[WinVista Win7 Win8] GUIDE: Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

BrianDrab

BrianDrab

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If you are checking for Windows Updates and it seems to never finish and the CPU is pegged during this time (you may or may not notice the CPU issue) then this may help you. In most cases if you let it continue to check (up to 20 hours) it will find the updates. Then you would install them and then check and it would repeat the cycle.

I'm updating this guide as this problem has continued month after month and needs different updates to resolve.

A potential solution that one of the other staff members Corrine made me aware of is the following. It's fairly detailed.
Search for Windows Updates takes forever? - A possible solution

One of our members Willy2 has also put together a comprehensive guide on this.
Solve Windows Update problem (High CPU & memory usage)
 

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Re: GUIDE: Windows 7- Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

- Disagree. Based on other info this "Update" problem can't be solved by installing the "Roll Up" update. One needs to install a security update or a new "Update Client" to get Windows Update "moving" again.

See reply #20 in this thread:
windows 7 doesnt find updates... - Windows Security - Piriform Community Forums
Click to expand...

Thanks for the information. It does seem to be a different update every month but in the cases I have worked the info in the main post worked. If an OP tries it and it doesn't work they can feel free to try your method as well.
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows 7- Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

- I myself had the same problem. I re-installed Win 7 Pro SP 1 about one month ago. The 1st time I put Windows Update to work , WU ran for 3 hours without finding anything. Then I aborted WU and (manually) installed KB 3102810 and WU found all the updates within say 15 minutes WITHOUT "Svchost.exe" using A LOT OF CPU. Special thanks to the info I found on the "Bleepingcomputer" website and was happy to refer to on the Piriform website forum (see above).
After installing KB 3102810 - up to now - I didn't have any problems anymore with WU. Of coures, we'll have to see how things will play out in the (near) future.
- For those who don't have too much patience to go through all the weblinks I provided above and want to solve this WU problem ASAP, should go to Search for Windows Updates takes forever? - A possible solution everytime on or after every second tuesday of the month (= Patch Up Tuesday).
- If the "Roll Up" update solved the problem then one would suspect that the "Roll Up" Update also contains a update for the Update Client.
- MS provided this Update/Fix (KB 3102810), so I know/assume MS is aware of this problem. The MS webpage (see below) specifically mentions this one problem !!!. I certainly DO hope MS has solved the problem now with the new july 2016 Updates.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102810
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows 7- Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

- One link in the 1st post doesn't point to the proper webpage. If you want to install the June 2016 "Convenience RollUp" Update then read this "How to Geek" webarticle. It provides a good manual for the installation.
How to Update Windows 7 All at Once with Microsoft’s Convenience Rollup
(The "Roll Up" update is tagged as KB 3125574)
- I remain unconvinced that this "Roll Up" will fix the WU problem. Some else installed this update as well and after that still experienced the same WU problem.
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows 7- Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

I had to register just to thank you Willy2! You just saved me. :dance:

I took in three computers this week to work on, two of which haven't been online since 2014. Obviously they both needed many updates but I couldn't get them to find any. After I decided it wasn't the poor internet service in the small town I've moved to, I started doing all the normal fixes and nothing worked. Since then I've been through so many fixes, programs, hints, forums etc but yours was the one that finally has them updating!! You can't even imagine how relieved I am. What a nightmare!!
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows 7- Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

- @ShineCC: I am glad it helped you solving those pesky WU problems. Spread the good news !!!!
- The ugly WU problem has surfaced again in july 2016. But (manually) installing a new update (this time it was KB 3168965) fixed the problem. And that WU problem surfaced after installing the june 2016 "Roll Up" update.

Weblink:
Search for Windows Updates takes forever? - A possible solution
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows 7- Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

- A second prerequisite for obtaining/installing the "Convenience roll Up" update is to have Internet Explorer v6.0 or higher installed.
- There're 2 reasons why installing the "Convenience Roll Up" update is NOT the best way to solve the Windows Update problem:
1. It can/will take A LOT OF time to install that one Update (anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes). Each of the security mentioned at

Search for Windows Updates takes forever? - A possible solution

takes much less time to be installed.
2. It completely wipes the list of previously installed updates.
 
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Re: GUIDE: Windows 7- Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

@BrianDrab: I didn't like the guide you wrote to solve this particular Windows Update problem. So I wrote an improved version and posted it below.
====================================================================================

Since the 2nd quarter of 2016 "Windows Update" is causing problems on Windows 7 systems. Up to now Microsoft didn't provide a permanent solution for this problem. But as long as this problem persists, the text below provides a good guide to solve the "Windows Update" problem and get Windows 7 up to date as fast as possible.

Step 1: The first thing we must to do is to confirm that the user has indeed this particular "Windows Update" problem.
- Open in Task Manager the "Process"tab and make sure it displays all running processes, even those who run under the System Account.
- Open in Task Manager the "Service" tab and highlight the Service called "Wuauserv". Then right click and select "Go to Process". Task Manager will re-open the "Process" tab and highlight one "Svchost.exe" process. If the highlighted "Svchost.exe" process has high CPU usage in combination with high memory usage then it's indeed a Windows Update problem. Then and only then the user can proceed with Step 2.

Step 2:
- If you are not performing a fresh new clean re-install of Windows 7 then go to step 3.
- After installing Windows 7 you'll be asked to install the latest Windows Update Agent. Do it.
- Then Windows Update can run for hours or even days with high CPU & high memory usage before it finds any updates. Abort Windows Update and disable the Service called "Wuauserv".
- Download and install update KB 3102810.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102810
- Re-enable the Service "Wuauserv" and if all is well Windows Update will find the appropriate updates much faster. How fast depends on the speed of your internet connection, the speed of your system and how busy Microsoft's servers are. I had this problem as well and my system was able to find the updates within say 20 minutes (without high CPU).
- If you don't have the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 installed then download that Service Pack 1 and install it. For more instructions:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15090/windows-7-install-service-pack-1-sp1
- Install the socalled "Convenience Roll Up Update" of june 2016. My personal recommendation is that the user shouldn't install this update when the user has installed Windows 7 SP 1 and a lot of updates afterwards. Because installing this "Convenience Roll Up" can take A LOT OF time (up to an hour). For more details:
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3125574
- "How-to-Geek" also has a good webarticle with LOTS of details on how to handle this particular update package.
How to Update Windows 7 All at Once with Microsoft’s Convenience Rollup
- Before the user can download and install this "Roll Up Update" the user must do 2 things:
- Download and install update KB 3020369. If the user already has this update then Windows 7 will report that.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020369
- Enable or install Internet Explorer (v6.0 or higher). For the time being only Internet Explorer is able to download this "Convenience Roll Up" package from the appropriate Microsoft website.
- Install the "Roll Up Update". It can take up to one hour (!!!) before this update has completed ALL the required modifications of your system.
- When this "Roll Up" package has been installed then the user also has installed a number of socalled "telemetry" updates. There're programs available on the internet that can switch off/disable those telemetry features.
- After installing this "Roll Up" update the entire list with installed updates will be erased. The list with installed updates will show that only one update has been installed.
- Enable the Service called "Windows Update".

Step 3:
- The user can experience (again) that Windows Update runs for hours or even days (again) before finding any update. Visit this website

http://wu.krelay.de/en/

2 or 3 days after each second tuesday of the month (= Microsoft's Windows Update Tuesday) when Windows takes a long time to find updates (again). It contains new instructions every month on how to (temporarily ??) fix the high CPU caused by Windows Update.

(If readers of this guide find any errors or have suggestions for improvements then send me a PM)
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows 7- Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

Below an improved guide for solving this Windows Update Problem:
==================================================

Since the 2nd quarter of 2016 "Windows Update" is causing problems on Windows 7 systems (High CPU & high memory usage). Up to now Microsoft didn't provide a permanent solution for this problem. But as long as this problem persists, the text below provides a good guide to solve the "Windows Update" problem and get Windows 7 up to date as fast as possible.

Step 1: Confirm that the problem is indeed this particular "Windows Update" problem.
===================================================================
- Open in Task Manager the "Process" tab and make sure it displays all running processes, even those who run under the System Account.
- Open in Task Manager the "Service" tab and highlight the Service called "Wuauserv". Then right click and select "Go to Process". Task Manager will re-open the "Process" tab and highlight one "Svchost.exe" process. If the highlighted "Svchost.exe" process has high CPU usage in combination with high memory usage (say >100 - 120 MB) then it's indeed a Windows Update problem. Then and only then the user can proceed with this guide.


- If the user is not performing a new clean re-install of Windows 7 then skip steps 2 & 3 and proceed with step 4.

Step 2: Problems with "Windows Update" after (re-)installing Windows 7:
========================================================
- Right after installing the user will be asked to install the latest Windows Update Agent. Do it.
- Then Windows Update can run for hours or even days with high CPU & high memory usage before it finds any updates. If that's the case then abort Windows Update and disable the Service called "Wuauserv".
- Download and install update KB 3102810.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102810
- Re-enable the Service "Wuauserv" and if all is well Windows Update will find the appropriate updates much faster. I had this "Windows Update" problem as well and with these instructions my system was able to find more than 200 updates within say 20 minutes.
- Download and install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 if you don't already have installed that Service Pack 1. For more details:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15090/windows-7-install-service-pack-1-sp1

Step 3: Install the "Convenience Roll Up" Package:
======================================
My personal recommendation is that the user should NOT install this update/package when the user has installed Windows 7 SP 1 and a lot of updates afterwards. Because then this package provides a (very) limited amount of extra (security) updates only at the expense of a (very) LONG installation time (up to one hour).

More info can be found at:
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3125574
- How to Update Windows 7 All at Once with Microsoft’s Convenience Rollup

Before the user can download and install this "Roll Up Update" the user must do 2 things:
1. Download and install update KB 3020369. If the user already has this update installed then Windows 7 will report that.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020369
2. Enable or install Internet Explorer (v6.0 or higher). For the time being only Internet Explorer is able to download this "Convenience Roll Up" package from the appropriate Microsoft website.

- Install the "Roll Up Update". It can take up to one hour (!!!) before this update has completed all the required modifications of your system.
- When this "Roll Up" package has been installed then the user also has installed a number of socalled "telemetry" updates. There're ways to disable/switch off those telemetry features. GOOGLE it.
- After installing this "Roll Up" update the entire list with installed updates will be erased. The list with installed updates will show that only one update has been installed.

Step 4:
===========
If the user (still) has still this particular Windows Update problem then visit this website:

http://wu.krelay.de/en/

This website provides detailed instructions on how to get Windows Update "moving again". And the website will be updated every month, if and when needed. That info should be sufficient to solve this Windows Update problem.
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows 7- Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

- It's better to follow the guide on the webpage mentioned below. The "Tweaking.com" forum allows me to update that guide everytime when I think it requires to be updated/improved. And it already has been improved/updated multiple times. Whereas "Sysnative" only allows modifications for a very short time (hours ?, one day ?).

Solve Windows Update problem (High CPU & memory usage)

(If people think the info in that thread needs to be improved more then send me a PM. I am open to any suggestions.)

@Briandrab: I am sorry to mess up this thread. No offense meant (!!!) but doing it this way simply gives me more flexibility.
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows 7- Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

I used the fix outlined in post #12. I only used Step 1 and Step 4 (which sent me to http://wu.krelay.de/en/). I am happy to report that my subsequent Windows Update search finished up in less than 10 minutes (on a machine that had not been updated since 2013). Thanks, Willey2, for pointing me to that website!!
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows Vista, 7, 8 - Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

- Microsoft released a new update to improve "the stability of the Servicing Stack". Is this the fix for the nagging Windows Update problem many Windows users have experienced since the second quarter of 2016 ?

For more info (Win 7 & Windows Server 2008 systems):
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3177467

I assume Vista & Win 8 users will have to install a similar update for their OS as well.


- If this is the (final ??) fix for this nagging Windows Update problem then it's weird that this update/fix is considered to be "Optional". I think it should be branded as "Important".
- The only problem is that Windows Update has be working and it doesn't "ages" to find that one new update. To be installed manually ?
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows Vista, 7, 8 - Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

Nice find!
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows Vista, 7, 8 - Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

- The MS update for the "Service Stack" was released on september 20, 2016. Seems MS was in a hurry to get this update "out the door".
- After a bit of GOOGLE-ing I found this thread on the "SuperUser" forum website. The "Servicing Stack" is definitely related to "Windows Update".

windows - What is the servicing stack and how does it work? - Super User
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows Vista, 7, 8 - Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

Willy2 said:
- The MS update for the "Service Stack" was released on september 20, 2016. Seems MS was in a hurry to get this update "out the door".
- After a bit of GOOGLE-ing I found this thread on the "SuperUser" forum website. The "Servicing Stack" is definitely related to "Windows Update".

windows - What is the servicing stack and how does it work? - Super User
Click to expand...

Here's another link with a little more information for the curious: Understanding Component-Based Servicing | Ask the Performance Team Blog
 
Re: GUIDE: Windows Vista, 7, 8 - Very Slow Scan Times When Checking for Updates

- I experienced something horrible. 2 days ago I installed some (new) .NET software (didn't remember what version) and it "broke" WU. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr. And no, removing this software didn't help to "un-break" WU. OMG & Ouch.
- In that regard the warning becomes: Be careful with installing .NET software. It COULD "break" WU.
 
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