Windows Update (Windows 7)

[tynewlin]

I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows Update stopped working a couple weeks ago. The updater starts and tries to download the available updates, but hangs at 0%, the hard drive access indicator goes solid, the computer locks up and eventually BSODs. My only options are the kill the process in Task Manager or restart before the BSOD actually happens. Anyone else have this problem or know why this is happening? I have disabled Automatic Updates and my machine runs beautifully until I try to install updates.

[Whaler_99]

Can try flushing the updates to see if something was corrupt? Go into services. (services.msc) Stop the Windows Update service and the Background Intellegience Transfer Service. Then going into Windows Explorer. C:\Windows - rename the "Software Distribution" folder, to something like .old (or just delete it). This is where Windows Updates are stored. Once missing, Windows re-does the whole WU detection process and downloads any needed updates. Start the two servies back up and run Windows Update. Hopefully this will help.

[tynewlin]

Can try flushing the updates to see if something was corrupt? Go into services. (services.msc) Stop the Windows Update service and the Background Intellegience Transfer Service. Then going into Windows Explorer. C:\Windows - rename the "Software Distribution" folder, to something like .old (or just delete it). This is where Windows Updates are stored. Once missing, Windows re-does the whole WU detection process and downloads any needed updates. Start the two servies back up and run Windows Update. Hopefully this will help.

Thank you, Whaler. Sounds like it would do the trick.

I've never once had any issues with Windows Update, so I'm not well versed in troubleshooting it.

I never post a question in a forum without first doing research of my own. I simply found nothing that was helpful or pertained to my specific issue.

I narrowed it down what was causing the problem - Security Update (KB2560656) which patches an exploit in Excel Documents. Just this one update that I really don't even need, so I won't hassle with it unless the problem reoccurs. The others installed fine, so I know WU isn't broken.

I don't even bother installing Office these days, what with Google Docs' compatibility and cloud storage assurance.

Thanks again for your hasty response. I may refer back to this if need be. Maybe this can help someone else with a similar problem, as I could not easily track down

[Ghost]

Can try flushing the updates to see if something was corrupt? Go into services. (services.msc) Stop the Windows Update service and the Background Intellegience Transfer Service. Then going into Windows Explorer. C:\Windows - rename the "Software Distribution" folder, to something like .old (or just delete it). This is where Windows Updates are stored. Once missing, Windows re-does the whole WU detection process and downloads any needed updates. Start the two servies back up and run Windows Update. Hopefully this will help.

I had this problem immediately with a fresh Windows 8 install. :(

[SubTract]

Can try flushing the updates to see if something was corrupt? Go into services. (services.msc) Stop the Windows Update service and the Background Intellegience Transfer Service. Then going into Windows Explorer. C:\Windows - rename the "Software Distribution" folder, to something like .old (or just delete it). This is where Windows Updates are stored. Once missing, Windows re-does the whole WU detection process and downloads any needed updates. Start the two servies back up and run Windows Update. Hopefully this will help.

I've had this problem a couple of times over the years. :(

[tynewlin]

Can try flushing the updates to see if something was corrupt? Go into services. (services.msc) Stop the Windows Update service and the Background Intellegience Transfer Service. Then going into Windows Explorer. C:\Windows - rename the "Software Distribution" folder, to something like .old (or just delete it). This is where Windows Updates are stored. Once missing, Windows re-does the whole WU detection process and downloads any needed updates. Start the two servies back up and run Windows Update. Hopefully this will help.

I had issues with a fresh Win8 install as well, Ghost. Mostly with the lockscreen. The sleep function would not always "wake up" properly and I'd get just a black screen. If it did awaken properly (or occasionally even from normal boot) the lockscreen would just blink repeatedly for about 10 seconds and not display the background image I had set. It seemed to only have that issue AFTER I selected a different image than the default. I didn't actually purchase it, I was really just doing an unregistered demo run. But I decided not to buy it yet and instead stick with my legit Win7 Home Premium for a while. At least until I build a new machine and Microsoft has a chance iron out some of the kinks.

[Reconciliasion]

maybe the windows is pirated

some pirated copies come 'pre-cracked' this means all the future updates [which unlock the cracker and show fake software] wont be downloaded

this may be blocked as part of the coding for the operating system - so it doesnt get uncracked and found out to be non-genuine software

trace where the origin of the software comes to

anything like ebay/piratebay/a friend, then you need a fresh OS with a legit serial key

something like HP/Alienware, contact customer support regardless of warranty, they can be under fraud for selling an unlicensed machine as licensed.

thanks

[tynewlin]

maybe the windows is pirated

some pirated copies come 'pre-cracked' this means all the future updates [which unlock the cracker and show fake software] wont be downloaded

this may be blocked as part of the coding for the operating system - so it doesnt get uncracked and found out to be non-genuine software

trace where the origin of the software comes to

anything like ebay/piratebay/a friend, then you need a fresh OS with a legit serial key

something like HP/Alienware, contact customer support regardless of warranty, they can be under fraud for selling an unlicensed machine as licensed.

thanks

My friend owns a legit copy of Win8 and I demo'd it from him. I just didn't enter his license key because I don't own it. Definitely wasn't pirated or pre-cracked.

It was the first thing to be installed on the machine I built just this past Christmas. Overall, I liked Win8 (though I did install a Start menu lol), just felt like I wasn't ready for the switch.

[mgsstar]

Use sfc /scannow in cmd in order to check whether your window files are corrupted... I think you have to run this in admin.

A page about this command: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

[BenHTBDT]

If you're up for doing a little diagnosis on your own, check out BlueScreen viewer (attached). It will tell you the driver that caused the BSOD.

For the following you'll need an Admin cmd prompt. To get this, hit the start button, type cmd into the search field, then ctrl+shift+enter to launch it as Admin.

Like mgsstar said, running sfc /scannow is a good idea, if there's any corruption in the OS it will attempt to repair it.

You may also want to run chkdsk /r /f to see if there is any faults on your disk. It will say it cannot do it while the disk is in use and will ask to schedule it on reboot. Say yes.

If neither of the above fix the problem, and you don't want to try BlueScreenView yourself, you could post a link to your minidump file (located at C:\windows\minidump)

and I could analyze it for you with the program. I don't know if you can upload to the forums or if you would need to use a third party host, but either way.