Windows updates issues - Win 7 laptop

The Black Oil

Currently trying to install Windows updates on a Win 7 Home Premium laptop that hasn't had any updates in about 3 years. 98 and 12 others. The majority installed - I'm now left with 7 that don't seem to want to budge. I ran CCleaner and Disk Cleanup just in case, but space is fine.

I've tried manually downloading individual updates based on their kb number...the installer just sits there 'searching for updates on this computer', and nothing else has happened for the past hour or so. I've restarted and tried to start the process once again.

Some of the updates are:

kb2574819
kb2830477
kb3048761

Windows Defender is having issues updating too.

Any suggestions?

The Black Oil

The Black Oil wrote: »

Currently trying to install Windows updates on a Win 7 Home Premium laptop that hasn't had any updates in about 3 years. 98 and 12 others. The majority installed - I'm now left with 7 that don't seem to want to budge. I ran CCleaner and Disk Cleanup just in case, but space is fine.

I've tried manually downloading individual updates based on their kb number...the installer just sits there 'searching for updates on this computer', and nothing else has happened for the past hour or so. I've restarted and tried to start the process once again.

Some of the updates are:

kb2574819
kb2830477
kb3048761

Windows Defender is having issues updating too.

Any suggestions?

Try stopping the Windows Update service and then install this one first:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-ie/kb/3102810

The Black Oil

Thanks, that installed OK and I restarted.

I tried to install some of the others (noted in the OP) as they were still in my Chrome downloads section. It said "This update is not applicable to your computer", so I presume I can ignore these, then?

I thought, following the restart, I'd need to stop Windows Update again through services.msc, so I did that. It doesn't seem to make any difference, but perhaps given the above I don't need to bother.

3/7 are drivers, the other 4 are Windows.

Fysh

Sometimes the Windows installer service stalls a bit and needs help. Try this:
1) Open an administrative command prompt and type the following:
net stop "windows update" & net stop BITS
(This stops the Windows Update and Background Intelligent Transfer Service services)
2) Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and rename the folder Download to Download.old.
3) Go back to the administrative command prompt and type the following:
net start "windows update" & net start BITS
4) Check for updates again.

The Black Oil

Thanks for this. I gave it a shot running command prompt as administrator. It's saying 'downloading updates, 0%' for the past 20 minutes or so. Same as before.

The Black Oil

No joy with this. Any other thoughts?

The Black Oil

Weird. Thought I got one update installed, restarted and now it's looking to install 101 updates, again. Wtf?

The Black Oil

Got it sorted in the end. Really just 8-10 hours of letting it sit there...updating.