Have you ever had windows update stuck checking for updates for hours? Usually updates are running automatically and hidden in the back, except when it’s necessary to restart the device. But sometimes update get stuck checking for it.
This is happening on all windows versions, including Windows 10. Sometimes it’s only a problem with one update like with some .NET framework update, but sometimes update is searching in perpetuity.
From the Windows 7 version is available Troubleshooting tool in Control panel which can find and fix problems like setting of the network card, wi-fi, sound cards and to correct errors with patching.
How to troubleshoot Windows Update?
It’s always good to have latest updates for windows installed, but that things are going smoothly, it is necessary to periodically check if update agent is ok and that you have latest version of Windows Update agent:
32-bit Windows 7 SP1
64-bit Windows 7 SP1
32-bit Windows 8
64-bit Windows 8
Script for resetting Windows Update Agent
If Troubleshooting tool didn’t repair problem, we have some more solutions available. First you can reset the update agent. The script Reset Windows Update Agent Tool is located in the Microsoft Script Center and applies to all versions of Windows; XP, Vista, 7,8,10.
Windows 7
For good working of update agent in windows 7 you have to download and install this patches:
64-bit Windows 7:
KB3020369, April 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7 (64-bit version)
KB3172605, July 2016 update rollup for Windows 7 SP1 (64-bit version)
32-bit Windows 7:
KB3020369, April 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7 (32-bit version)
KB3172605, July 2016 update rollup for Windows 7 SP1 (32-bit version)
Sometimes this patches are not enough, so you have to install Windows 7 rollup, which fixes Windows update agent and a lot of other bugs. They says it’s basically Windows 7 Service Pack 2 and includes fixes from February 2011 onwards:
At least one of the preliminary solutions should resolve the stuck checking for update problem in Windows. There is one more solutions that allows WSUS Offline Update, but more about this tool some other time, because until now it was not necessary to use this tool for offline installation, on of the preliminary solution was enough.