Windows 7: Windows Update Checking Far To Long

[AngelfireUk83]

I've just been giving a laptop to upgrade and after reinstalling Windows 7 from the owner CD and downloading drivers and installing them along with some updates from WU I proceeded to download and install SP1, I restarted and once it rebooted I went to check for more updates. It asked for me to restart after it downloaded a small update for WU so I did and again once rebooted it now allows me to check for any updates that are remaining, issue I have is it's taking forever I've been waiting nearly 30mins for it to scan for any updates after SP1 and I am sure there is a lot since SP1 was out but it also depends on the system overall doesn't it.

Would there be a problem with Windows Update or something on my own rig below I've never had any issues with WU I didn't want to activate the fresh install in case there was an issue with any drivers I was installing or anything that may mean I have to do another fresh installation.

Any ideas?

Happy New Year by the way to everyone at OC Forums

 

[EarthDog]

There are no issues with activating and then having to reinstall, particularly on the same exact hardware.

Not sure I ever remember "WU" taking that long though to look for new updates. Did you try to reboot and try again?

 

[KharmaKazi]

this happened to me on the last cpl of installs, i was trying to update via wifi. it wouldn't find updates, just kept searching.
connected to lan cable before a re-boot and found the updates after a normal search time...
done this a cpl of times now and connecting to hard wire seems to do the trick ? for me anyway ?

 

[AngelfireUk83]

There are no issues with activating and then having to reinstall, particularly on the same exact hardware.

Not sure I ever remember "WU" taking that long though to look for new updates. Did you try to reboot and try again?

I decided to give it 15 mins and then reboot and another 15 mins but it still searches throughout the complete times I give it I'll try Kharms idea and use a ethernet cable see what that does

 

[kyfire]

Tis the nature of the beast, I'd say. I hadn't used my laptop in 8 months, on startup it searched and found updates. Total time foe search, download and install of updates.......3.5 HOURS!!

 

[AngelfireUk83]

Update 1: I tried the wired connection no luck so I'm going to leave it for a few hours see what happens I find it odd because my rig below gets them in no time after SP1 is installed.

Update 2: After a long task of trying the above I came across a small weird thing the BITS service wasn't starting it was set to manual so I set it back to Automatic (Delayed start) I've just set a scan to check for updates and still it's taking forever to bring up anything I actually don't even see any net activity from the wired connection either.

I downloaded a Microsoft Fix It which went through Windows Update and it fixed a few things but gave me the error code windows update error 0x80070490, I've searched for it and I'm looking for a fix now.


Update 3: Well I have tried everything I could find on the issue still no luck with the above I even came to end up downloading a 500mb patch from Microsoft called Update Standalone Package were I think it reinstalled Windows Update, first time it got stuck but after a reboot I tried again and it installed now I'm checking for updates again hopefully it will work this time because I am just baffled ??? another forum thread I found said it could be a dodgy hard drive ? how would a hard drive cause WU issues?

 

[mimart7]

You can try deleting the contents of the Software Distribution folder. Do not delete the folder, only the contents. Then run Windows Update.
Here is the path, C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

 

[AngelfireUk83]

Thanks mimart after I ran the Update Standalone Package I rebooted and I decided to leave it scanning while I was at work, I came back and it found 214 updates but I've checked what I need and unchecked what I don't like the annoying Windows 10 upgrade and the additional languages and set it to download but it's not doing anything no network activity at all. I don't want to reboot in order for it to have to scan again but I'll do the above and see what happens.