Have you tried patching a fresh install of Windows 7 lately? If you’re reading this then you’re probably stuck checking for updates right now.
I’ve seen a lot of articles explaining tons of ways to fix the perpetually checking issue. Not only are the articles usually difficult to follow, but none of them worked for me.
Of all the things I tried, this is what worked for me:
- Download and install update KB3050265 (make sure you download the correct file for your version of Windows)
- Restart computer when prompted
- Download and install update KB3102810
- Reboot when prompted
- Try running Windows Update again
NOTE: I had initially tried many different patches to fix this problem, including the patches listed above. Alas, it was to no avail. If you’re in the same situation, keep reading.
The following steps were the magic bullet for me:
- Go to “Add or remove programs”
- Click View installed updates
- Uninstall every listed update (it is not necessary to reboot for each individual update – reboot once when everything is uninstalled)
- Note: KB976902 was in my list but it did not have an uninstall option. This did not appear to cause an issue for me.
- Repeat the process installing the updates listed above
For me, the “checking for updates” process completed within just a few minutes after performing the steps above. I hope you have as much success escaping the clutches of the MS Update Curse.