FIX: Windows 10 update hangs

• Windows Update is a Windows service in charge of downloading and installing system updates.
• If Windows Update hangs, you can usually fix it by restarting Windows Update service.
• There is a wide range of Windows Update issues, but we covered most of them in our Windows Update hub.
• If your having additional problems with Windows Update or your PC, we suggest you check out our Windows 10 errors hub for more useful guides.

1. Download Restoro PC Repair Tool that comes with Patented Technologies (patent available here).
2. Click Start Scan to find Windows issues that could be causing PC problems.
3. Click Repair All to fix issues affecting your computer’s security and performance

• Restoro has been downloaded by 0 readers this month.

In order to keep your system stable and protected, Windows 10 automatically performs all the necessary updates in the background.

Downloading Windows Updates is rather important, but many users reported that Windows 10 Update hangs for some strange reason.

This seems like a big problem, but fortunately, there are several ways to fix it.

What can I do if Windows 10 update hangs?

Table of contents:

1. Stop Windows Update services and delete SoftwareDistribution folder

1. Press Windows Key + X and choose Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.
2. Once Command Prompt opens, enter the following lines and press Enter after each line:
   • net stop wuauserv
     
   • net stop bits
     

Now you need to navigate to C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution folder. After you enter SoftwareDistribution folder, select all files and folders and move them to a safe location, for example to your Desktop.

In case some of these files are still in use, just restart your device and repeat all the steps again.

After you’ve managed to move all the files and folder from SoftwareDistribution folder you need to restart your computer once again and check if the Windows update still hangs.

2. Be patient and wait for the update to finish

Sometimes these updates can take a long time to download, and Windows Update might seem stuck to you, but it’s actually working slowly in the background.

If Windows 10 Update hangs, leave your computer running over the night, and if everything is working correctly there should be some progress by the morning.

If the issue still persists, you might want to try some of our other solutions.

3. Use Windows Update troubleshooter

1. Go to Settings.
2. Head over to Updates & Security >Troubleshoot.
3. Select Windows Update, and go to Run the Troubleshooter.
   
4. Follow further on-screen instructions and let the process finish.
5. Restart your computer.

After running Windows Update troubleshooter, check if Windows Update still hangs on Windows 10.

4. Restart your network connection

1. Press Windows Key + S and type view network connections. From the list of results choose View network connections.
   
2. Locate your connection, right click it and choose Disable.
   
3. Right click your connection once again and choose Enable from the menu.

Run a System Scan to discover potential errors

After you’ve enabled your network connection again, the issue should be resolved. In addition, you could try unplugging your Ethernet cable or try restarting your computer a few times.

In most cases, Windows Update isn’t actually stuck, it’s just working slowly, so if Windows 10 Update hangs on your computer, maybe it’s best for you to be patient and wait for it to download all the necessary components.

If you’re certain that update process is stuck, you could try restarting the Windows Update service and delete its cache files.

5. Run the SFC scan

1. Right-click on the Start Menu button, and open Command Prompt (Admin).
2. Enter the following line and press Enter: sfc/scannow
3. Wait until the process is done (it may take a while).
4. If the solution is found, it will automatically be applied.
5. Now, close the Command Prompt and restart your computer.

6. Run DISM

1. Open the Command Prompt as shown above.
2. Enter the following command and press Enter:
   • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
3. Wait for the process to finish.
4. Restart your computer.
5. In case the DISM can’t obtain files online, try using your installation USB or DVD. Insert media and type following command:
   • DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:/RepairSource/Windows /LimitAccess
6. Make sure to replace ”C:/RepairSource/Windows” path of your DVD or USB.
7. Follow further on-screen instructions.

7. Disable your antivirus

Third-party antivirus programs don’t go along with Windows updates (and other Windows 10 features). So, it’s quite possible that your antivirus is actually blocking the update.

To see if that’s indeed the case, disable your antivirus for a couple of minutes. If the update finishes installing, your problem is solved.

8. Delete the update and try again

1. Go to Settings >Updates & Security >Windows Update.
2. Go to Update history >Uninstall updates.
3. Now, find the troublesome update (you can sort updates by date), right-click it, and go to Uninstall.
   
   
4. Restart your computer.

After doing that, check if the Windows 10 update still hangs.

9. Restart Windows Update service

And finally, if none of the previous solutions worked, let’s restart the Windows Update service. Here’s how to do that:

1. Go to Search, type services.msc, and open Services.
2. Find the Windows Update service. Right-click and open Properties.
   
3. Click Restart.
4. Once the service restarts, go to the General tab, find Startup type and choose Automatic.
5. If the service is not running, right-click and choose Start.
6. Confirm selection and close window.

In addition to this problem, many users reported that Windows Update isn’t working on Windows 10, and if you have that problem, you might want to check some of our other articles.

Windows Update hangs when searching for current updates to install

i can’t get anymore updates. everytime i do a search for updates the searchbar keeps searching, it never stops. and then i have to close the browser with taskmanager because clicking on the x freezes the browser.

If you have a Wireless Router: In the security tab, make sure you aren’t blocking AcitveX.

1. Internet Explorer temporary files corrupted.

2. Background Intelligent and Event Log service not started

3. SoftwareDistribution folder has become corrupted

4. You may need to re-registered some dlls files

5. You may need to add Windows Update to the Trusted Sites Zone:

7. Third party programs running in background.

8. ActiveX controls corrupted

Clearing Temporary Internet files, cookies and history in Internet ExplorerTools>Internet Options>General

You’ll see Delete Cookies, Delete files, Delete History

NB: «Delete all offline content», will delete all files needed to browse the websites offline.

Reboot and try Windows Update again.

1: Check that the Background Intelligent Transfer Service to is set to Automatic and verify the Status is Started.

Click Start, Choose Run, and in the Run box, type services.msc, Click OK

Locate the Background Intelligent Transfer Service service, and right-click to select it.

Select Properties, and in the Startup Type list, select Automatic. Verify the service Status is Started. Click OK.

2. Check that the Set Event Log service is set to Automatic and verify that the Status is Started

Click Start, Choose Run, and in the Run box, type services.msc, Click OK.

Locate the Event Log service, and right-click to select it.

Select Properties., and in the Startup type list, select Automatic. Verify the Service status is Started. Click OK.

3. Register qmgr.dll and qmgrprxy.dll

Click Start, Choose Run and in the Run box, type regsvr32 qmgr.dll, Click OK.

Click Start, Choose Run and in the Run box, type regsvr32 qmgrprxy.dll, Click OK.

It is possible that the contents of the SoftwareDistribution folder have become corrupted, so try renaming the SoftwareDistribution folder. Click Start, Choose Run.

In the Run box, type services.msc.

Right-click the Automatic Updates service. Click Stop.

Stopping the service will take a moment.

Rename the «SoftwareDistribution» folder:

a. Click Start, click Run, type: %systemroot%

b. Right-click the SoftwareDistribution folder, and then click Rename.

c. Type SoftwareDistribution.old, and then press ENTER to rename this folder.

Click Start. Choose Run.

In the Run box, type services.msc.

Right-click the Automatic Updates service. Click Start.

Starting the service will take a moment.

Please note that your update history is contained in the «datastore» folder and when you rename the Software Distribution folder, the history is lost but it’s not important. You can if need be, copy the contents back from the renamed softwareDistribution.old folder. Losing the history of Windows

Updates is not important.

Certain files may have become unregistered, and you will need to register them again:-

Click Start, Choose Run and in the Run box, type regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll, Click OK.

Do the same for the other files:-

Add Windows Update to the Trusted Sites Zone: Please note that Security settings in Internet Explorer must be set to Medium or lower for ActiveX files to correctly pass to your computer.

Only the Web sites listed in Internet Explorer’s Trusted Sites Zone will be affected by the lowering of Security settings. Your current security settings for all other Web sites will remain as they are currently

Open Internet Explorer, click Tools, and then click Internet Options, Click Security. Click Trusted Sites Zone. Click Sites. Clear the Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone check box.

Use the Add button next to the Add this Web site to the zone box to add the following sites:

The below links assist you in checking your system for parasites: http://aumha.org/a/noads.htm

Please note that some malware may kill the internet connection when it is removed, the program on the link below will enable you to regain the internet connection.

Spyware Programs links:-

(Windows Defender)www.lavasoftusa.com Ad-Aware

THE PARASITE FIGHT — Finding, Removing & Protecting Yourself From Scumware

Richard Harper’s Guide to Cleaning Pests

Make sure you haven’t got anything blocking Windows Update like Nortons, Zonealarm etc

Also make sure you don’t have a Web Accelerator working in the background such as NetZerio, HiSpeed, Speedband etc.

If you need to reinstall the ActiveX controls (because they may have become corrupt):-

Follow this article —

The Windows Update Web site and the Microsoft Update Web site do not scan for updates when you repair a failed installation of Windows XP Service Pack 2 or of Windows XP Service Pack 1

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2009 — Update Services

Another community answer from the Windows Vista newsgroups

Windows Update Hangs

Was this discussion helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this discussion?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this discussion?

Thanks for your feedback.

Replies (152) 

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

* Please try a lower page number.

* Please enter only numbers.

As of today 12 April 2016 Window 7 SP1 hangs in searching for updates. Unlike other postings in 2015, their is no Orchestrator service in services.msc. Prior to today Windows update was working fine. Why is this happening? Is there any other way to get these updates. I have restarted the OS to no benefit.

Same problem. Hanging here now for hours «checking» and very high CPU. Never had this before.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Before you start Windows Update (WU), if your computer has not been up and running for a few days or more, start it and let it run without using it for some hours. Turn off the sleep functions if they are set. If yours is a laptop, make sure it is powered with the power cord. Start Task Manager (right-click on the task bar) and look at the CPU % in use at the bottom of that window. If it is more than 10%, you have to wait until what ever the computer is doing finishes before starting Windows Update.

Functions like Antivirus update and scans, scheduled defragmentation, updates to Java, Flash Player, Adobe Reader and others must be completed BEFORE you start Windows Update.

I just did this on a laptop that had not been used for about 70 days. It took the best part of a day to finally settle down and be ready.

Windows Update is dramatically slower than it was in the Spring of 2015, before Windows 10 began downloading. There may be nothing wrong with your computer! The problem is a hopelessly inadequate Windows Update service. Likely it is overwhelmed sending millions of unrequested 5 gigabyte Win10 files to Win7 computers, using the same equipment and network that normally services you and I.

From Microsoft’s perspective, the updates you want are an extremely low priority. They do not want you updating Windows 7. They want you replacing it with Windows 10.

There is no reason to do this upgrade unless you are a real adventurer. Windows 7 will be supported through January 2020.

I have seen cases where the green bar in Windows Update continued overnight and finally found the updates, then spent many more hours downloading those updates.

Turn off sleep and hibernate functions. Leave WU running at least overnight, maybe longer

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

They do not want you updating Windows 7. They want you replacing it with Windows 10.

Their «wants» are irrelevant. They’re under obligation to provide timely security updates until 2020. End of story.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

It is certainly not acceptable or even ethical. Sorry to say, it is reality and there is little to nothing you or I can do about it short of switching to Linux or Apple.

Microsoft has changed. It is not the same company it used to be. I expect to be defending my computer and my clients’ for a long time to come.

If you have not experienced this before, count yourself very lucky. This has been going on since last July. Browse through this forum and you will find thousands of questions about this.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Was this reply helpful?

Sorry this didn’t help.

Great! Thanks for your feedback.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback, it helps us improve the site.

How satisfied are you with this reply?

Thanks for your feedback.

Here is a better solution:

Prevent Windows 10

If you do not want Windows 10 and wish to prevent it from being installed on your computer, follow this exactly as laid out. I have done this on 150 client computers and it works flawlessly, and has continued to that since Spring, 2015.

Once you have followed the procedure below, and set Windows update to NEVER, once a month, start Windows Update manually, check for updates. When you get the list of “important” updates, right-click and choose hide on EVERY update in the Windows grouping that does not describe itself as Security. Allow the Malicious software removal tool or any C++ updates. Do not use ANY optional updates or place a checkmark in any unchecked updates. Proceed to update.

Microsoft has committed to support Windows 7 until at least January, 2020. Most of your current computers will last that long.

The Windows 10 installation promises to allow return to Windows 7 within 30 days. That return process is flawed and sometimes requires re-installation of Windows 7. For some owners without a re-usable Microsoft product key or a factory restore partition on their computers, it results in a useless thing that used to be a computer.

A lot of people have tried Windows 10 and decided they want their Windows 7 back. If you are one of those, once you have Windows 7 back, you will need to take steps to keep it that

You must adopt a protective stance to prevent your Windows 7 system from becoming something you do not want.

Change the Windows Update Setting to Never check for updates. Once a month, on the 2nd Tuesday, they receive an email from me advising to manually start WU and then hide every update except for ones specifically labeled Security. In other words, only security updates will be applied. In all of 2015, there was not a single update that improved Windows 7.

Some may feel uncomfortable with the setting — NEVER. Well you needn’t be. Never means you are never giving Microsoft a chance to decide what you download and install. It should NOT mean you will never update. The difference is that now you take control and the responsibility of updating of Windows and Office.

Read Woody Leonhard (one of the most respected writers in the trade)

If you see the Windows flag on the bottom right of your screen, chances are pretty high, your computer already has the Win10 files. Even if you do not, it may be on your computer shortly anyway. Here are instructions on how to rid yourself of it:

First download and run GWX Control panel. http://ultimateoutsider.com/downloads/

It will allow you to prevent any future operating system upgrades and delete downloaded Win10 files, but it will not remove all of Microsoft’s spyware that is already installed on your computer.

The following process will remove those features which you do not need.

This process works, but it only works if you do all the steps and do them in order.

1. Take Windows Update off automatic — Nevercheck for updates
2. Windows Update, Installed updates, WAIT a long time till you see the green bar complete its long trip to the right
3. Now, search for each of the listed updates, uninstall them. You must wait until the list is re-created each time. You need to wait till you see the number at the bottom of the search window exceed a few hundred.
4. If there are others you want to uninstall, click Later
5. Then, clear the search box and after the list is again displayed (the number at the bottom again exceeds several hundred), enter another KB number.
6. Restart the PC. It may take a long time to process this.

If you choose “check for updates, but let me choose whether to download and install them”, Microsoft will download “important” updates like KB3035583 to your computer. It will be pre-checked — selected. Unless you check Windows Update (WU) and discover this BEFORE you shut down, it will install it during the shut-down process.

List of updates that if already installed should be removed:

KB3035583
KB2952664
KB2977759
KB3021917
KB3075249
KB3080149
KB3083710
KB3083324
KB3090045
KB3112343
KB3123862
KB3022345
KB3068708