windows update not working

[Chicog]

Just download one of the many tools to disable all those settings. And don't think W7 is squeaky clean.

[Vacuum]

For almost 20 years I have used pirated Windows only, because I considered it idiotic to pay a lot of money for something you could get for free, and never had any major problems.

Only less than 2 weeks ago i decided to go legal, because at the price of the license keys currently I couldn't justify a pirated version anymore, and I have already spent more time trying to get it to work as in all those 20 years of pirate versions.

Guess what my next step will be.

I have no idea why you are pissing about with Windows 7 anyway, but as has been said, there have been lots of updates and you just have to bite the bullet.

Start it updating and go and have a drink.

Or better still just update to Windows 10.

Did you notice the screen shot I posted to show that it doesn't download a single Kb from any update?

I had the same problems yesterday. Installed Win7 and tried to download upgrades, nothing happened.

So I tried agin this morning , but same result. Then I tried to download only one upgrade, waited ten minutes and it was still 0% downloaded. Waited longer, maybe 1 hour and presto! The upgrade had finnished downloading.

So I marked the rest of the ugrades and went to the city for some shopping a few hours, came back home and checked the status. All updates were downloaded.

Just start the updating and leave it overnight, I'm sure by morning it will be done.

[rhythmworx]

I installed a fresh copy of win 7, I chose roughly 213 updates.

This took 4 1/2 hours to complete, for the 1st 2 1/2 hours it was on 0%.

Just be patient, and as above go shopping or watch TV.

Edited December 1, 2015 by rhythmworx

[TheCruncher]

I did as you guys told me, keep patience and started to install the updates one by one, or just a select few together. They install, but each update takes maybe an hour before they start actually downloading.

When I need to restart the PC it will also take maybe 10 minutes before I get the green pop up that says " you have successfully installed updates".

It still looks strange to me, because never in the past almost 20 years of using Windows I have experienced a similar behavior when installing updates, so there must be something wrong for sure.

[rhythmworx]

It's probably a new "game" to get you to update to win 10.

[Pib]

OP,

With all your reloading you are doing now with the legacy Win 7 OS, this might be a good time to at least give Win 10 a try since its new November Upgrade release which also includes past updates with the exception of around only 3 that came out since its mid November release. Do an image backup of your current Win 7 system and then try a Clean Install of Win 10.

The latest version of Win 10 as referred to as the November Upgrade, Threshold, Service Pack 1, -1511, 10586, can be downloaded from the Microsoft Win 10 TechBench ISO website (I prefer that MS webpage over their Media Creator Tool ISO webpage). It will include all updates and upgrades since Win 10 original release on 29 Jul which was the Released to Manufacturer (RTM) Version 10.0.10240.

Just download the ISO (around 4GB in size), create an ISO image to DVD/USB stick, and then do a Clean Install but don't activate. Once installed it will show you are running Version 10.0.10586 or maybe you look in another area of Windows it will say say Version 1511 OS Build 10586.XX (today mine says .14 where the XX is).

Basically, the November Upgrade ISO will start you off with almost all updates installed during the Clean Install and then it will reach out and pull down 3 or so small cumlative updates released since mid Nov. So, this way your won't be spending forever waiting for many, many updates to download and you can give Win 10 a try for a while...if you like it, then enter your Win 7 license number to activate it.

And all this Win 10 spying stuff, we'll just go into the Win 10 Privacy settings and turn everything off you don't want Microsoft and apps to use/transmit. Or use some of those utilities out there that will adjust the privacy settings without going into the Win 10 Privacy Setting area. Heck, anyone that uses the internet for anything now days long gave up total privacy.

I've been running Win 10 since day one of it's official release on 29 July...with only a few minor issues popping up that have been fixed (issues with a 3d party app that the 3d party has since updated to be Win 10 compliant). And the latest Win 10 10586 release seems rock solid (knock on wood).

Move along from Win 7 if your hardware can support Win 10...Win 7 is now a legacy OS....Win 10 is a very nice integration of Win 7 and Win 8.1 in my opinion...keeps the best of both. Just a suggestion. And of course with the disclaimer, Your Results May Vary. But you won't know your results unless you give it a try.

[RichCor]

OP,

With all your reloading you are doing now with the legacy Win 7 OS...

I was going to suggest 'bundling/re-imaging' the Windows 7 System Install files and updates using a freeware utility called RT Se7en Lite (available in 32/64-bit version), which gives users the ability to customize the Windows 7 installer files.

[NeverSure]

I have a fairly new Asus laptop that came with Win 10 factory installed. It's doing the same thing with updates. It says they are available but the download progress bar just sits at zero. I haven't tried the all night thing but I will next. If it matters I have updates set to manual because I don't like it when I restart my computer only to find that it's going to install updates.

It seems to me that something must be buggy at MS. If I had a tinfoil hat I'd wonder if MS was trying to push me to automatic updates.

Cheers.

[NeverSure]

OP,

With all your reloading you are doing now with the legacy Win 7 OS...

I was going to suggest 'bundling/re-imaging' the Windows 7 System Install files and updates using a freeware utility called RT Se7en Lite (available in 32/64-bit version), which gives users the ability to customize the Windows 7 installer files.

That is really cool. It must be able to write unattend.inf files and .msi files and it can obviously slipstream on the fly. Perhaps it's doing it with XML.

Back in the day I had to learn all of the code for unattend.inf and .msi used after running sysprep. I always wondered why Microsoft didn't make a point and shoot and menu driven GUI for that because it is HARD unless you do it almost every day.

Thanks for the link. I'm going to play with that proggy and see what it can do.

Cheers.

[TheCruncher]

I have a fairly new Asus laptop that came with Win 10 factory installed. It's doing the same thing with updates. It says they are available but the download progress bar just sits at zero. I haven't tried the all night thing but I will next. If it matters I have updates set to manual because I don't like it when I restart my computer only to find that it's going to install updates.

It seems to me that something must be buggy at MS. If I had a tinfoil hat I'd wonder if MS was trying to push me to automatic updates.

Cheers.

If I had a tinfoil hat I'd wonder if MS was trying to push me to automatic updates.

That is also what I was thinking. I have always set my updates that Windows checks automatically and I decide what to download and what to install.

I had to disable the warning message that I need to change my settings.

Currently all updates are installed.

The first few updates took probably 2 -3 hours before the download started after I had initiated it. I then updated Net Framework to the latest version, and I don't know if that had to do something with it, but after that install updates would start download right after I initiate the download.

Update checks though still don't happen automatically, and after I start a manual check, it still takes over an hour for the check to finish.

[TheCruncher]

OP,

With all your reloading you are doing now with the legacy Win 7 OS...

I was going to suggest 'bundling/re-imaging' the Windows 7 System Install files and updates using a freeware utility called RT Se7en Lite (available in 32/64-bit version), which gives users the ability to customize the Windows 7 installer files.

I played with Se7en Lite many years ago, when it wasn't that advanced yet, but just had a look at it and it makes sense to look in it again.

Only question I have is, that it says you can integrate updates, but where do you get the updates because as I understand it you only become aware of the available updates after you have installed the operating system.

[MJCM]

^This one ?

http://download.wsusoffline.net/

[TheCruncher]

^This one ?

http://download.wsusoffline.net/

The Wsusoffline get activated under DOS as I understand, so again an operating system needs to be installed. Not sure if you can download individual updates from it.

[NeverSure]

I have a fairly new Asus laptop that came with Win 10 factory installed. It's doing the same thing with updates. It says they are available but the download progress bar just sits at zero. I haven't tried the all night thing but I will next. If it matters I have updates set to manual because I don't like it when I restart my computer only to find that it's going to install updates.

It seems to me that something must be buggy at MS. If I had a tinfoil hat I'd wonder if MS was trying to push me to automatic updates.

Cheers.

If I had a tinfoil hat I'd wonder if MS was trying to push me to automatic updates.

That is also what I was thinking. I have always set my updates that Windows checks automatically and I decide what to download and what to install.

I had to disable the warning message that I need to change my settings.

Currently all updates are installed.

The first few updates took probably 2 -3 hours before the download started after I had initiated it. I then updated Net Framework to the latest version, and I don't know if that had to do something with it, but after that install updates would start download right after I initiate the download.

Update checks though still don't happen automatically, and after I start a manual check, it still takes over an hour for the check to finish.

Well, if it helps to eliminate anything, I began to wonder if turning off automatic updates also caused the update service to not start at startup. I looked at running services to no avail so I reset updates to auto and rebooted. Nothing. Same problem. Remember, I'm running a legit, factory installed Win 10 installation that's validated. It's on an almost new Asus laptop purchased in the US from a legit and big retailer.

So now I've started update again and will leave it for a week if I have to, LOL. I'll report back.

I still wonder if something is buggy at MS because never in decades have I had this issue.

Cheers.

[Chicog]

Open the action center, All Settings, type in Troubleshoot and enter.

Then run the Windows Update Troubleshooter.