 22 all seem to have been successful now

The update check now takes about 15 minutes on my machine and doesn't initiate the overheating it used to, plus svchost isn't spiking nearly as much - it's trustedinstaller now but less so, so everything seems to be as it should be I think, for now at least...

I'll go back and do the .NET updates now if they're required, along with the couple that failed and try those again (3123479 from Jan & 3035126 from March 2015, both of which I've previously tried unsuccessfully to install and ended up hiding!), see you soon....

Willy2 · « **Reply #19 on:** June 26, 2016, 10:36:03 am »

- @Boggin: GWX popped up when you installed the important updates ?

Boggin · « **Reply #20 on:** June 26, 2016, 10:45:16 am »

I think the overheating was due to Windows Update trying to find them but being baulked and I also found TrustedInstaller at the top of the list for max usage.

My laptop got so hot that it was uncomfortable to rest my fingers on the touchpad.

I think after my experience and resolving, I now have no fear of WU hanging.

In reply to Willy2, on the one I'd factory reset, yes it did.

On the one I'd gotten back, when I'd fixed the update problem and they were presented, Win 10 was the main one in the box and I had to click on the blue link underneath to view the other updates.

On that one when the icon was first issued last year, I went into the registry and did a search for and deleted GWX as well as deleting the trigger for it in Task Scheduler, so I only occasionally get the Win 10 one mixed in with the rest of my updates.

When I tried to do the same on the factory reset one, I found that I was unable to remove the registry GWX because Trusted Installer owned it and any option to change ownership was greyed out.

There was also nothing in Task Scheduler that I could delete either - it seems that MS must be getting desperate.

Tone111 · « **Reply #21 on:** June 27, 2016, 06:34:25 am »

Know what you're saying about the W10 stuff Boggin, the retrospective googling and manual removal of several sneaky 'important' updates followed by installation and use of the GWX Control Panel sorted that problem out for me and it's been free since

haven't been into the registry to check but I'm assuming it's free of GWX entries as nothing ever pops up or tries to install that I haven't asked for...

My system also appears to be fully up to date now as well - installed the remainder of the .NET updates, apart from a couple of old ones that refused to install with 80073712, so I've hidden those (think they've been superceded anyway) and yesterday I finally saw the big green WU tick saying that no updates were available (apart from the optional ones) so that seems like a job well done to me!

As an added bonus it's quicker to login, boot-up and runs cooler and quicker as well, so positive all round.

No idea what happened to the OP but I hope he/she is following and implementing this, as the links posted, between them, have managed to salvage my machine from un-updateable, slow and overheating to fully up to date and responsive and 'cool' again, so thanks to all posters on here, most helpful, I can only hope it lasts longer than the next round of updates!

Willy2 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 27, 2016, 07:02:30 am »

@q8v6ykMsR6:

Here's a list of Windows Update error codes. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/938205

But your error code is not mentioned. (did I overlook anything ?)

Boggin · « **Reply #23 on:** June 27, 2016, 09:18:42 am »

Quote from: Willy2 on June 27, 2016, 07:02:30 am

@q8v6ykMsR6:

Here's a list of Windows Update error codes. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/938205

But your error code is not mentioned. (did I overlook anything ?)

If you Google that error code you will find several references to it - not sure why it isn't listed, although I may also have missed it.

Willy2 · « **Reply #24 on:** June 27, 2016, 11:50:28 am »

- I had a better list of error codes. But that list seem to have vanished into thin air.