Computer Help and Support

Holly_Hobby

(3,033 posts) Sat Jul 30, 2016, 04:08 PM Jul 2016

Windows Update a

Hi, I have a newer Lenovo laptop with Windows 7, it's always worked perfectly. I don't use it every day and I'm sure to turn it on all the time to update. I've been very cautious because I don't want Windows 10. I changed the settings a couple months ago to let me decide what to install.

I haven't been able to get it to download anything for quite a while, it keeps telling me it's up to date, but my last update was on June 5th. That's impossible...I have another laptop that has quite a few updates on Windows 7 since June.

So today I asked it to look for updates and it just keeps running and running, 3 hours now. Is there something I can do to see if it's hung up or if there really are no updates available since June? Thank you.

14 replies

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Windows Update a (Original Post) Holly_Hobby Jul 2016 OP

ok do this steve2470 Jul 2016 #1

Thanks... Holly_Hobby Jul 2016 #2

ok this is complicated, so tell me which part you need help with, copying and pasting this.... steve2470 Jul 2016 #3

Ok, I can do this, I'll post again if I get stuck Holly_Hobby Jul 2016 #4

Sigh... Holly_Hobby Jul 2016 #5

ok one last thing steve2470 Jul 2016 #6

Nope, didn't help, I'm going to do a restore back to June 5th Holly_Hobby Jul 2016 #7

No idea, I'd go to the support forums, good luck! nt steve2470 Jul 2016 #8

Thanks!, Steve. Wilms Jul 2016 #10

Consider throwing this in the mix. Wilms Jul 2016 #9

on my system.... steve2470 Jul 2016 #11

manually download and install KB3172605 reboot & check for updates... Earth Bound Misfit Jul 2016 #12

great work! nt steve2470 Jul 2016 #13

I saw where a lot of people were having trouble... Holly_Hobby Aug 2016 #14

steve2470

(37,468 posts)

1. ok do this

Reply to Holly_Hobby (Original post)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 04:11 PM

Jul 2016

First try rebooting and try to update again.

If that doesn't work, try cleaning the update folders, which I can walk you through.

Holly_Hobby

(3,033 posts)

2. Thanks...

Reply to steve2470 (Reply #1)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 04:34 PM

Jul 2016

I rebooted, but it still says it's up to date. It's looking for updates but just spins. Howe do I clean the update folder? Thanks again.

steve2470

(37,468 posts)

3. ok this is complicated, so tell me which part you need help with, copying and pasting this....

Reply to Holly_Hobby (Reply #2)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 04:41 PM

Jul 2016

Resetting Windows Update Components will fix corrupt Windows Update Components.

Please follow the below steps to reset the Windows Updates Components:

1. Press Windows Key + X on the keyboard and then select “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the menu.

2. Stop the BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer and the Windows Update Services. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. Press the “ENTER” key after you type each command.

net stop wuauserv

net stop cryptSvc

net stop bits

net stop msiserver

3. Now rename the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folder. You can do this by typing the following commands in the Command Prompt. Press the “ENTER” key after you type each command.

ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old

4. Now, restart the BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer and the Windows Update Services. Type the following commands in the Command Prompt for this. Press the ENTER key after you type each command.

net start wuauserv

net start cryptSvc

net start bits

net start msiserver

5. Type Exit in the Command Prompt to close it and then restart the computer.

6.After restarting the computer, now retry to install Windows Updates.

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

Holly_Hobby

(3,033 posts)

4. Ok, I can do this, I'll post again if I get stuck

Reply to steve2470 (Reply #3)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 04:44 PM

Jul 2016

Thanks so much!

Holly_Hobby

(3,033 posts)

5. Sigh...

Reply to steve2470 (Reply #3)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 05:19 PM

Jul 2016

Still says up to date, says most recent check for updates is still June 5th. I've checked about 20 times since then, it just hangs. But thanks for your help.

steve2470

(37,468 posts)

6. ok one last thing

Reply to Holly_Hobby (Reply #5)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 05:24 PM

Jul 2016

1- Clean your C: drive, which is the usual default drive for Windows. You right click C drive, select properties and then click Disk Cleanup.

2- Go to those specific Windows Update folders that are in my first post and just delete them entirely. Reboot. Do Windows Update again. No worries, Windows will recreate those folders. If this doesn't work, I'd suggest going to the official Microsoft forums for help at:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7

Holly_Hobby

(3,033 posts)

7. Nope, didn't help, I'm going to do a restore back to June 5th

Reply to steve2470 (Reply #6)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 06:54 PM

Jul 2016

Do you think that might solve it? Thanks.

steve2470

(37,468 posts)

8. No idea, I'd go to the support forums, good luck! nt

Reply to Holly_Hobby (Reply #7)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 06:57 PM

Jul 2016

Wilms

(26,795 posts)

10. Thanks!, Steve.

Reply to steve2470 (Reply #8)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 07:58 PM

Jul 2016

See my post below.

Wilms

(26,795 posts)

9. Consider throwing this in the mix.

Reply to Holly_Hobby (Reply #7)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 07:51 PM

Jul 2016

Fix Windows Update errors by using the DISM or System Update Readiness tool
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/947821

I used it last night. It reported fixing a few errors but indicated an additional issue unresolved.

Then I saw this thread and deleted most of the contents of the C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution folder...some wouldn't delete. I couldn't find catroot...but now updating is beginning to happen.

Good luck!

steve2470

(37,468 posts)

11. on my system....

Reply to Wilms (Reply #9)

Sat Jul 30, 2016, 08:14 PM

Jul 2016

Last edited Sun Jul 31, 2016, 01:26 PM - Edit history (3)

the catroot folder is in the C:\WindowsSysWoW64 folder.

The Catroot folder (no idea why the C is now capitalized) is in the C:WindowsSystem32 folder.

The catroot2 folder is in the C:WindowsSystem32 folder.

I had the same problem deleting some stuff from WindowsSoftwareDistribution, but thankfully that fix worked for me.

I am a bit mystified why her problem is so difficult, but I'm not blaming her. Some configs are just difficult.

DISM is a good tool, as is the sfc /scannow command in Command prompt.

on edit: hmm, board software doesn't like the backslash sign in full file path.

last edit: &_#_9_2_; (delete the underscores) fixes the backslash problem on DU.

Earth Bound Misfit

(3,560 posts)

12. manually download and install KB3172605 reboot & check for updates...

Reply to Holly_Hobby (Original post)

Sun Jul 31, 2016, 07:12 AM

Jul 2016

32 bit download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53335
64 bit download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53332

About this update

This update contains some improvements to Windows Update Client in Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1. This includes the following:

An optimization that addresses long scan time for updates that's reported on some computers.
Fix for a Windows Update error 0x8007000E on some computers while they are updating.
Some reliability improvements.

steve2470

(37,468 posts)

13. great work! nt

Reply to Earth Bound Misfit (Reply #12)

Sun Jul 31, 2016, 01:00 PM

Jul 2016

Holly_Hobby

(3,033 posts)

14. I saw where a lot of people were having trouble...

Reply to Earth Bound Misfit (Reply #12)

Tue Aug 2, 2016, 08:16 AM

Aug 2016

because of plain old slowness and not anything having to do with errors. There was a fix for it waiting, if you have enough patience. So I let it run all night and it updated, and it's updating normally now. Thanks for all the help.

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