Anyone out there in "Windows7ville" experiencing those DREADED slooooowww updates, or is it seeming to hang / freeze without actually downloading and installing your security updates??
I struggled with this exact same issue regarding Windows 7 Updates.. (SLOOOW download times, Win7 Update basically "hanging" at the "searching for updates" portion of the install procedure), you name it! Fortunately, I got fed-UP with these problems and "dug down deep" in researching for a "fool-proof" solution!
This issue apparently stems from the fact that Microsoft in all their "wisdom" decided to change how their update servers "hand out" their updates to computers requesting Windows 7-related updates, after Windows 8/8.1 was released.
Here's the fix(es) which worked for me:
First, we need to find out what version of Windows 7 (32 or 64 bit) we have:
Click the Start button. Right-click "Computer", and then left-click "Properties" from the resulting pop-up menu. This will bring up a new window showing what version of Windows 7 you have, what type of CPU, how much system RAM, and most importantly if it is 32 or 64-bit.
(For this solution, I'm assuming that one has the 64 bit version of Windows 7. If you have 32 bit, then at any time during this process you see a different choice to download the 32 bit version of an update, please do so. Also, you MUST have Service Pack 1 installed on Windows 7 for this guide to be successful. If you don't have it installed yet, please download the full installer and run it before continuing:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5842
Make SURE you restart once SP1 has finished installing!)
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First, click the "start button" (Lower-left corner of your screen.. looks like the windows logo in a "bubble"). In the search blank at the bottom of the "start menu", type in "cmd". When it shows the result, right-click it, and then left-click "Run as Administrator". Keep this window open, but shrunk-down and off to the side a bit, as you'll need to run a command a couple times during this process.
1.) Type in (or copy and paste this) into the command prompt:
net stop wuauserv
Press "enter" / "return". This will completely stop the background Windows Update service, preventing it from interrupting our repairs / updates to Windows Update.
2.) Download and run (I recommend Google Chrome or FireFox browser -- steer clear of using Internet Explorer, as it's FULL of non-fixable security flaws!!):
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3138612
This will ask you if you're sure you'd like to run this. Just keep saying "yes" or "ok".. (basically give it a positive response until it finishes). When it's done, restart your PC.
3.) Once your PC has fully restarted and you're back at your desktop screen, (you can see your wallpaper and all your "usual" desktop icons), REPEAT STEP 1... Then go back onto the web. Download and run:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102810
Once again, give it "positive responses" if it asks if you're sure you want to install this update package... Restart your PC once more after it's done.
Now, If you'd like to get all the most needed and necessary security updates done and over-with in "one fell swoop", then download and install the "Windows 7 Convenience Update", which will get your PC up-to-speed and up-to-date with security fixes MUCH more quickly!!
(Again, please repeat Step 1 before continuing!)
First, we'll need to run a quick "service stack update" on the updater service. Download and Run:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020369
On the service stack update page, remember to pick from the first two choices, based on if you have 64 bit or 32 bit.
Restart your PC once it's finished!
Repeat Step 1.
Now, onto the "Convenience Update"
Download and Run:
For 64 Bit:
http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/updt/2016/05/windows6.1-kb3125574-v4-x64_2dafb1d203c8964239af3048b5dd4b1264cd93b9.msu
For 32 Bit:
http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/updt/2016/05/windows6.1-kb3125574-v4-x86_ba1ff5537312561795cc04db0b02fbb0a74b2cbd.msu
As "always", restart your PC once the update finishes!
I hope this helped someone! Please let me know if it did, and have a truly excellent day!
