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Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

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martin2006
Grafter
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Registered: ‎25-01-2008

Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

Hi All,

i have a problem on both my laptop and desktop PC whereby I can't get any Windows 7 updates, i just get a checking for updates with the green bar going back and forth and it never finds any. The laptop is 32 bit and the pc is 64 bit.

i have run just about every system checker, windows update repair tool, standalone installer and even did an OS repair install on my laptop and still nothing. i have had various faults that wouldn't repair using the repair tool including 0x80070057, 0x80070003.

i did update my router firmware which could have been around the time of the last update so i was wondering if there could be any settings i need to change in the router. i have changed to a static DNS with the settings from my profile.

i have reverted back to the previous firmware also.

i have unlimited fibre and a zyxel VMG8924-B10A.

Any help would be really appreciated as this has been bugging me for over a week.

 

42 REPLIES 42
HPsauce
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Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

I've seen PC's that have been very slow running W7 updates.

Firstly make sure you turn off absolutely any and every bit of sleep/hibernation so that it stays running 24*7*365.

Secondly, how much ram do they have, it can be quite a hog and not even complete if there's not enough? 3GB at least ideally.

martin2006
Grafter
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Registered: ‎25-01-2008

Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

Thanks for the quick reply, the laptop has only 2 gb of ram but the pc has 4 gb and i have turned off all the sleep settings so that sometimes in the morning the laptop is on the same searching screen as when i left it the night before.

My desktop last installed updates on the 10th of this month via automatic updates but the laptop i haven't turned on since last year.

i have installed updates that are supposed to fix the CPU hog of the windows 7 updates.

The reason i checked was because  windows security essentials was stuck trying to update to i went to windows update and that wouldn't update either.

i think i may have upset it as i have been playing with my router firmware and i have also been running mydslstats software

Strat
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Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

I had a similar issue when I reinstalled Windows 7 on a laptop.

I left it on overnight checking for updates and in the morning it was busy installing a stack of them.

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NedLudd
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Registered: ‎20-10-2012

Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

I too, have had times when I've had to leave my laptop on overnight to update Windows 10 but, I'm on the Insider program.

My laptop has 8gigs of RAM and it can take as much as 12 hours to update!

My desktop (16gig) updates in no time but it's not on the Insider program.

 

Geoff,
York.
martin2006
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Registered: ‎25-01-2008

Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

Thanks for the replies, my laptop is currently searching for updates and its CPU is running at 98% so it is trying to do something so i will leave it overnight again.

it hasn't been updated for quite some time so maybe it is just overloaded.

My desktop still returns the error 0x80070057 when i run the windows update repair tool / or BITS repair.

i will continue ...

many thanks

ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
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Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

Fix

Windows updates often run very slowly (at the checking stage) on Windows 7 if there will be a large number of updates to be installed.  I suspect his is a deliberate ploy by Microsoft to encourage people to update to Windows 10; otherwise a Service Pack 2 for Windows 7 is long overdue.  One way around this is to use this site to create offline updates: http://download.wsusoffline.net/ .

hadden
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Registered: ‎27-07-2007

Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

Thanks HPSauce

 

Disabling al the sleep option, allowed mine to complete overnight.

shutter
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Registered: ‎06-11-2007

Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

@martin2006  Have you done a "re-boot" since you started the update process ? ?   if not,.. perhaps doing one will show that there are some updates being installed, and they will be holding up any others that may need the update before the newer updates ....

 

 

Browni
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Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

A few weeks ago I was having problems getting a Windows 7 install up to to date patchwise so it would upgrade itself to Windows 10.

I ended up using the method mentioned by @ReedRichards in post #7 to both download and install the updates.

martin2006
Grafter
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Registered: ‎25-01-2008

Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

@shutter, Now it is starting to behave, restarting does seem to trigger some action

That offline method looks really interesting.

i have made some progress with my pc using a combination of tools that i'll post up in a bit but my pc is now up to date.

my laptop is still putting up a fight but i think i am making some headway.

It's the SVCHost running the CPU at 99% caused by windows update that causes the problem and i have found a standalone update that is supposed to help this but as soon as i know where i am with the laptop i'll report back.

Certainly leaving the pc to do it's thing while i went down the coast and forgot about it  helped.

thanks for all the input. 

OK, so as a bit of an update.

I ran CCleaner to clean up my pc and also the registry cleaner.

I ran the microsoft fixit tool 50202 in aggressive mode that can be found below with some other helpful info.

https://www.winhelp.us/reinstall-windows-update.html

I also ran the windows update diagnostic tool also found on the same link above.

I also ran the tweaking .com windows repair tool and downloaded from majorgeeks, i ran this is in safe mode but seemed better in normal mode after uninstalling AVG.

I think the main thing that seemed to kick my pc into life was installing the microsoft KB3050265 update as a standalone update as this is supposed to cure the excessive CPU/RAM drain and the fixit tool also helped.

i had also reinstalled the windows 7 32 bit on my laptop which alone made no difference.

In short i used a scatter gun approach, i tried loads of other patches and updates to no avail but the offline method mentioned above looks like a really good answer.

As of now, my pc is fully functional and my laptop is still saying 'Checking for Updates' but i will leave it like that as it hasn't been updated for quite some time and with only 2 gb of RAM and i would guess a slow processor it may just take a while..

Thanks all.

Andy

 

IanSn
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Registered: ‎25-09-2011

Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

All this has become as normal over past few months here. In fact, the way I know there are updates to install is when laptop overheats due to CPU running well over 60%, and continues to do so until they're done. Last wait was over 20 hours. Just set another lot (17) running so will be leaving that till sometime tomorrow no doubt.
What I don't understand about this is what on earth is windows update doing using up that much juice? No traffic, no disk activity, just lots of CPU, doing what? Edit - Hey, I take it all back -- currently at 80% complete! 95% as I type. Things are looking up...
martin2006
Grafter
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Registered: ‎25-01-2008

Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

I think the high demand is what is causing my laptop to fail to update as it is quite old, hasn't been switched on in quite a few months although in ran for 6 hours last night checking for updates and still nothing this morning.

Here is a thread I have been reading as it seems the high usage is common as you say.

What version of Windows are you running ?

http://www.sevenforums.com/performance-maintenance/372790-very-high-memory-sometimes-cpu-usage-svcho...

I am not suggesting doing the changes it suggests but the windows update suggested below i did install as well as running the tweaking software.

https://www.sysnative.com/forums/windows-update/14342-windows-7-huge-datastore-edb-hogging-ram.html

 

PeeGee
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Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

I recently updated a re-installed Win7 and found a combination of KB3050265 and repeated reboots (to stop and restart update) eventually did some good.

The main problem is that Windows update is fundamentally flawed in that it doesn't know what has been done before so has to search for all available/possible update information (why does it need superseded updates?) and then process that, together with downloaded updates information, to see if there are updates needed - and appears to be using a flawed (re-cursive?) algorithm.

Other systems have a more refined approach, holding a list of installed software and versions to compare with a downloaded list of all available versions of all standard/system software, not just the latest. That takes but a minute or two to get an update list, even at 2Mbps download, but does require a good dependencies mechanism to avoid crashes.

Phil

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w23
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Re: Can't access Windows 7 updates, stuck at the checking stage forever

I recently updated our office (only 3 PCs that were still on XP) to Windows 7 (then 10), all 3 machines had some difficulty updating, one was particularly difficult (though physically identical build to another that was a lot less awkward), as others have said, rebooting (several times) can help, downloading and installing the 'Updater' updates directly and being patient all help.

If Windows 10 was not mainly offered as a Windows 7 update itself, I'd suspect Microsoft of 'nobbling' Windows 7 updates to encourage more to go to Windows 10.

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