Possible fix for the abysmally slow Windows 7 update scans?

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I’m getting reports from several readers that there may be a solution to the slow Windows 7 update scan problem I chided Microsoft about yesterday. Ge
[See the full post at: Possible fix for the abysmally slow Windows 7 update scans?]

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Hi Woody:
Did a copy and paste and the non microsoft fix it tool for windows update will not work ( https://www.winhelp.us/files/ microsoftfixit50202.msi ) Says cannot be found???
Sincerely,
Herb K

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I tried to use the shortcut to your suggestion of KB971058 and FOR ME it failed. I manually entered the link to Microsoft Fixit Tool 50202. It wanted me to install KB3083710 and KB3012810 before it would run the fix it scan. I have BOTH of these KB’s listed as DO NOT INSTALL on my computer. So I gave up on the scan. After that, I ran a manual check for updates from MS, and it only took 5 minutes for the check to run. Good news, NO NEW UPDATES available at this time ! ! !

I’ll have to wait and see if it still works correctly tomorrow on the automatic check.

Dave

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Odd. Did you get the full URL, https://www.winhelp.us/files/microsoftfixit50202.msi ?

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The jury’s still out with KB3083710 and KB3012810. The latest info I had was back in September, http://www.infoworld.com/article/2981947/microsoft-windows/the-truth-about-windows-7-and-81-spy-patches-kb-3068708-3022345-3075249-and-3080149.html

It’s entirely possible that you’ll have to choose between enhanced snooping and faster update checking. I, for one, am not overly concerned about the snooping – it’s likely no worse than using Chrome or Google Search. Which isn’t to say that it’s totally benign. It isn’t.

It is a new way of doing business, for better or worse.

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I expect the Fix It Tool50202 will reinstall the Windows Update components using all the latest (last year +) changes to the Windows Update Client. I too have been hiding these changes as they have been released, because I suspect MS has made the changes to grease the skids for the Windows 10 Upgrade vis Windows Update.

I want to choose to keep Win7 and Win8.1 OR choose to upgrade to Win10.

Shame on me for not trusting Microsoft!

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Yesterday my W10 OS took 10 minutes to update. My XP Pro USP4 OS (POS Ready Reg) took 5 minutes to update. My 7 Home and Pro machines took about 6 hours. With 50% of cpu being dedicated to this update process, it renders the 7 machines pretty useless?

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Hi Woody:
I clicked on your posted link and it comes back with the message ” The web address you entered could not be found ”
Sincerely,
Herb

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I’m not sure it’s about business.
I think it’s about privacy.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-sues-u-government-over-160416321.html

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Updated yesterday,I also hid some of the offered KB’s, I have become very selective on what M$ offers. Today I ran the updater and it returned results in 5 to 10 minutes on 3 different W7’s.

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Hi Woody,

I ran the tool on my Win 7 test VM. It claimed to fix 3 things:

http://Noel.ProDigitalSoftware.com/ForumPosts/Win7/Win7UpdateTroubleshooter3Problems.png

The funny thing is that I was told of no problems installing the updates earlier today – after the hour long wait. Everything there appeared to go smoothly.

After running the troubleshooter I rebooted then ran a Windows Update check.

Windows update reported, in about 4 minutes, “Windows is up to date”.

But recall that last month, after having installed the available updates, Windows Update behaved PRECISELY like this – a check with no available updates completed quickly.

I think we really need to wait until more updates become available (May?) before judging whether this tool has actually been effective.

-Noel

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Tuesday night late (EDT) it took 55 minutes for a manually started WU to cough up the updates for my Win7-64 Pro and Office 2010. I hid the KB*664 “update” and did not install anything. Interestingly, one of the instances of svchost.exe was showing 660MB of memory usage, but no CPU core (i7-960) ever exceeded 31% usage or got over 39 C in temp.

Yesterday I also did a manual start and it took 15 minutes. All the same updates as Tuesday PM (except for the hidden KB*664). I installed them all and tested the Excel and Word patches for the possible negative effects listed in the associated KBs and there were none.

Today I manually in8itiated a WU and it finished in under 5 minutes.

I am now wondering is it a function of the WU server capacity and/or the Win10 forced update traffic.

I have not previously been beset with the long WU times until Tuesday, except on a netbook I had with Win7-64 Pro, which was fixed with Ubuntu. In fairness, that problem was most likely that I did not use it regularly after retirement, so it always had a lot of updates.

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You’re right. We need lots of tests, in lots of different situations.

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Strange. Did you click on the Microsoft link?

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All KB3012810 seems to do is fix windows update from the initial brokenness(windows update uses 100% CPU AND 2.5GB of ram) introduced in May 2015. After the fix windows update only uses 100% CPU. None of the updates to windows update since have had any effect at all on the CPU “busy waiting” loop.

The placebo effect here is that once you have this months update to the new windows update client (and the rest of the updates from that month) you have no updates left to install and windows update is fast.

As for the fix it tool, it fixes a lot of things that can’t be broken (it was a clean install, if you have update errors then that isn’t the topic of discussion). Back a few months ago microsoft had problems (at least for our area / network [USA, North East]) with DNS and windows update file servers being hosted out of Brazil and for some reason unreachable to our network. Running through a lengthy fix of windows update (fixing nothing) was just plenty of time for it to start working again. From time to time I get an instant error (can’t remember the code off hand) logs show a 404 error on a simple cab file that tells windows update if there is an update to windows update. It gets a 404 error and says instantly “I give up”. I think one of their balancers was akamai.

If you have a clean install and want to try the MS tool, just do it the simple way (no need to re-register WU/Crypto DLLs and empty your certificate store). Just stop wuauserv (no pending reboots, please!), BITS, and trustedinstaller. Then rename “c:WindowsSoftwareDistribution” and possibly reboot. This will make windows update forget its ever done anything on the system and is not very drastic. I don’t know if it will help the 100% CPU case at all.

This WILL turn “microsoft update” off and revert to “windows update”. Speaking of which how does everyone switch to “microsoft update” on a clean install anymore? The website doesn’t work to enable it for me, and I have to use a VBS script.

Also has anyone messed with “High Precision Event Timer” bios/windows setting regarding this “busy waiting” loop yet? (I don’t have a bios/hardware handy with an off switch for that)

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KB3083710 is a Windows Update client patch of October 2015 and “KB3012810” does NOT exist, I think you mean KB3102810, which does exist.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the MS Fixit 50202 tool did NOT work on my Win7 computers – I ran the fixit tool, rebooted the Win7 PCs then re-ran Windows update and it still took long time for updates to show up. sorry folks.

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I had another Windows 7 system that had not been updated since last month. On this one I applied the KB971058 “fix wizard” first.

After having applied it I then requested a check for Windows Updates.

There is NO improvement!

It’s been sitting here spinning on one core for over 15 minutes now (and having accumulated 15 minutes of svchost / wuauserv CPU time).

It’s the exact same manifestation as on my other system – no disk I/O, no network I/O, just a hard CPU loop.

My conclusion:

KB971058 is NOT a fix.

-Noel

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Ouch.

Back to the drawing board.

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I just tried to download the malicious software update and the WinDefender update. Began at 1:10; at 3:20 it said it was still downloading, with 0% downloaded. I cancelled it, then when I went back it said ‘Windows is up to date, there are no updates for your computer.’

There were a WHOLE bunch of them that I didn’t select. Did they all get installed behind my back??

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p.s. I did find the WinDefender update, but not the other one, and no others for this date.

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Been trying to update the laptop since yesterday morning, 13th April.

I’ve now used the KB 971058 link you gave. After approx half an hour with the downloaded standalone updater just checking for updates, I shut down the laptop.

Started laptop up again and 8 updates were showing, ready to download.

After about 15 minutes, the downloading status remained at “(0 KB total, 0% complete)” and nothing was showing in the Start – Shut Down area.

Shut down again, then started up again and opened Windows Update. Same problem (0 KB 0% complete).

So it hasn’t solved it for me but at least I now know that there are 8 updates waiting for a fix from Windows. Thank you 🙂

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Not sure, but Defender and MSRT install all by themselves, whether you choose them or not. And that’s a GOOD thing.

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Hi Woody:
Yes, the microsoft link works fine, just don’t know if I trust them anymore. Have lost all respect for Microsoft. Thanks for all you do Woody,many of us have come to depend on you
Sincerely,
Herb Kelly

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Its okay EP-I say we give Microsoft a week, for now we set settings to never check for updates. On the 26th of April-we’ll check the updates and see if things return to normal.

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I say we give microsoft a week to see if they fix the problem.

Hey question: If you keep the setting to never check for updates, when May comes around-the april updates will vanish and replace with the may patch me thinks-SO would the windows update return to normal with the may patch?

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UPDATING message.
Decided to check the Start button after the “Same Problem” stage and that time it showed the Windows icon.

I chose Restart and then went to do something else for little while. When I next looked at the laptop it was OFF. So, I started it up again and instead of starting up normally, I ended up with a black screen and some line of text which included “updating 1811 of 1811”.

I was a bit worried about that unusual bit of Windows decor but after a minute or two it reverted to the normal login stage.

Now Windows Update shows Downloading 7 updates … and seems to be lingering a bit too long on “(0 KB total, 0% complete)”.

This time SO FAR, there’s no Windows Icon against “Shut Down”.

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@All,

Anyone know what happens if you shut down your computer while it’s in the process of “Checking” for updates, not installing updates?

Just trying to find out if you’re 2 hours into a “checking for updates” is it safe to shut down?

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wu win7-pro-sp1 with fix-it 50202 (restart required) goes to 80244019 error, the proposed MS link to solve it, downloads fix-it 50123 (restart not required, but executed), after that the wu time is 10 min, and before it was 60+ min

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I tried this fix many times in the past and I know it well. Bob(maybe)OrNot describes it correctly. It fixes only the Windows Update components which are broken without optimising anything.
We already know what the issues are but there seems not to be enough clarity because there is no single cause for the slow Windows Update.
1. Supersedence issues which have been identified many years ago by Woody and Susan Bradley in various posts on the Internet. Selectively installing updates for various reasons does not help and makes symptoms worse due to the inter-relations between updates – this is the so called supersedence under which new updates make old updates obsolete. Delaying updates until they are proved reliable is OK. Here Woody’s advice in relation to the MS-DEFCON system is very valuable and should be followed by most readers. Can be fixed only by Microsoft server-side.
2. Servers overloaded immediately after the Tuesday Patch. Can be fixed only by Microsoft by enhancing capacity or throttling – this seems to happen only with Office Updates (non-security) at the moment.
3. svchost.exe design issue. This has been analysed by Bob(maybe)OrNot and described perfectly. There is no solution, the only mitigation is to keep up to date with patches and not to install selectively except for delaying the current ones until Woody moves to MS-DEFCON 3 or above.
The above considerations are purely technical and do not take in consideration other reasons like reluctance to install patches for real or just perceived non-ethical behaviour from Microsoft.
I would say that if one chooses to use a certain technology, then should play by the manufacturer’s rules, within reason obviously. What do most people normally do when the manufacturer of any other product issues a recall let’s say for a car, TV or any other product? The software updates are just product recalls.

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Canceling an update operation leaving a system in an indeterminate state…

That’s bad.

And also likely to be something a typical user would do.

That’s worse.

It says that Microsoft – who know exactly what they’re doing – just by wrecking Windows Update performance can presumably bring millions of people to a point where they just want Windows to work again, and we all know what version of Windows Microsoft wants them to run…

-Noel

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This is an outrage. I can’t re-install Windows 7 because of this rubbish sitting there for hours on end doing nothing.

I bet updating Vista or XP works.

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W7 Home Premium user…

The usual second Tuesday updates took THREE HOURS and 3GB RAM/15% CPU just to search for them (w/ “Check for updates but let me decide whether to download and install them”).

I hid one optional update, saw that the rest were your standard security updates and malicious software tool/defender definitions, and a Russian time-zone update. Let them be and changed the setting to Automatic updates, restarted and checked again. Took three minutes.

Really MS?

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@Bob(maybe)OrNot,

You asked, “This WILL turn “microsoft update” off and revert to “windows update”.
…how does everyone switch to “microsoft update” on a clean install anymore? The website doesn’t work to enable it for me, and I have to use a VBS script.”

This is what I have had to do to get the “microsoft update” option back:

“Regarding unchecking this particular box in the Windows Update settings: “Give me updates for Microsoft products and check for new optional Microsoft software when I update Windows”, this is a warning from my recent experience — DO NOT DO IT!
However, if you do remove it, and later want to restore it, this is my story of how I got it back:
Two weeks ago, as I was going through the new-this-year, unwelcome, arduous process of researching all the updates from October’s Patch Tuesday before deciding whether to hide or install them on my Windows 7 computer, I ran across some advice on one of the handful of generally-trustworthy sites that I turn to every month for patch guidance [and Woody’s sites are absolutely the BEST of that bunch! Thank you, Woody!] which said that folks should uncheck that box in order to do something or other in protecting their machine.
It sounded reasonable, so I unchecked the box, thinking that if I wanted to re-check it, it would still be there.
I had not realized that unchecking it would prevent me from *manually* looking for available updates to Microsoft Office, but when I found that out, I decided to re-check the box, but the option was no longer there on the settings page.
I then spent 5 hours searching online to find out how to get it back, trying multiple fixes suggested on the Microsoft help sites, windows 7 discussion forums, various IT blogs, etc. Many of the fixes that worked a couple of years ago now do not work, because Microsoft has removed those pathways.
(Also, there were a few suggested fixes that I felt were too risky for me to attempt, with my limited knowledge of IT stuff, such as running random scripts posted by other people and changing the registry in a complex way.)
**Unfortunately, doing a system restore did NOT make the option come back on my machine.**
Finally, I found a suggestion that worked, and it was quite simple —
1. Create a new user account on your computer.
2. Go into the new user account and open a Microsoft Office program.
3. Click on the “marble” (or whatever the round thing is called in the upper left corner of the program’s “ribbon”), and click the “options” link (such as “Word options” or “Excel options”).
4. Click on “resources”
5. Click on “get updates”
6. I forget the further steps because I did this 2 weeks ago, but in one way or another, you will then be offered the option to get that box back in your Windows Update settings, and say “yes”.
7. Leave that new user account and go back to your normal user account.
8. Check Windows Update from your normal user account, and you will see that the missing option of “Give me updates for Microsoft products and check for new optional Microsoft software when I update Windows” is now gloriously restored on the settings page, and its box is checked.
9. You can delete the new user account.
10. Note: I have a nagging feeling that I am forgetting a step, but, hopefully, whatever it is, it is self-explanatory, as one follows this procedure.
I do not immediately have to hand the hyperlink where I found this amazing advice, but I think that it was in a discussion on a technical Windows help forum for professionals, and it did NOT come up high in the search results during my numerous internet searches about this issue, no matter how I described the problem I was trying to solve. As I mentioned above, I had searched and experimented for *5 hours* before I found this solution.
I hope this helps someone in the future!”

—–
That is a comment I left on this site in November at the following link:
https://www.askwoody.com/2015/msdefcon-2-auto-updates-781-win10-free/comment-page-2/#comment-64846

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I think my svchost problem has been even worse since I hopefully installed KB3138612. Today I gave up and manually stopped the Windows Update service because my computer was basically unusable and so noisy. Sweet, merciful peace as soon as I stopped the service, but I know it is but a band-aid. I don’t know if I should bother uninstalling that update or not.

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@PkCano,

I, too, don’t want to let MS have a free hand now in updating my Windows Update Client to their most-current version,
because I’ve worked so hard for the past year to identify the individual patches for the Windows Update Client that have been noted by the experts I turn to for advice (such as Woody, Susan Bradley, etc.) as perhaps being a little dodgy (introducing get-win-10 stuff or telemetry or privacy issues or whatever they might be doing), and then I make sure to hide them and not install them on my computer.

Some have mused that they might be purposely ‘letting’ Windows Update become more and more of a hassle and time-sink, in order to steer more and more of us independent-minded folks back onto the pathways that they have decided we should follow (for their benefit).

I am not going to install those Windows Update Client patches or run the comprehensive fix-it, unless I *absolutely* have to.
(And I can well understand why some people choose to relent – they just can’t let their CPU be at 100% for long periods, they just don’t have the time routinely to waste 1 or 2+ hours waiting on this stupid update mechanism to check for updates.)

I only check manually for updates, and I do this once a month, about a week before Patch Tuesday. Last week I described in a prior comment (under a prior blog article on this site) what my most recent check on 2 computers was like — I think it took about half an hour on one and 40 minutes on the other one; on one of the computers it was running the CPU up and down constantly, and it was at 100% for periods of time.

Of course, in the last few days, after the most recent Patch Tuesday, many people have been complaining of a dramatic increase in Win Update time for this month’s patches — therefore, I will be interested to see how long my next Win Update session takes, which I’ll do in about 3 weeks.

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“…just don’t know if I trust them anymore. Have lost all respect for Microsoft.

Thanks for all you do Woody,many of us have come to depend on you”

So true, so true!

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I had no issue with my Alienware Aurora-R3 running Windows 7 Pro using March / April Windows Update.

My Homebuilt desktop also has Win 7 Pro in it. But it took me 2 days messing around to get it up to snuff for the same updates and the March downloads. I don’t use this machine much, its job these days is backup in case my Alienware goes down. My last updates were February 2016 and it has been just fine until 2 days ago. I did a System Restore back to December 2015 and rebuilt from there. I had to get my Norton 360 Premier up to its latest update version 22 and that took up some time.

I eventually ran http://support2.microsoft.com/fixit/

Then from there I input a query into the search box. It gave me this utility that got me going again :

MicrosoftFixit50123.msi

So, I am updated to the April 2016 Updates which are currently sitting waiting to be also updated, but I will wait on Woody’s suggestions for April.

I did download the April ’16 Malicious utility that runs just once and the April ’16 IE 11 update.

I am self taught from books and trial and error and reading sites like AskWoody and Google searches. I always get an Ed Bott “Inside / Out” book for whatever operating system I am using. In 20 years of doing this hobby, I have yet to take my machines to anybody for them to fix them. I always, eventually, figure it out, sometimes it takes awhile. Sometimes I threaten to give it all up and buy a boat and go fishing…

I already know all the cuss words from doing construction work and I have no more hair to pull out. ;^)

Thanks for your books Woody and this site.

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Same result for me, sorry. Nice try. I ran the winhelp.us download of the fixit on two systems, one 32 bit, one 64 bit, and in both cases netsvcs ended up using 100% of one CPU core as before.

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My previous comment got eaten. Oh well.

The fixit update didn’t help, but I let WU download and install what it found. (8 important and another MSEE definition set.) These downloaded and installed in 10 minutes, and a subsequent check for updates took 10 minutes. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

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“Back a few months ago microsoft had problems (at least for our area / network [USA, North East]) with DNS and windows update file servers being hosted out of Brazil and for some reason unreachable to our network.”

Your mention of Brazil caught my eye, because for the last 8 months or so, I’ve had to unblock IP addresses from Brazil
(within my PeerBlock program, in which normally I have about 30 countries’ IP addresses blocked)
in order for my Windows Update to work — my Windows Update connections now seem to always come from Brazil. (Which is nowhere near my geographic location.)

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Input this utility into the query box to the http:// below:

MicrosoftFixit50123.msi in windows 7

http://support2.microsoft.com/fixit/

Will yield this: KB976982

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976982

This is what I used to get going again.

My initial query was, “Windows Update not working”

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Installed KB3145739 from April updates. Windows 7 manual check for updates now gets list back in a few seconds. Was taking about an hour on my PC.

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I’m gonna wait til sunday night to test my windows update-BUT I saw no new updates this morning, but I’m gonna see if it’ll find the new windows defender update that comes out tomorrow so I’ll scan sunday and see.

BUT YA KNOW that’s right-for normal updates like for windows defender and now the microsoft office patch that released last week-WE ALWAYS GOT EM FAST AND easy, but with patch’s (march and april) its been difficult.

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Woody, two questions:

1) How do I know what is “slow”? Yesterday, there were 9 updates available to me, but per your DEFCON2, I only chose to install the malicious software removal tool. It took about 15-20 minutes to download, and a few to install.

I have win7 pro, no network or router, and my download speed is about 16 kbs. Do you recommend me to to do the FIXIT thing or KB971058?

2) My updates ALWAYS show 0 percent complete, until they’re done. Never an actual increment. Is this “normal” and is there anything I can (or should) do about it?

Thanks as always, m8.

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Just checked it out. Got a Cloudflare popup before getting access. DDOS happening to the site?

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Sorry about the 3 posts.

_____________ADDENDUM !!

Concerning the GWX Control Panel.exe

I enabled “Yes” to, “Are Windows Update OS upgrades enabled?”

and

I turned “Norton Tamper Protection” off by unchecking its box.

Norton 360 Premier: “Settings” (upper right corner). I left it off throughout the download until System Restart.

When all done set everything back to their default.

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Absolutely a useless waste of (more) time chasing Windows Update. I have used MS since the old DOS days and have never been more disgruntled. Time for a replacement OS. I have lost all faith in anything MS says or does.

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I’m just an old gray-beard but one who works at self maintaining/computer skills. I’ve been able to avoid the upgrade weirdness so far, but I doubt if anyone that doesn’t allow automatic upgrades is not having an issue with Win update. I’ve experienced the long update wait but I note that it goes away when I do update. Last month, as several before it has only been the security updates. All was fine until this update cycle (yesterday) when again I choose to wait and I find that my old notebook is chomping away with Win update. I let it run for six hours today and it did quit. When I came back to this computer after dinner, it is again using a cpu for Win update. I shut it down this time knowing from a previous try that this will cost me even more time when I do decide to download an update. What I ask, is going on?!!!

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As others have remarked, Fixit Tool 50202 seems to reset the Windows Update process.

It worked for me, and I ran the GWX Control Panel after as I always do after WU, and no sign of any nasty Microfail trickery.

As always, your mileage may vary !

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I’m afraid that the Fixit in KB971058 does nothing for me – would that it were that simple!

On shutdown the C Drive > Windows folder > WindowsUpdates log, always says ‘WARNING: Failed to filter search results, error = 0x8024000B’ which I suspect is the clue to the problem, but no amount of searching the web has revealed exactly what it means and how to resolve it in relation to WU.

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Sorry to say Vista takes an all-night run just “Checking”…
XP is ok.
Win7 is still overnight checking…
And – so far – 2 hours downloading a singl 3Mb update.

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Good question – and I haven’t seen any answers.

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After April Patch Tuesday updates became available Win7 VMs took approximately 6 hours to check for updates with svchost spiked to 100% CPU for the duration. Since WU/MU checks for updates approximately every 24 hours the very next day it tried to repeat this dismal performance shortly after system boot. I stopped the Windows Update Service (wuauserv) to terminate the CPU spike and then I disabled it to avoid future daily repetition of this torturous routine.

I’ll enable the service at some point down the road when I decide to install updates. I know I’ll have to endure another 6 hour session just for WU/MU checking, but at least it won’t waste my time every single day.

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I don’t know what your search method consists of Scribe but I see countless results from a Google search using either of these queries…

“failed to filter search results error”

OR…..

“error 0x8024000B”

Every link from the results I randomly looked at specifically point to WU failure problems and offer various suggestions for how to resolve them.

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This doesn’t work. Waited for hours on a W7-64 and a W7-32 (several tries) and finally gave up and scanned my computer with Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer 2.3 (MBSA). Then, I manually downloaded and installed all Critical/Important fixes for Windows and Office. Done.

Not everyone’s cup of tea, but, it worked!

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@Eric

I have-had similar issues…Woody has advised that rather than stopping the Windows Update service (which may cause other issues) an alternative, for now, is to use the “Never check for updates” setting and do manual checks when you’re ready.

Do note that once you set “Never check for updates”, if you then change the setting back to “Check but let me choose…” Windows goes directly into a Check for Updates…

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No, they WERE just product recalls. Now they’re something else.

Microsoft has corrupted their Windows Update “foot-in-the-door” to deliver Potentially Unwanted Software, nagware, adware – and what some would consider malware – ALONG WITH needed security patches. It’s no longer valid to just say, “take all the updates”.

But beyond whether users should exercise choice…

Do you know FOR SURE that a Windows 7 system that’s had every single patch would run through updates quickly right now? I don’t see any evidence that that’s the case, frankly. There isn’t any consistency I can see that points to “if you’ve hidden KBxxxxxxx then you’ll have this problem”, which is essentially what you’re saying.

I also don’t see any objective evidence that “servers are overloaded”. What knowledge of that do you have? I measured actual network activity. Guess what? There is none during these long waits. It’s not asking servers for things and waiting for answers. It’s not even asking.

And besides, if it was a server overload issue, why would the CPU loop? We’re rather past the era of designs (by about 40 years) where a CPU hard-loops waiting for an I/O to complete.

While it may indeed be prudent to just “abandon ship” and stop updates entirely, it’s still reasonable that people should want to continue to receive security patches.

No, my friend, the ONLY real solution is for Microsoft to STOP aggressively pushing Windows 10 adware and product functional changes (expanded telemetry anyone?) to older systems through Windows Update. While rolling out feature changes with WU is “modern”, it’s most definitely NOT what people who bought Windows 7 purchased with their licenses, and it’s NOT what people expected when they read the “extended support” dates.

-Noel

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Hi Ed, yes there are quite a few results and suggestions, but the trouble is, none of them work! I fixed it a few days ago by manually downloading KB3139852, but as soon as this month’s patches came through they seem to have broken it again, and it no longer does a daily check for updates including Defender – at least if it does, it isn’t telling me about it! – Oh and the CPU is ramped up again.

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A search on “error 8024000B” (without the quote marks) on Bing gave results and a possible fix.

I’m going through the fixit stage on our laptop. I got the list yesterday, but after a half hour with no downloads, it’s time to try KB971058. The desktop seems OK after the fixit and downloads, so I’m hoping.

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@louis,

I’m aware that WU is also used by MSE and Defender. In my circumstance that is not an issue, but thanks for mentioning it as others may benefit.

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These FixIts were last updated in 2014.
Why should they be able to fix a problem introduced in late 2015?

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Hi RCPete, thanks but if you mean this one – http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-update-error-8024000b#1TC=windows-7 I’ve already done that and it didn’t work, but you never know, it might work for someone else – such are the vagaries of WU!

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I tried running the Disk Cleanup utility, cleaning out Windows Update, before searching for updates. It was of no use. The search is now going on 2 hours.

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Yeah~I learned that the other day when I changed back the settings…..I will check sunday at midnight to see if the windows update detects the window defender update.

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I tried the “Don’t notify me about updates” setting and the results were disastrous. Like others, Windows Update took forever to find any updates, so I stopped trying that approach. I also found that certain security updates recommended by Microsoft couldn’t be downloaded independently. Either I was put into the Windows Update interminable queue or I was told that I didn’t need the update! Now I have set my computer for “Notify me but don’t download.” If there are at least 3 or 4 updates, the computer seems to find them immediately and list them. I can then hide the ones I don’t want, run the .NET Framework ones together (they always cause problems when mixed in with other updates), go back to the main list and finally install those updates I do want.
Bottom line is that Microsoft just writes crappy software. I will move to Linux before I ever install another MS operating system.

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I tried loading the installed updates list on my machine before an auto check for updates. Made no difference.

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The Windows Update components are under the same name, regardless of the version. The FixIt tool which in the background registers dll libraries is still useful. The problem is that it only fixes broken installations of Windows Update but does not optimise working installations. Otherwise it is totally harmless to run.

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I no longer check any of the 4 Windows 7 computers in the house for updates; I wait until I am told there are updates. All these time are just to download a small amount of updates with a small file size.

Win 7 Pro (32 bit): took 2 hours and 54 minutes to start downloading 7 updates.

Win 7 Home Prem (64 bit): took 2 hours and 15 minutes to start downloading the same 7 updates as above. One of those updates failed.

Win 7 Home Prem (32 bit): It’s now going on 3 hours and 15 minutes and I’m still looking a 0KB of 0% downloaded. Ah, it is now downloading the 44MBs!

For some not understood reason my 4th computer Win 7 Home Prem (64 bit) downloaded and installed the updates with no problems.

I know it is not my network nor is it computer hardware. One computer dual boots. I have XP with Office 2007 installed so I do check monthly for updates. That computer was able to check for updates, download the updates and tart installing in under 15 minutes.

Got coffee?

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I tried the Fix It Tool 50202. It didn’t work for me. Another six hours of WU madness but I did do the security updates this time. Now I’m anxious to see how long MS is happy.

And I’m another longtime Windoze user looking at another OS.

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Fix It Tool 50202 did not work for me. Running Win 7 64 bit on my older Celeron processor laptop with 4 g of ram. Been waiting for 2.5 hrs so far. CPU usage holds steady at 100%. My newer desktop with Win 7 64 bit i5 quad core, 8 g ram only took 21 minutes to check for updates. Never had any issues with new desktop. but having problems checking for updates with our 3 older units for many months. Each month taking longer than the last. A friend that has previously not had any issues, reports problems this month.

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On my two machines (Win 7 64 bit Home Premium, SP1), what has worked:

From KB971058, run the fixit. In both cases, it said something wasn’t completely fixed, but it seemed safe to proceed.

I then did the search for updates. Took an hour.

Once I had the list, I downloaded all the important ones. Took an hour.

After installation, both machines do the update search in a few minutes, and the MSSE definition update one found loaded immediately.

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I could have saved y’all some time. I’ve used this tool several times in the past on both my W7 64 Pro desktop and W7 64 Home laptop, when I would get one of those 0x802—– errors. I originally found it through official channels such as this, which I landed on upon searching for my error: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/10164/i-got-an-error-code-from-windows-update
It helped fix the errors as stated.

It never made a difference to the speed of WU checks, nor did it have anything to do with the CPU loop supersedence thing as observed by Noel Carboni (NC?), expounded by Bob Hill, and further investigated by CH100 (with credit to Susan Bradley), and Bob(maybe)OrNot here, here, here, and here:

(Collected in this obscure spot for the askwoody community’s reference/posterity.)
https://www.askwoody.com/2016/the-windows-update-takes-forever-problem/
https://www.askwoody.com/2016/the-windows-update-takes-forever-problem/comment-page-2/#comment-77723
https://www.askwoody.com/2016/the-windows-update-takes-forever-problem/comment-page-3/#comment-78066
https://www.askwoody.com/2016/checking-for-updates-still-takes-forever/comment-page-1/#comment-80228
Thank you, all.

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The REAL FIX was to manually download and install the KB3145739 (MS16-039) security update as John W did. After applying 3145739 & then restarting all my Win7 computers, running a Windows Update scan simply took about less than 5 minutes to display a list of available Win7 updates.

Note that KB3145739 supersedes/replaces KB3139852 (the previous win32k.sys security update from MS16-034).

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Not sure what Microsoft have done, but the links from the page at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/971058 for the fixit for Win8/7 (http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9830262)just takes the browser back to the Microsoft homepage (https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/).

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Microsoft Fix It Tool 50202 didn’t change whatsoever in Windows Update delay.

Here Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit, Gibson’s Never10 ran to avoid Windows10 upgrade.

This delay is always 30-35 minutes since 2016-04-12 Patch Tuesday. Was much shorter in March’s Patch Tuesday, but remains relatively acceptable when compared to what other users endure.

I have also “tried” 2 days ago Microsoft’s System Update Readiness Tool (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/What-is-the-System-Update-Readiness-Tool) which was inefficient as well, at least regarding the update delay (I encounter only that issue with Windows Update).

Windows Update has become an odyssey.

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A new low. looking for available updates took 56 minutes today. Downloading and installing them took another 2 hours. It has been slow on my system (w7 home 32 bit SP1) before, but never this slow. Luckily I had the time today to be patient.

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W7 Ultimate SP1 x64. For some, installing KB3145739 seems to be the magic stick. I did that yesterday and the plug immediately went away. From a total stand still in WU (hours and hours of waiting with no response) to a few seconds after the installation I had 8 important updates ready to be downloaded and installed… Wow what happend? Download and installation was quick and easy.

This morning I searched for new updates and in less than 20 seconds I got the “green shield”, your machine is fully updated.

Thanks Woody for a wonderful and very useful site.

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Interesting. The link

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/971058

still works for me. I wonder if you have to sign in to the Microsoft site before it works properly?

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My Windows Update screen is telling me there are no updates available for my computer – when I know there are some that came out this week. When I try to check I just get in the endless loop of “checking” that goes on for hours with no results. So, not only can I not download and install them – I can’t even get my computer to acknowledge there are any waiting! I wanted to try the fix that EP mentioned, namely manually downloading and installing KB3145739. I went to MS site to manually download and when I try it I just get taken back to the screen where it says my computer is checking for updates and this whole viscous cycle begins again. This is so frustrating!!

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I have one W7 machine that takes the expected couple of minutes to check for updates, and another which has taken 40 minutes so far without success. Neither has 3145739 installed and I have no idea of where to start looking for the differences between the machines.

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Following Gus’ experience/comment I installed manually KB3145739 and … Windows Updated scan delay switched then from 35minutes to 2’40″” (2 minutes & 40 seconds).
It works here even if I just cannot understand the link between KB3145739 and Windows Update scan delay. Magical Mystery Update.

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Something strange:
Yesterday I tried to update one of my Win7 Ult machines. I ran the Disk Cleanup Utility in an attempt to clean out old versions of updates before searching for current updates. When I ran Win Update afterward, it ran for HOURS. I finally gave up and shut it down.

This morning when I turned it on, there were 14 important and many optional updates sitting in the queue – with no wait time, just after bootup.

Maybe I passed the 3:00am scheduled time that is still there even when it’s on manual?? Who knows??

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BTW – the most recent check shows 4/2/2016 at 6:05pm in spite of the fach that I searched all day yesterday!!

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I downloaded the stand-alone KB3145739 for one of my Win7 machines to see if this was a fix.
NOT.
When I double clicked on the installer, I got “searching for updates on this computer” from the installer. It’s still searching for updates like running Windows Update. I think it was faster for several above because Windows Update was already run by the installer for KB3145739

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Looks like the fixit links broke in KB971058 in the past day. Now, they redirect to the MS home page. A Bing search for the troubleshooter still works, so far…

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Hi, you will probably need to stop WU in Services before trying to download: Press Windows key + R then in the Run box, type ‘services.msc’ (without the quotes), now in the Services window, look for ‘Windows Update’ click on it once, then at the top of the pane on the left, click ‘Stop the service.’ You can now close Services and try the download again. Win Updates will probably restart automatically afterwards, but if not, just go back into Services, click ‘Windows Update’ then ‘Start the service’ at top left.

There is a good chance that KB3145739 will fix it, since it replaces KB3139852 which worked for me until the last Patch Tuesday. I’m currently testing KB3135445 (not promising at the moment) but if it doesn’t work then 3145739 is next on my list!

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mnffffft???

I type in the URL https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/971058

In IE 11, Firefox, Chrome – even in Edge – and I get right to the site. And it doesn’t change with an “F5” cache refresh.

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And still searching

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Woody,
What is the story with KB971058? My updates on my Acer netbook are going a little slow. I don’t see any reference to that update in my installed or hidden updates. When did it come out?
Thank you,
TomS

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Ran this windows diagnostic and it said service registration is missing or corrupt. It fixed it and update shows in about 15 seconds now. Came back later in the day and tried it a couple more times and the same thing returned. Service registration is missing or corrupt. Ran diagnostic again.It fixed it again and updates show in about 15 saeconds again. Keeps going back to service registration is missing or corrupt after using updates a number of times.
Herb K

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KB3145739 worked for me. Windows 7 Pro 64 bit went from 45 minutes to two minutes.

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Much the same result here after KB3145739 installed. The installation took some time but subsequent checks for updates and downloads have completed in minutes rather than hours.

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OK, I give up… This morning, I could get to the KB971058 page, but the links to the troubleshooter went to the MS home page instead of the download. But now, it works.

Maybe they were working on the application?

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Much the same result here after KB3145739 installed. The installation took some time but subsequent checks for updates and downloads have completed in minutes rather than hours.

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That KB update you guys told me about-IT INSTALLED like in 5 seconds! 🙂 After I did some research and after checking out an article here on a few KB that caused issues-removed them. 🙂

Gonna test out the windows update tomorrow when I switch it to check for updates, but let me download/install them. 🙂

I’m so happy that I found the fixes and whatnot.

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I dunno. The link seems to be flakey – which is why my post pointed to a different location (albeit not from Microsoft’s site).

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It wasn’t sent out via Windows Update. It’s just a tool that you can use.

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Microsoft Security Essentials (win7 64bit) has been running for over 5 hours and the progress bar has barely moved of the starting line.
I wonder of this is also a part of the new windows 7 aggravation policy ?

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Worked for me, Thanks EP

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off

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KB3145739 worked for me on 2 machines:

1. Windows 7 Pro 64 bit went from 45 minutes to two minutes.

2. Windows 7 Pro 32 bit went from 3 hours and 45 minutes to 4 minutes.

Wow!

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It is likely that none of the recent searches has completed and this is why the date shows some date in the past.

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Finally was able to download MicrosoftFixit50123 (Microsoft website is tricky) – installed in main computer here and ran the update. Went from 45+ min before down to 3+ min after – unbelievable!
As the guy that jumped off the top of the Empire State Building said as he passed every floor: So Far, So Good!

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THANK YOU! I got my windows 7 PC back! No thanks to the Windows 10 Gestapo! I removed all of the Capability “enhancements” ( Sabotage ) and added the KB3145739 and My PC runs like brand NEW! and it’s over 10 years OLD! LOL!!

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@PkCano. I’ve had the ‘searching for updates on this computer’ when trying to download updates – you need to stop WU in Services first, then it works in under 5 minutes.

I haven’t tried KB3145739 yet, but will if 3135445 that I’m currently trying doesn’t work.

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Minor correction: I needed to install a COMBINATION of the following updates on Win7 SP1 – KB3138612 AND KB3145739. I found out that patching KB3145739 alone without patching the WU Client for Win7 SP1 is not enough.

The very slow Windows Update scans problem also occur on Windows Vista SP2 as I tested this on a separate hard drive on my custom built PC. Manually installing the Vista version of KB3145739 alone on the Vista OS did NOT fix the problem as the WU scan took several hours to offer updates and Vista is using an old version of the Windows Update client and Microsoft did not bother patching the WU client app for Vista SP2.

But at least there’s hope for those using Win7 SP1. Install at least KB3102810, KB3135445 OR KB3138612 along with KB3145739, reboot and do a WU scan.

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Just wanted to thank Scribe – stopping WU in Services allowed me to manually download KB3145739 which in turn has now allowed Windows Update to actually show me the updates that are available. Many thanks for your help on this one – I’d still be pulling my hair out otherwise!

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That KB fix did the trick! 🙂 I also found in another topic about how a few of March’s patch KB caused the issue with the scanning for updates. So I removed those first, then installed that fix kb (I had the settings for windows update set for never check for updates)-which took seconds to install. Then before bed I scanned for updates (took about 6-8 minutes-TOTALLY FASTER THAN BEFORE! 😀 Talk about a speed booster to scan for updates), installed the updates, checked updates this morning and none were found!

🙂 I am so happy to have found this site and read the different solutions and topics going on. ALSO I hid a few updates including that KB3146706 one as a safety precaution after hearing how its causing issues. 🙂 Better safe than sorry.

I’ll be coming back to this site to keep my eyes peeled for any issues in the future so to keep in formed so in case we ever faced that issue or anything comes out.

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@Megan Ryan re: “… a few of March’s patch KB caused the issue with the scanning for updates. So I removed those first…”.

Which ones please

JF

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Spoke too soon, two other Win 6 Pro x64 took 1hr, 8 min & 1hr, 20 min respectively to scan for updates!

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KB3139398
KB3139852

Those are the ones to remove. 🙂

Be sure you set settings to never check for updates when you download and install kb3145739, restart computer, then you set settings to manual and scan 🙂

and also hide kb3146706 when you get the april patch.

🙂 Still this morning I scanned and got no updates-AND IT TOOK 12 minutes only because I installed the patch updates last night (took 8 minutes to find and then 20-30 minutes to install updates, 15-20 minutes to defragment and such)

I am loving the new faster windows update scan thanks to that magical update kb3145739.

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We are now having a ton of Windows Update issues. This has been ongoing for a while, but it’s gotten unbearable in the past few weeks. We are getting helpdesk tickets about unusable computers, and it has been the Windows Update service causing the issue every time so far. In fact, even if there are no updates, it’s causing issues.

Even a Microsoft Fixit wouldn’t help us much because we manage too many computers to touch this many machines.

I’ve never really wanted to move my organization off the Microsoft platform, but honestly, I really wish Chromebooks would get to a place where we could use them in lieu of regular computers because I’ve had it. I’m exhausted trying to explain to the higher-ups why we should stick with the Microsoft universe in light of all these issues. I’m tired.

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Chromebooks are quite mature. The big problem is whether your organization can run on web apps. I saw a local car dealership convert all of its apps over to Chrome – and it worked amazingly well. But it wasn’t easy.

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That’s our issue right now: we have some vendors who are heavily invested in Win32 and probably won’t move to Web-based apps until there is incredible pressure for them to do so.

But there are probably certain departments where I work that could probably go totally Chromebook and be just fine.

Personally, I don’t *want* to go with Chromebooks because I’m more familiar with Windows products. But the constant update issues are making it where we really have to stand back and look at the big picture: are we spending more time and effort fixing the aftermath of these update issues in Windows than it would take to invest that same time in going in another direction entirely (like going to Chromebooks)? At the very least, despite my not wanting to move from Windows, I have to at start considering it because Microsoft is creating such a mess for us.

Here is the kicker: all of this is avoidable. If Microsoft had dedicated testing like it used to (many of those people were fired in 2014), this wouldn’t be an issue, and I wouldn’t be contemplating a platform change for my organization. There’s nothing technological about Chromebooks that make it where I want them more than Windows-based machines; it’s just that Microsoft has screwed up so repeatedly the past two years that I’m sick of it now, and I am not going to keep playing defense for Microsoft.

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I have been pro-MS since it’s revelation upon the world, and in the last few years a bit anti-goo, but after this last year, all of the chaos that has ensued and having all of the pieces fit together now… a chromebook is looking kind of nice. 🙂

To all of you above me:
THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!
THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!
THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!
THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!
THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!
THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!THANK YOU!!
from me and possibly hundreds of thousands more like me!

And especially to WOODY!!! :*
Consider yourself (((((Virtually HUGGED)))))

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I am currently reinstalling Vista on a Dell desktop for a friend of mine. I restored Vista from the partition factory image, got SP2, one .NET update and now for hours it just sits there scanning for new updates. This is ridiculous!

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Your only solution at this point is to wait. And wait.

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(Chromebook’s a great choice, if you don’t run Windows-specific programs. Much easier, too.)

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Is WSUS Offline Updater a reliable, bug free option to this update fiasco?

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I’d like to try this on one of my VMs. It sounds promising. Do you have a link for downloading 3145739 for Win7 machines? I’m seeing the Win 8.1 version at https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=126dba8b-91ed-4981-a48b-ce7f80d5bb94

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Thanks Woody. KB3145739 seems to have fixed it for me. Took forever to download though over an hour and I was just going to turn off and it blinked and said it was installing. That only took a few minutes. The downloading was the longest. Restarted pc and selected a hidden update. It came up as an update fairly quickly. I hid it again was only testing.

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Has anyone tried running Windows Update file cleanup when doing a disk cleanup for system files to resolve this slow update issue? I only administrate one Windows 7 machine (not mine), and I do not have the wait issues that most people report here. I delete the Windows Update files monthly or semi-monthly on the W7 machine.

My Windows 8.1 updates seem to arrive fairly promptly, and I perform the system file cleanup at least every two months on my two Windows 8.1 laptops.

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Woody – Don’t know if you still need it – but here’s the link I used on my Win7 machine. Sure glad this worked!
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=51853

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KB3145739 is superseeding KB3139852 which was made famous by Noel Carboni about a month ago. That patch was fixing slow update for a lot of people. As such it supersedes a ton of other older patches and from this point of view is like a Cumulative Update.
The issue which creates slowing down of WU is that all those old patches are not removed by Microsoft after releasing the new ones and create problems for those who try to patch new installations.

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WSUS Offline Updater is an unsupported product and while you are free to use it and many people think it fixes their problems, you cannot expect any support outside of those who developed it. Saying that, it appears reliable to me, but like any third party product, you need to spend time to understand well how it works.
Another product which I used sometimes but only for research purpose and seems to be OK is Windows Update MiniTool. This product does not require installation and is very simple to use.
For those inclined to do so and willing to spend the time, there are 90 days trial versions of any current Windows Server product available from the Microsoft web site. You may want to try one of those servers, the current one being Windows 2012 Server, install the WSUS role and have a play. This is the real thing, any other products from third-party providers are just wrappers and workarounds.

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PS Correction, the Microsoft Server trials run for 180 days, not 90 days as I posted by mistake earlier.

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I believe it was tried here not long ago with mixed and inconclusive results.
I assume from your reply that you are patched up to date without being too selective in what you install and this is the real reason why you do not encounter any updating issues.
DiskCleanup can save you space on the hard-disk though.

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@Sammi Curr,

“Has anyone tried running Windows Update file cleanup when doing a disk cleanup for system files to resolve this slow update issue?”

Yes, doing this has been mentioned in the past month in at least one of the discussion sections here on AskWoody.

It’s hard to keep everything straight, because recently there have been several blog posts/discussion sections here about the wider issue of slow updates, and most of those discussion sections are still actively having comments added to them, but with no easy way for the individual reader of viewing only the comments that she/he has not yet read.
(Not complaining, just making a statement of fact. 🙂 )

Anyway — I don’t know where I saw the mention of that, but I know that I did.

To find it, you might do a search on an external search engine for a relevant term, like “disk cleanup”, narrowed down to just the askwoody.com site.

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Thank you for this post Woody! And to all for the additional information in the comments. This solved the issue for me in a Win7 64-bit virtual machine. I didn’t use the FixIt, but I installed KB3145739, rebooted, and update checks are down to about 2-3 minutes now.

I’ve been struggling with this for a long time, thanks for finally posting a fix!

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OK. I’ll download this miracle KB3145739 and see if it solves my problem. I tried checking for the Win7 April updates but gave up after 5 hours so I could go to bed! If this doesn’t work, I’ll wave a white flag at Microsoft and surrender. I’ll use my Win7 PC without updates until it dies and then use my Chromebook exclusively (maybe buy a Mac, too).

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Hello Sammi,
Yes, a while ago I did do a “Windows Update Cleanup” in the express hope of reducing the amount of time Windows Update spends CPU-looping in svchost.exe while “Checking for updates”, but unfortunately it made no difference whatsoever.
The only good news was that “Windows Update Cleanup” freed up something like two gigabytes (I forget exactly how much) on my C-drive. The actual cleanup seems to only really take place during the next shutdown and restart, so it seems you have to reboot before you really see the benefit.
Regards, Bob.

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Manually installing KB3145739 worked for me as well. I did not have to install/patch the WU Client. I only installed KB3145739.

However, the updates that now show up are a little different than before, I think:

KB3142042: Security update for the .NET Framework 3.5.1 in Windows 7 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1: April 12, 2016

KB3139398: security update for Windows USB mass storage class driver: March 8, 2016
***WOODY: YOU SAID TO SKIP THIS LAST MONTH, IS THAT STILL THE CASE?

KB3146706: Security update for Windows OLE: April 12, 2016
***WOODY: THIS UPDATE IS UNCHECKED (HAVEN’T HAD ONE OF THOSE IN AWHILE)

KB3146963: Security update for Microsoft XML core services: April 12, 2016

KB3149090: Security update for SAM and LSAD remote protocols: April 12, 2016

KB3138612: Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: March 2016
***AVOIDING IT LIKE THE PLAGUE

KB3148851: Time zone changes for Russia in Windows
***YEAH, DON’T THINK I NEED THIS

KB890830: Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64 – April 2016

Not installing anything else until you give the all-clear, but any thoughts in the meantime?

Thanks, as always!

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Installing KB3138612 AND KB3145739 fixed the problem.
To install those, I had to stop Windows Updates in Services.msc

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Me too. …..8612 was installed a few weeks ago (with a bunch of others) but I couldn’t download/install KB….5739 until I stopped WU in services.msc.
JF

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Wouldn’t that “fixit” install the Windows 10 related crap updates to Windows Update along with any actual bugfixes to Windows Update? Personally I have been actively avoiding updates to Windows Update going back more than a year. I am not even using the user interface anymore, relying on another lesser known interface to the “servicing stack”, which I have managed to bend to my will.

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Same problem, taking FOREVER to check for Windows updates. So this is what I did: I downloaded KB3145739 from Microsoft website. I then disconnected my PC from the internet by disabling my LAN through the network and sharing center. I then installed the KB3145739 from my download folder. I then connected to the internet. I checked for updates and it took about 15 minutes, but I got about 12 updates, so I installed them (the “important security” ones). I did NOT install optional updates. (Oh, and by the way, prior to doing all this, I had in my “hidden” updates at least 15 or 20 that I had hidden over the past year because I was avoiding the nasty Window 10 upgrade updates. I do NOT want Windows 10 at all costs ! Well, just prior to my downloading KB3145739, I wanted to see the list of my “hidden” updates and guess what, THEY ALL DISAPPEARED ! It says I have NO hidden updates !! I didn’t delete them, they are JUST NOT THERE ! Microsoft pulled a fast on and deleted them. So all that work I did the last few months researching each KB and figuring out which ones to “hide” is now wasted ! Well, blessings to you all !

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Hi, just an idea re your missing hidden updates: In your efforts to get updates working, did you by any chance rename or delete the Software Distribution Folder – or delete the Data Store within it? Because that is where hidden updates and updates history is stored.

If you did – and you only renamed it, you should be able to put it back. Even if you deleted it, you may be able to restore it from the Recycle Bin, but to do any of that you must stop Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) and Windows Update in Services first.

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@MariaW,

Are the updates that you had originally hidden now showing up in your main update list?

I don’t think they would just disappear altogether if you had not somehow installed them, but maybe they have moved from one list to the other?

I know that early last year (prior to this Get-Windows-10 stuff), I had some trouble with an update and I had to uninstall it and run a fix from Microsoft, and when I did so, that deleted the updates history page of all the updating history since I had bought my computer (but it didn’t delete the actual updates themselves, which were still installed on my machine).

Since that time, I have kept a separate record for myself about important things I might want to know in the future about my Windows Updates history and decisions.

For example, I make a list of the updates that I am offered but that I decide not to install (and then I **hide them). In an Excel spreadsheet, I note down the kb number, what the update was supposed to do, the month it was offered to me, what the “experts” (like Woody) advised to do about the update, if it was meant by Microsoft to supersede another update, etc.
Whatever mischief Microsoft might make in my Windows Updates area, I know that I have this standalone list of my computer’s recent update history (at least of the important updates).

You could also do a screenshot of the updates that are presented to you every month, and of the updates you decided to install. I have recently decided to save such screenshots in a Word document, to help me month-to-month see what has happened with my Windows Updating.

—
**Regarding hiding updates:
Last week on the recommendation of someone who posts on Woody’s site here, I actually decided to remove all the updates that were in my hidden area, to restore them back to the main list, and to leave them in my main updates list from now on, in order to avoid having a problem if any of them are withdrawn or superseded by Microsoft but traces of the hidden ones were somehow left on my computer, and also to be able to keep closer track of all my real-time decisions on the update landscape month-to-month (since the whole avoid-windows-10 project is becoming mighty complicated).

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**Regarding hiding updates:
Last week on the recommendation of someone who posts on Woody’s site here, I actually decided to remove all the updates that were in my hidden area, to restore them back to the main list, and to leave them in my main updates list from now on, in order to avoid having a problem if any of them are withdrawn or superseded by Microsoft but traces of the hidden ones were somehow left on my computer, and also to be able to keep closer track of all my real-time decisions on the update landscape month-to-month (since the whole avoid-windows-10 project is becoming mighty complicated).

I suppose your decision was made after our exchange of opinions about this issue. Totally agree that avoiding Windows 10 is becoming too complicated, unless either not installing any updates (not recommended) or installing everything at the end of the month, while taking the additional known measures to block the upgrade. In fact I upgraded to Windows 10 before it was released officially and use Windows 7 only for work. I believe Windows 10 is not quite business-ready, in particular for larger businesses with managed environments.

In relation to your issue about losing updating history after running the Microsoft Fixit tool, I think what happened was that the tool deleted the WU database which was discussed previously, to start clean. Nothing major, only the annoyances associated with losing cached information.

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I haven’t turned my PC on today to see if those “hidden” udpates re-appeared. Honestly, I have had this PC since 2011 and now, I only turn it on to update it. Because of all the nuisance updates and problems with Windows, last Christmas I went to Best Buy and bought myself a MacBook because I was sick and tired of Windows. So my Macbook is now my reliable computer ! But my Windows PC still works fine, just can’t stand the fact that updates and other invasive issues with Microsoft are forced down our throats ! Anyway, as soon as I log back onto my PC I will see if my hidden updates have reappeared (probably check it next week). For now, I use my beautiful Macbook and I LOVE IT !!!!

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I love my MacBook Pro, too – and run Windows on it.

I know, I know. Force of habit.

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It looks like the Fixit tool did it without the user’s interaction.

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iOS 9.x had three updates including the original release until they got it right. It is true that the issues were affecting a limited number of users, but just trying to prove that it happens to Apple too.

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Woody, since you have a Macbook Pro and run Windows on it, don’t you still have the issue of having to update Windows Updates ?? I’m not sure I could deal with all that !! Hence, my reason for buying a Macbook.

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Don’t shoot me, but I run Windows 10 on all of my production machines, and have for quite some time. I have a couple of older machines with Win7, and run virtual machines with Win7.

That doesn’t lessen my determination to help people with Win7 stay with Win7 if they choose to do so!

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Quite correct. I avoided the first two iOS releases.

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Well done Woody! Lesson learnt (or maybe not?)
I was an early adopter for all and while not experiencing any problems or not noticing them, I still wasted time with successive updates.

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I was tempted to do something similar few years ago, running Windows 7 on MacBook Air, however I decided for a Dell XPS 15 instead and have not regretted it since.

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MariaW, just in case it is not very clear, running Windows on MacBook means using the hardware platform of a Mac to install Windows. Same issues encountered by all Windows users apply in this situation.
If you don’t have a good reason to use Windows like a lot of people need to use it for work or even gaining experience using it at home in order to improve their performance at work, then using a Mac is very likely a better option. It comes at a premium price though, like everything good in life.

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I’m using the new XPS 15 and man, whotta machine. Gorgeous. (It’s a loaner.) If I could take it to Asia this summer, I’d be hauling it instead of the MacBook Pro Retina.

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I am not running Windows on my Macbook Pro. I bought my Mac with El Capitan just 4 months ago and I have not regretted spending $$$ for peace of mind !!! I refuse to muddy my beautiful Mac with anything Windows related ! Once my Windows 7 desktop dies, I will only use Macs from now on until FOREVER. Woody, I sure do appreciate your brilliant mind and sweet willingness to help so many users who face Window problems. You are a God send !!! WE ALL ON THIS WEBSITE THANK YOU !!

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Woody, I’ve not had a problem with either of my computers taking excessive time checking for or installing updates. Would you still advise installing combination of 3138612 and 3145739?

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Nope. If you’re happy, just do it normally.

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Many thanks for the help this thread has given me. I’d managed to remove an unwanted download of W10 but couldn’t get Windows update to work until I installed KB3145739 and ran the MicrosoftFixit tool.
cheers
Al

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I have to admit, I’m no fan of Microsoft’s constant fails either, but there is no way I’m going to migrate to the Google Monster. Google is just as culpable in this insidious game of cat and mouse corporations love to play with our lives and our personally identifiable information.

Google is currently facing Anti-trust and Privacy violations all over the world and yet their corporate thugs defiantly continue to plague the cyber community with their forced integration and ad-marketing garbage. Not only that but they’ve continued to update their policies in such a way that users are forced to give up their rights to their own (PII).

This is absolutely despicable on Google’s part and while I’m not trying to paint Microsoft as some angel on this matter, at least Microsoft isn’t nearly as brazen in their approach toward ripping user-privacy right out of our hands…

If you ask me, the FCC and other agencies of oversight need to put aside the small bickering matches they have over tedious stuff and instead grow a pair and go after these corporate thugs and force them to stop their monopolizing and privacy violating practices and once and for all level the playing field so that users really have a voice that they have to listen to——rather than complaint here and a complaint there that they can just conveniently sweep under the rug because no one is holding these fascist creeps accountable for their actions.

They are messing with peoples lives and this really just needs to stop period!

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There is also the possibility that running the MBSA tool from Microsoft could help with update problems because it provides the option to use a different server.

Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer is a great diagnostic tool and while it may not be able to solve every problem, it’s worth giving it a try to see if that solves your current update issues.

The MBSA tool can be found at the following link:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/cc184924.aspx

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Eb thanx for the try. I installed KB3145739, that took. I tried to install KB3138612. Failed! Got stuck in the infinite loop during install. I can relate the WU update issue to 04-14-16 as this was the last time both my computers updated. After that date, nothing but problems which makes me believe microsuck is doing it on purpose to get people to upgrade to that windows 10 garbage which people are also having lots of problems with. I know it sounds stupid but either they’re doing it on purpose or microsuck if full of tards. Either way this is the last time I purchase any computer with microsuck in it. Far as I’m concerned Bill Gates and microsuck needs to be shut down as microsuck has been crap since its inception.

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A huge “Thank you!” to you and all your posters. Have been suffering the W7 slowdown for weeks, and have not been able to update anything for 2 weeks or better, but used the Fix It Tool 50202, then checked for the updates, then tried WU. It took hours, so went to bed and left it running. This morning, it said W cannot be U. Rebooted, checked for the 4 updates, found all present. Shut down, pulled power cord for few mins, cord back in, power up, then restored to the oldest date possible. Powered off, pulled cord, waited, plug in, power up, check WU, W now did U, reboot, MSE now did U, one happy fella!

Many, many thanks to all. Interesting website, found it through Google search for “windows 7 updates running slow”, and will now be a daily reader to see what’s going to be forthcoming. I will be search your site to see if I can remove updates that will push W10 onto my system.

Edward

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Welcome…

No need to remove any updates. Just run GWX Control Panel.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3000299/microsoft-windows/a-better-blocker-is-available-to-shield-you-from-coerced-get-windows-10-updates.html

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I am a bit confused here:

When installing the KB3138612 AND KB3145739, do I have to restart (as prompted) after each of the two files or do I have to install both and THEN restart?

Does it make any difference at all when I restart?

I tried installing them one by one, that is installing one, rebooting, installing the other and then reboot, but WU i still slow. Nothing happened after 15 minutes.

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That was April. Things have changed since then.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3086811/microsoft-windows/microsoft-releases-kb-3161647-kb-3161608-to-fix-slow-windows-7-update-scans.html

But, importantly, look at https://www.askwoody.com/2016/best-approach-to-speeding-up-win7-check-for-updates/

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Hi Woody
Thanks for your reply

I have got all six updates in my system but kb3161647 does not show. The article you referred to siad that it should come with the roll up kb3161608 but I cannot find it present in my system. Any idea?

Can you see it present in your installed updates? And under what name? “Security update, Hotfix, Update for windows”?

kb3138612 (yes)

kb3145739 (yes)

KB 3153199 (yes)

KB 3161664 (yes)

kb3020368 (yes)

kb3161608 (yes)

kb3161647 (no)

Kind regards
Steen

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one more thing: You talk about a “speed up patch”:

“You can follow my advice and install six unrelated patches in order to get the speed-up patch that Microsoft should be distributing without encumbrances.”

Is that an eighth thing I have to find after the seven installs (of which I have six)? And where do I find the speed up patch?

Kind regards
Steen

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Wow, I just ran update checking again at it came through!!!

So I must conclude that even though kb3161647 was not visible in my installed updates section, despite kb3161608 had been run, it worked.

Thanks for your great work.

Kind regards
Steen

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Follow the instructions here:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3086811/microsoft-windows/microsoft-releases-kb-3161647-kb-3161608-to-fix-slow-windows-7-update-scans.html

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If kb3161608 doesn’t show up, don’t sweat it. Is your updating going slow? If so, you can always follow the second idea, which is at wu.krelay.de

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Hello,

I had the same issue but after installing July 2016 update rollup for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 this was resolved.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3125574

Regards,
Dhanushka

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I have three windows 7 machine and all of a sudden none of them will download and install any windows updates… I left one running for 8 hours last night saying it was downloading the 67 or so updates but never did. I’m looking at the Fix It file on this page on one computer, but wanted to try it on another computer but when I search for it on your page, I only get highlighted words and no links in the search results. I tried a system restore going back about three weeks to the last known updates, but it didn’t help and now I can’t undo the restore. Is there anyway to fix this, should I, or just live without windows updates?

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It’s much too early to install the August updates for Win7.

That said, if you can’t get the instructions here to work:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3105605/microsoft-windows/2-easy-steps-to-speed-up-windows-7-update-scans.html

You can just start the scan for updates before you go to bed.

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Thanks, I’m currently running the Fix It now, but I did start it last night before going to bed, no progress by morning. I think I may just live without Windows UPdates on my 3 windows 7 machines. Windows 8.1 working great so far.

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The MS Fix It would not complete… stopped doing anything after about 40% for a half hour.

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The whole updating game is going to change drastically in October. The process will almost certainly get better, although you’re going to lose a lot of control.

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@Woody: What is the August “speed up patch” which needs to be added to the list provided on the above link? Thank you, Woody, and Dalai, ch100, and EP for all of your diligent hard work. 🙂

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Per

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3105605/microsoft-windows/2-easy-steps-to-speed-up-windows-7-update-scans.html

The magic patch is listed at

http://wu.krelay.de/en/

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@Woody: I apologize for overlooking the very obvious reference to the “Magic patch”. I hope that I will be successful in performing the steps as outlined on your InfoWorld, and the
wu.krelay.de/en/ site.

I am the epitome of the word “Dummy”, I must admit!

Thank you so much for your help. 🙂

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No problem at all.

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Well, I was finally able to install all of the updates listed plus the last two Monthly Security updates manually on my 3 Windows 7 machines, which none of them would update automatically. Even after the updates. Would never stop checking, very odd indeed, but it seems to me it’s very suspicious.

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today is August 21 and updating windows 7 is very, very painful!
Why it take so long for MS to fix their problem, I have no idea.
So next time I will look for a non MS OS

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See http://www.infoworld.com/article/3105605/microsoft-windows/2-easy-steps-to-speed-up-windows-7-update-scans.html

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Had to reinstall Windows 7 (Ultimate, 64bit) to a new hard disk. Installed the Operating System, then got this sequence from Microsoft, tried it, and it worked.

1- Launch Windows Update, then select Change Settings and choose

Never check for updates.

2- Restart the PC.

3- Upon restarting, download and save these updates:
KB3020369 & KB3172605

32bit and 64bit versions are available.

For 64 bit:

https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/D/0/5D0821EB-A92D-

4CA2-9020-EC41D56B074F/Windows6.1-KB3020369-x64.msu

https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/6/0/560504D4-F91A-

4DEB-867F-C713F7821374/Windows6.1-KB3172605-x64.msu

4- Install KB3020369 first*, then KB3172605. This last one will

ask you to restart the computer, please do so.

5- Upon restarting and logging into Windows, allow WU to

complete the update by leaving the computer idle for about

10-12 min. Reduce PC usage as much as possible during this

time.

6- Launch Windows Update, then select Change Settings and

restore the original option modified in step 1.

7- Check for pending updates.

Hope this helps some other folks!

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Thanks!

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Hello Jay,

I’m a PC Tech and have had 3 clients in the past week contact me to report strange problems with their Windows 7 64-bit PCs since installing some Windows Updates in during October 2016.

* One PC’s wired network connectivity stopped working after the updates

* One PC would lock up and the CPU would peg at 100% causing the fan to race and the system to super heat but only when logging into to secure https websites like Xfinity.com

* Another clients PC went from booting up to Windows in about 15 seconds to taking nearly 5 minutes to completely boot in both normal and safe modes.

After hours and hours of frustration and troubleshooting, I came to the conclusion that one or more of the updates released between August amd October 2016 was/were definitely the source of all these problems. I was able to fix two of the PCs by rolling them back using System Restore to a time in early August 2016. The one that slowed down has no restore point before the updates so I nbeed to reload it to fix it’s problem.

In searching around the Internet, I found that numerous people reported one of the updates you said MS told you to install (KB3172605) had caused similar random problems for them like my clients are seeing.

Do you have anymore info to share about this? The only way I have been able to fix these PCs is to reload them and I don’t want to install the same update that broke them in the first place.

Thank you!
Mike Vail
Windsor, CA. USA

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Have you tried uninstalling the patch?

The KB article is up to version 11, which is never a good sign.

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Hi Woody, Unfortunately I reloaded the PC before I read this article so I didn’t do that. I suppose I can install it and if it screws something up I can roll it back, I just don’t like doing that in case the rollback doesn’t work or is incomplete.

I hope you’re having a great weekend and thanks for hosting this site!

Take care,
Mike Vail

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@Woody:

I have this one shown as one that was in one of the speed-up patch lists that Dalai issued (the last one I think). I never had a problem with it, however is this the one that had the “Blue Tooch” problems?

Just wondering if that may be a factor in the problem. Here is the link I show for this:

http://wu.krelay.de/en/

Thought perhaps this may be of some help.

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Interesting,

When running the KB3172605 64-bit installer that I just downloaded from the MS website, it says the system is not applicable to the system I’m trying to install it on. I have never installed it and I’m definately running a 64-bit verson of Windows 7. Odd. Maybe it only applied to Win 7 Ultimate. The system I’m working on is Home Premium…

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@Michael Vail,

You probably saw in your research that kb3172605 has caused a number of people problems with Intel Bluetooth adapters.

This may or may not be related to your customers’ issues, but I wanted to point it out to you.

Three of us here at AskWoody.com have reported issues along those lines with kb3172605 — myself, Bill C., and another person whose name I forget.

Bill C. actually had a blue screen of death, I think, and he had to do some fancy footwork to get his system working okay.

My system isn’t working okay, even after I uninstalled kb3172605, but I have hit my non-techie limit in understanding how to deal with an Intel Proset wireless+Bluetooth adapter, so I’m just going forward by hoping that nothing too bad has gone wrong (above and beyond probably losing my computer’s Bluetooth capability).

You will find several mentions of this issue, and Bill C.’s personal steps to solve the problems that his machine was having, if you do a historical search on AskWoody.com

(use an external search engine because the blog’s built-in WordPress search isn’t very good).

((Which is no insult to Woody – he says the same thing about the WordPress search!))

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I’ll have more details about the Intel Bluetooth problem on Monday morning, I think, in InfoWorld – although the post still needs copyediting.

About WordPress earch … I found out why it’s so horrible. The built-in search doesn’t index comments! So I’m getting my web folks working on buying an add-on that should do the trick.

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It has to be run separately, with no other updates in the queue.

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Check out my new post, coming up in the morning on InfoWorld. I hope.

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Do you have KB3020369 installed?

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Mike.

Sorry for the delay in responding. Holidays.

I am a semi-retired tech/owner, and the place I managed has done a total of 14 fresh WP7x64 installs and used this info, (which I believe is now available on the MS support site – I got it via a support phone call) and 19 Win7x64 updates on systems last updated between 19 and 10 months ago. We haven’t been ‘bitten’ by aberrant behaviour yet.

Best wishes,
Jay

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