How To Repair Windows 7 Update

For the most function, Windows Update works silently in the groundwork. Information technology downloads updates automatically, installs the ones it tin, and saves others to install when y'all restart Windows. But sometimes information technology breaks and stops working. Here's how to gear up Windows Update when it gets stuck or frozen.

Attempt running the Windows Update Troubleshooter, which you can search for in the Start carte du jour.
If that doesn't assistance, you can try deleting Windows Update's enshroud by booting into Condom Mode, stopping the wuauserv service, and deleting the files in C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.
If all else fails, download updates manually using the WSUS Offline Update tool.

This can happen on Windows 7, 8, or 10, but it'southward become especially common with Windows 7. Sometimes updates will error out, or sometimes Windows Update may but get stuck "searching for updates" forever. Here'due south how to fix Windows Update

Remember: Windows updates are important. No affair what troubles you're having, we recommend keeping automated updates turned on—it's i of the best ways to proceed yourself condom from ransomware and other threats. If you turn automatic updates off, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to new attacks.

Fix Windows Update with a Troubleshooter

Windows includes a born troubleshooter that may exist able to assist fix a stuck update. It's the easiest method to endeavor, and then go ahead and run it first. The troubleshooter performs 3 actions:

Information technology shuts down Windows Update Services.
Information technology renames the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.old , substantially clearing the Windows Update download cache so that information technology tin can showtime over.
It restarts the Windows Update Services.

This troubleshooter is bachelor on Windows vii, eight, and 10. You lot'll notice it in the same place on all modern versions of Windows.

To run the troubleshooter, hit Offset, search for "troubleshooting," and then run the selection that search comes upwards with.

In the Control Panel list of troubleshooters, in the "System and Security" section, click "Fix problems with Windows Update."

In the Windows Update troubleshooting window, click "Avant-garde."

In the advanced settings, make certain that the "Apply repairs automatically" check box is enabled, click "Run equally ambassador" and so click Next. Giving the tool administrative privileges helps ensure that it can delete files in the download enshroud.

The troubleshooter works through its procedure and so lets you know whether information technology could identify and fix the problem. Most of the time, the troubleshooter can successfully remove a stuck update from the queue. Go ahead and attempt running Windows Update again. Even if the troubleshooter says it couldn't identify the problem, information technology'southward possible that the deportment of starting and stopping the service and clearing out the cache did the pull a fast one on.

Fix Windows Update by Deleting Its Cache Manually

If you lot're still having problem after running the troubleshooter (or if you lot're the type that just likes to do things yourself), performing the aforementioned actions manually may assistance where the troubleshooter didn't. We're also going to add together the extra step of booting into Condom Mode start, but to brand sure that Windows tin can actually let go of that enshroud of Windows Update downloads.

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Start off past booting Windows into Safe Mode. On Windows seven, restart your computer and press the "F8" primal on your reckoner while it boots to access the kicking options menu, where yous'll find a "Safe Manner" option. On Windows 8 and x, concur down the Shift fundamental every bit you click the "Restart" option in Windows and navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Windows Startup Settings > Restart > Safe Mode.

Information technology'south a piddling more cumbersome than it used to be on the latest versions of Windows, but it'southward however reasonably straightforward. Of course, if you want, y'all could too accept some time to add Rubber Manner to the Windows kicking menu to go far easier in the future.

When you've booted into Safe Fashion, the side by side step is to stop the Windows Update service, and the easiest mode to do that is with the Control Prompt. To launch the Command Prompt in Windows 7, open the Starting time carte, search for "Control Prompt", and launch the Command Prompt shortcut. You'll also discover it under Kickoff > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt. In Windows 8 or ten, you tin can right-click the Beginning carte du jour (or press Windows+X), cull "Command Prompt (Admin)" and then click Yes to let it to run with authoritative privileges.

At the Command Prompt, type the following command and then hitting Enter to terminate the Windows Update service. Become alee and get out the Command Prompt window open.

net stop wuauserv

Next, open a File Explorer window and navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution . Delete all the files in the folder. Don't worry. There'due south zippo vital here. Windows Update will recreate what information technology needs the next time yous run it.

At present, you'll restart the Windows Update service. Return to the Control Prompt window, type the following, and hit Enter:

internet start wuauserv

When the service has restarted, y'all tin close Command Prompt and restart Windows into normal mode. Give Windows Update another effort and see if your trouble has been fixed.

Windows 7: Update the Windows Update Service

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If you're installing Windows seven from scratch, you'll find that Windows Update will have a very long time while checking for updates. This can likewise occur if you lot haven't checked for updates in a while, even if you installed your Windows 7 system long ago. This occurs fifty-fifty if you install Windows 7 from a disc or USB bulldoze with Service Pack one integrated, which you should. Microsoft's official Windows vii installation media downloads includes SP1.

Microsoft has at present provided official instructions about how to gear up this trouble. According to Microsoft, this trouble occurs because Windows Update itself needs an update, creating a bit of a catch-22. If the latest updates to Windows Update are installed, the process should work meliorate.

Here are Microsoft's official instructions for fixing the problem.

First, open Windows Update. Caput to Control Console > System and Security > Windows Update. Click the "Change Settings" link in the sidebar. Select "Never Check For Updates (Not Recommended)" in the dropdown box so click "OK".

Reboot your computer after you lot change this setting.

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Subsequently the calculator restarts, you'll need to manually download and install 2 updates for Windows 7. You'll need to check whether you lot're running a 32-bit version of Windows or a 64-chip version and download the advisable updates for your PC.

For 64-bit editions of Windows 7, download these updates:

KB3020369, Apr 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7 (64-fleck version)
KB3172605, July 2016 update rollup for Windows 7 SP1 (64-scrap version)

For 32-chip editions of Windows 7:, download these updates:

KB3020369, Apr 2015 servicing stack update for Windows seven (32-flake version)
KB3172605, July 2016 update rollup for Windows vii SP1 (32-bit version)

Double-click the "KB3020369" update to install it first.

After the first update finishes installing, double-click the "KB3172605" update to install information technology 2nd. You'll be asked to restart the calculator every bit office of the installation process. After it restarts, Microsoft says you should expect ten to twelve minutes to allow the procedure to finish.

When yous're done–remember to expect ten to twelve minutes after restarting–head dorsum to the Windows Update dialog at Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Update. Click "Change Settings" and set it dorsum to Automatic (or cull your desired setting).

Click "Bank check for Updates" to have Windows check for and install updates. According to Microsoft, this should have stock-still your problems and Windows Update should now piece of work normally without any long delays.

Windows 7: Get the Convenience Rollup

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Microsoft has also produced a "convenience rollup" for Windows 7. This is essentially Windows 7 Service Pack ii in all only proper name. It bundles together a large number of updates that would take a very long time to install ordinarily. This package includes updates released from February 2011 all the way to May sixteen, 2016.

To speed up the updating of a new Windows 7 system, download the convenience rollup and install it rather than waiting for Windows Update. Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn't offering the update rollup through Windows Update–you have to get out of your way to go it. But it's easy plenty to install if y'all know it exists and know you have to go looking for it after yous install Windows seven.

There will be much fewer updates to install via Windows Update afterward you install this, so the process should be much faster. Bank check out our instructions on installing the Conveniene Rollup hither.

Windows vii, 8, or ten: Download Updates Manually WSUS Offline Update

If none of the official solutions stock-still your problem, we have another solution that'due south worked for us in the past. It'south a third-party tool called WSUS Offline Update.

This tool volition download available Windows Update packages from Microsoft and install them. Run information technology once, have information technology download those updates and install them, and Windows Update should work normally later. This has worked for u.s.a. in the past when none of the other solutions did.

Download WSUS Offline Update, extract information technology to a folder, and run the UpdateGenerator.exe application.

Select the version of Windows you're using–"x64 Global" if you're using a 64-chip edition or "x86 Global" if you're using a 32-bit edition. Later on you practice, click "Start" and WSUS Offline Update will download updates.

Wait for the updates download. If it's a fresh install of Windows 7, there will be a lot of updates, so this may take quite a while. It depends on the speed of your Net connection and how fast Microsoft'due south download servers are for y'all.

After the updates are done downloading, open up the "customer" binder in the WSUS Offline folder and run the UpdateInstaller.exe application.

Click "Start" to install the downloaded updates. After the tool finishes installing the updates, Windows Update should work normally once again.

This should hopefully get a fleck easier in the future. In October 2016, Microsoft announced that it was making changes to the way Windows 7 and eight.ane are "serviced", or updated. Microsoft plans to release fewer minor updates and more bundles of big updates. It will as well begin combining previous updates into a monthly update rollup. This will hateful fewer private updates to install, and updating newly installed Windows 7 systems should become faster over time.