Unable to download Windows Updates

[beginner64]

Hello all.

Recently, when trying to download Windows Updates for important updates, the progress stays at 0KB, 0% complete and doesn't go any further. Tried downloading for several hours and still with no luck. (Currently have 7 important updates available at 28.1MB)

I've checked Windows Update history and Windows Defender definition updates are being automatically downloaded/installed with seemingly no issue.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Vistaar]

Welcome back to Vista Forums beginner64. Please check your update history again, and scroll down to find the last time a batch of security updates was successfully installed (not counting definition updates for Defender). What was the Date Installed? And is your Vista 32 bit or 64 bit?

 

[beginner64]

Thanks for the reply and the welcome Vistaar(My OS is Vista64bit)

During the month of September(and now October) is when I was having difficulties trying to download available Windows Updates.
According to the list, the last security updates download/installed succesfully were in August.
I was able to download a few updates during September, but most failed.
The updates that didn't download succesfully are marked as canceled.

Since yesterday, I changed the Windows Update setting to "Never check for Updates" and then rebooted.
All of the Windows Updates(for September) that were available to download seem to have been cleared, but still not downloaded.
Now, when I "Check for Updates" it justs runs for hours with no luck.
However my computer seems to be running smoother when Windows Update is set to "Never Check for Updates".

Here is a screen of Windows Update History as of today.

 

[Vistaar]

Problems like this are quite common; in fact I believe they are universal for Vista, and Windows 7 hasn't always been much better. A workaround was developed by someone who goes by Dalai and evidently lives in Germany.

First, set Windows Update to "Never Check for Updates," click OK and restart the PC. (Your PC seems to be running smoother because Windows Update consumes a lot of CPU and RAM while endlessly checking or attempting to download, triggering cooling fans.)

Next, you need to download (save) the following two Windows Update Standalone Installers. (These are both Important security updates that you should have by now anyway; in fact the first was among your Canceled updates of 9/15, whereas the second was just released October 11.) You will not be able to download these using IE 9, so use another browser such as Firefox, and be sure to select Save File.

KB3185911: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53697
KB3191203: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53952

First run the older KB3185911 by double-clicking. Restart afterwards, then run the newer KB3191203 and restart again. Then you can let Windows Update check for the remaining September and October updates. The check for updates will probably still take more than 30 minutes, but I believe it will end successfully with these two kernel-mode driver updates already installed. Let me know how it goes.


(Note to others who may read beginner64's thread: The list of updates you need to manually install might be longer, and in any case this advise will expire on November 8, 2016, when another security update for Windows kernel-mode drivers will probably be released.)

 

[beginner64]

Thanks for the well detailed instructions Vistaar.

- Downloaded and installed the 2 standalone installers successfully.

- Checked for Windows Updates manually and within 15 minutes was notified of 12 available important/recommended updates.

- Download and installed those updates successfully and it seems the OS currently is up-to-date. Thanks again.

Was wondering though, delete the standalone installer files?

And also, what would be the ideal setting for Windows Update at this time? (currently set to "Never Check For Updates")

 

[Vistaar]

Glad to hear it worked. You're actually the first person I know of to attempt a two-month version of the workaround since October 11 patches were posted, but I was very confident that the method was still applicable. Within 15 minutes you say? I'm wondering how much RAM your 64-bit system has. It took me 35 minutes to get just the October patches.

Yes, delete the installer files. (I believe they only work once anyway.) Some of us (at least Imacri and myself) are keeping Windows Update set to "Never Check for Updates" all the time now. I have found that this does not interfere with Security Essentials definition updates, but I haven't actually used Defender in a long time. (I hope you have an antivirus installed.) On the other hand, checking for updates does not seem to cause these problems when there are few if any updates to check for. The bad news is that trouble will almost certainly strike again on November 8 (the next Patch Tuesday). There will probably be another "must have" update that needs to be pre-installed in order to break the log jam. To find out what it is, check the last posts of http://www.vistax64.com/windows-updates/303992-windows-update-just-seems-hang-while-checking.html

 

[beginner64]

Appreciate the info.

Bookmarking related threads with ongoing updates as well.

Many thanks Vistaar.