Windows Update never finishes checking for updates.

[aJesusHuman]

Running Windows 7 SP1. Windows update is not finishing its check. I have run the MS Fixit tool, have followed their instructions for a full reset of Windows Update (which normally works), have run sfc /scannow, have run the Update Readiness tool (which, again, never finishes checking for updates on the computer), and have run the Tweaking.com tool. No effect.

When I run the pre-scan for Tweaking.com, it does tell me that there are problems with Windows packages, but it does not tell me which ones. Here is the relevant part of the log:

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
¦ Scanning Windows Packages Files.
¦ Started at (8/27/2016 8:24:07 AM)
¦
0 Combined Problems were found with the packages files, these files need to be replaced (These mainly only effect installing Windows Updates.)
¦ The SFC (System File Checker) doesn't scan and replace some of these files, so you may need to replace them manually.
¦
¦ THESE FILES DO NOT KEEP THE REPAIRS FROM WORKING; YOU MAY STILL RUN THE REPAIRS IN THE PROGRAM.
¦
¦ Files Checked & Verified: 10,494
¦
¦ Done Scanning Windows Packages Files.(8/27/2016 8:43:51 AM)
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

I am about to try a repair install, but if you have any ideas please share.

[aJesusHuman]

Never mind! It is finally downloading updates in the background. As long as it will automatically check for and install updates, I am going to leave it at that.

[Boggin]

Downloading the latest update agent usually helps but you should have gotten that last month.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/949104

[aJesusHuman]

I had already tried that I think. That is part of Microsoft's full Windows update reset procedure here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/971058

I've created a batch file to do most of that procedure. If you know of a way I could make the batch file automatically install the latest agent that would be nice. Right now all it does is open a page after it finishes where I can download the agent myself.

[Boggin]

Well whatever you've done seems to have fixed it.

[aJesusHuman]

After the first automatic updates installed it started allowing me to install updates manually, as well. We're good. Topic closed. Thanks!

[Boggin]

What I had to use when there were real problems with Win 7 updates is a program called WSUS Offline Update.

http://www.wsusoffline.net/docs/

http://download.wsusoffline.net/

I didn't create a folder like it suggests in the tutorial and found using Client was okay.

This was following a factory reset where it initially gave me 251 updates but would they hell download.

When I went back to them, they had vanished and the Check for updates was just maxing out my CPU.

The program looked like it was downloading 217 but when I hit the updater in Client, it just downloaded 142 but after they had completed, I went back to Windows Update to find the remainder of the 251 waiting to be downloaded and they then downloaded and installed fine.

[aJesusHuman]

Thank you SO MUCH for the tip. How I haven't heard of this tool until now I don't know. I haven't even used it and it is already in my essential list of tools.

[Willy2]

- You can also try this guide to solve your (future) Windows Update problem. because there's no guarantee it won't return.

http://www.tweaking.com/forums/index.php/topic,4799.0.html