Windows 10 Checking for Updates Taking Forever?

A few simple steps to get them done with

Windows Updates are either a godsend or a curse. While the program does help keep your computer up-to-date and protected, the endless updates can be annoying.

Work can be disrupted because updates can hog your internet consumption. And the fear that your computer can restart at a crucial point can be disruptive.

Even worse, sometimes Windows Updates can take forever to finish. It leaves you wondering if it really is downloading updates or if something went wrong and that it’s stuck checking for updates.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to fix the issue. In this post, we’ll show you a few simple steps so you can get the updates over and done with.

Restart the Windows Update

The first solution is to restart your updates and see if that fixes the problem. Right-click the Start button and select Run.

Type SERVICES.MSC and click OK.

This will launch Services. From the list of applications, right-click Windows Updates and select Stop.

Next, open File Explorer and go to C:\ > Windows > SoftwareDistribution. Remove all the files in the folder.

This is where Windows temporarily stores the files it downloaded. By removing the stored files, it’s duped into recreating the deleted files.

Go back to Services and right-click Windows Update again. This time click Restart.

Open Windows Settings and go to Update & Security.

Under Windows Update, see if there are pending updates and try to download if there are any.

See if the issue persists.

Note: There is also a way to do this through the Command Prompt or PowerShell. Simply type in NET STOP WUAUSERV to stop Windows Update followed by NET START WUAUSERV to restart.

Windows Update Troubleshooter

If the issue still persists, you can use Windows Update Troubleshooter. This is a Windows solution that’s specifically designed for fixing Windows Update problems.

This handy tool works for Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

Download the program and launch it afterward.

From the list of programs, select Windows Update.

Click Next to continue. Your computer will run diagnostics to detect problems.

When prompted to run the program as an administrator, click the option that allows you to do so.

It will once again ask you to select a program. Select Windows Update and click Next.

Follow the on-screen recommendations that Windows Update Troubleshooter will provide.

You might be prompted to restart your Windows computer after the computer is done running the diagnostics.

Close the troubleshooter after it’s done. Hopefully, this would end all your Windows update issues.

Windows Module Installer

This will make use of Windows Module Explorer, a built-in Windows 10 service. This program tackles stalled Windows updates.

We’ll be using PowerShell in the example below but this also works in Command Prompt.

Open PowerShell and enter SC CONFIG TRUSTEDINSTALLER START=AUTO in the command line.

You should see the message [SC] CHANGESERVICECONFIG SUCCESS is the command was successfully executed.

Now all you have to do is close the PowerShell and see if the Windows update not working problem is no longer there.

Christopher Jan Benitez is a freelance writer for hire who provides actionable and useful web content to small businesses and startups. In his spare time, he religiously watches professional wrestling and finds solace in listening to ’80s speed metal. Read Christopher’s Full Bio

Windows Update Stuck Checking for Updates forever

#1 john1816

Am on Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate

This problem has got me frustrated for the past few days and seems to be persistent. I need to install the 2015 C++ runtime redistributable package for some applications to work. (Both the 32-bit and 64-bit version of the 2015 redistributable)

I tried running both of the installers at the first time, but it ended up hanging up until the «Processing Windows 7 MSU» for hours, i googled it and it seems that i need an update to be installed for it to work.

I go to windows update>Click check for updates, then Windows update is «checking for updates. » forever

So if it wont let me update through that, I try updating windows via the standalone installer exe files from the microsoft website.

Ex: I try to run the installer for the update KB3050265 x-64 (64 bit version), and then the installer gets stuck on «searching for updates on this computer»

Then i try to run the 32 bit version of the update, ending up on the same result.

Basically, i can’t update windows through the windows update and downloading the standalone installers directly because it gets stuck I then can’t install the needed redistributables to run new programs that need it (only have the 2010 C++ redists)

Solutions i’ve tried:

I tried running some solutions in the internet as it may be a common problem but so far, none of them have worked.

Downloaded and ran the windows update troubleshooter program from the microsoft website

Lastly, i tried the wsus offline updater here: http://www.wsusoffline.net/

It did work but it only managed to install one update, and also managed to install the 64 bit version of the 2015 C++ redistributable but it doesn’t list in the «view installed updates» on the programs and features window. I have no way of knowing if it is properly installed.

Edited by john1816, 20 November 2016 — 12:40 AM.

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#2 richcbro

CPU: Intel i7-8700K 5.3 GHz —— RAM: 32GB TridentZ 3600 MHz CL16 —— Motherboard: Asus ROG Maximus X Formula —— GPU: Zotac GTX 1080 Ti Amp! Extreme —— Storage: Samsung 960 Pro 1TB — Samsung 850 Pro 2TB x4

#3 MoxieMomma

This has been a serious and widespread problem for Win7 (and Vista and 8/8.1) for many months.

But there is a solution.

This worked for me on 2 Win7 systems and for many, many others at another forum who had the same issue.

1. IF NOT ALREADY DONE: Download and save, but do not run yet, the standalone installers for KB3020369 and KB3172605 for your architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).
2. Disconnect from the internet.
3. Disable the Windows Update service in both the applet itself («never check for updates») AND from services.msc (change it to «manual» and STOP the service, then click «OK»).
4. REBOOT
5. Run 3020369 and reboot.
6. Run 3172605 and reboot.
7. Go into services.msc and change WU back to «Automatic-delayed start» and start the service.
8. Reconnect to internet.
9. Change WU to «notify me, but let me choose».
10. Run a manual check for updates.

The concept is that you are going to install them from the standalone installers that you have downloaded locally to your computer, NOT via Windows Update.

So, if Windows Update is partially or fully enabled when you try this, you will probably get stuck «checking for updates».

WU must be disabled first.

If that process does not work and/or you get error messages with a specific error code, then you probably have a different problem.

Please post back and let us know how it goes, so that we can all learn.

Windows Update Keeps checking For updates forever

New Member

SOLUTION! Tried the Microsoft Fixit Tool several times without success, but this fix took care of the problem.

1. Click Start
2. Type ‘cmd’ in the search bar.
3. Right click Command prompt and choose “Run as Administrator”
4. At the command prompt, type the following, commands and then press ENTER after each command:
a. net stop wuauserv

b. net stop bits

c. net stop cryptsvc

DO NOT close the Command Prompt window.

(This will rename folders pertaining to Windows Update.)

5. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press Enter after each command:
a) ren %systemroot%\System32\Catroot2 Catroot2.old

b) ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
If you get an «access denied» error message, type net stop wuauserv, press ENTER, and try again.

c) net start wuauserv

d) net start bits

e) net start cryptsvc

Close the Command Prompt window. Now run the Microsoft Fixit Tool for Windows Update.
It is here: How do I reset Windows Update components?

Reboot the machine, and go to Control Panel > System Security > Windows Update
Updates installed should read Never and Last Update Check should also read never
Do a manual Check for Updates. This will probably generate a long list of updates that need to be installed. Go ahead and installed them. Depending on the speed of your internet connection the check and installation might take some time.

Windows Update Keeps checking For updates forever

Skoalm1nt

New Member

Saltgrass

Excellent Member

From the way you describe it, I would think some problem with accessing the update server. Do you have a good internet connection, and what firewall/anti-virus are you running?

If it isn’t that, there are some logs we can check. One of the small ones is the ReportingEvents.log in the Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder.

You can check it or zip it and attach using the paperclip.

There is a Windows Update Trouble shooter in the Control Panel, and if that doesn’t help, you might try to download and run the System Readiness Tool.

Skoalm1nt

New Member

From the way you describe it, I would think some problem with accessing the update server. Do you have a good internet connection, and what firewall/anti-virus are you running?

If it isn’t that, there are some logs we can check. One of the small ones is the ReportingEvents.log in the Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder.

You can check it or zip it and attach using the paperclip.

There is a Windows Update Trouble shooter in the Control Panel, and if that doesn’t help, you might try to download and run the System Readiness Tool.

I have a good internet connection, have had no problems with that, I’m using the regular settings and firewall.

Here is a picture of what it’s doing, and it doesn’t ever finish.
Link Removed due to 404 Error

Skoalm1nt

New Member

Saltgrass

Excellent Member

We can start small with the logs if you want. Try copying the last few days of the WindowsUpdate.log in the Windows directory and probably the entire ReportingEvents.log in the Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder.

You may have to copy the logs to the desktop to work on them, but zip them up and attach using the paperclip.

If we can’t see anything in the small logs, we may need the entire logs plus the CBS.log in the Windows\Logs\CBS but we can work on e-mailing those later.

Skoalm1nt

New Member

Saltgrass

Excellent Member

I have your information. You can edit your post and remove the listing to save some space.

Zipped means to create a notepad file (txt), or just delete the unwanted info from the .log file and right click the file and select send to compressed. We just try to save all space on the forum we can and a zipped file is much smaller.

I will get back after I look at the file.

Saltgrass

Excellent Member

I have gone through you log and it seems to be normal, until just recently. You have install mostly .Net 4 Framework updates for some reason, and I do not see much else, except possibly a driver for a Razer.

I see comments about forced reboots. You need to shut the system completely down and leave it for a few minutes every now and then. Now might be a good time.

There is an error message (hr=C80003F9) that I am looking for the meaning, so not sure about it yet.

I am also seeing messages about some process taking too long and timing out. Maybe you know what might be causing this. The following sequence illustrates the situation from the 22nd 4:41 P.M. to 5:17 P.M. Maybe someone will know for sure what it means, but it looks like the system is trying to register wuaueng.dll but cannot because it is taking too long. Can you think of anything that might be restricting access?

I did not notice you running the System Readiness Tool, you did that, right? I may have missed it in all the text.

But Windows update is not really designed to do everything at once. Waiting 12 to 24 hours for it to finish one operation seems fairly normal.

Any observations about your system and what might be going on could help.

Skoalm1nt

New Member

Saltgrass

Excellent Member

I don’t know what is going on with wuaueng.dll, but that is one of the Windows Update utilities.

This is the type of thing Update Readiness tool is supposed to repair, but is may not be.

If you open the Window Update Dialog window, what does it show as far as updates. Are there important or optional available, and how many are set to install?

If you have not tried installing yourself, can you click on the important updates and then check some boxes, then go back and select «Install Updates»?

If, for some reason the wuaueng.dll service is not registered, you should be able to do that by opening an adminstrative command prompt and typing:
regsvr32.exe wuaueng.dll

Don’t know if this will help, but maybe. Perhaps it will issue some type of error that might help.

Saltgrass

Excellent Member

I am also finding this error, so maybe you can find something on it.

Skoalm1nt

New Member

Banned

I have encountered this many times on clients’ machines.

Here are some things that may well help you:

1) Run the Microsoft Fix It Tool — Microsoft Fix it Solution Center: troubleshooting software issues and read this along w/ it How do I reset Windows Update components?
2) > cmd > Run as Admin & put in all of the following.
regsvr32 wuapi.dll
» wuaueng.dll
» wuaueng1.dll
» wucltui.dll
» wups.dll
» wups2.dll
» wuweb.dll
Reboot & try Updates, again.
3) >cmd>Run as Admin, type in NETSH WINSOCK RESET, hit ENTER & reboot
Try Updates, again.

You’ll likely be ok after suggestion #1

Skoalm1nt

New Member

Saltgrass

Excellent Member

Well, I have gone over you log and I have to ask, are you showing any updates that have failed? You appear to be pretty much up to date on your Updates.

There are a couple of errors showing, one of which is «request is out of sequence» (c80003f9). Have you restored your system lately?

I would suggest, for now, you set Windows Update to «Never check for updates». Then you can do it manually and watch what happens. Keep track of the time also, so you can relate it to the logs.

I do not know why it is in a continuous search loop, but one error was

On the 22nd at 5:43 P.M. But it may just be a glitch. But your log does have a gap from the 17th to the 22nd, which I am sure you can explain

But overall, your system seems to be pretty close to being up to date.

Saltgrass

Excellent Member

I have been looking at your log some more, and it looks normal until 11 PM on the 17th. Then a lack of any entries until 3 PM on the 22nd.

Starting on the 22nd, the normal searching for updates started by Automatic Updates does not seem to occur. The Out of Sequence error shows up and the only updates looked for are driver updates.

On the 17th, the last update mentioned was KB2539636, .Net 4. It is not mentioned again, so I do not know what state it is in.

So, check Task Manager and see if the wuauserv service is running. If it is not, try to start it. If it won’t start, go to the services.msc panel and try there.

You could just check this Microsoft Page that tells how to update the update service, which is going to the Windows Update Page. But it does have a «FixIt» option.

Do you show any error messages in the Event Viewer that might be around the time you have or are searching for updates?

If you did Restore your system, it may take some time for the Update process to repair itself and catch up.

Skoalm1nt

New Member

Skoalm1nt

New Member

Here’s my log for the 24th is the automatic update checker working at least? I just want to make sure im up to date on the updates, and if i need to just have it automatically do it for me, i’m good with that. So is the automatic updater working? Here’s my log for the 24th.