Windows update stuck. Fix It is stuck. So is KB947821. What should I do?

Question

I installed a new computer. After I installed it I updated everything and let the computer run for days. Then I don't know what my daughter did. The computer stopped responding and Windows Update no longer works.

People said to run Microsoft's Fix It tool. Fix It ran but the problem persists and Windows Update still doesn't work. The problem changes though. Before there was an error code. Now Windows Update simply says "Updating" and never ends.

So I downloaded KB947821. It's been 3 hours and it's still installing.

Looks like it hit a firewall or something. I don't see Windows Update on the firewall exception list. However, I've never heard that this is an issue. The firewall only protect against incoming connections, not outgoing right? Or am I missing something?

What should I do?

Solution 1

In the first releases of KB947821, Microsoft warned customer on the information page about it that it would appear to be stuck: it still does that, but their warning seems to have disappeared.

I'm running it on my system at this very instant and it looks like it's stuck, but it isn't. Do not worry: just start it before you go to bed and forget it. If it still seems to be stuck when you wake up, then it really is stuck. You probably are going to want to run System Restore, to any time prior to when your daughter had the computer, since you don't know what happened when she was using it.

But before doing anything, even the KB947821, run a quick scan with whatever security program you are using. Then run checkdisk, but run the complete scan (it will be a 5 step process):

• Go to computer, right-click on your HDD and select Properties.
• Go to Tools, under "Error-checking" click "Check now", and in the little box that comes up, put a checkmark in both boxes, then reboot.
• It will run when it reboots, and will take hours to run, depending on how big your drive is.
• When it gets through, open an elevated command prompt (type command into the Start menu search box, then right click on "Command prompt" when it comes up and select "Run as administrator").
• Type in sfc /scannow, then hit Enter, and let that run. It may take a couple of hours.

Then and only then get the latest KB947821 (keep a copy on your desktop or on a removable hard drive; they just released a new version) and run it, as you have done. And run a complete system scan with your security program, then get Malwarebytes free version, download it, update it, and scan your system with it. That's your "second opinion" on security. I get a "third opinion" also on occasion, one of the online free scans, Trend Micro's House Call.

All of this will take a day. If your system isn't working at that point, you need to try System Restore. If that doesn't work, you will have to repair Windows one way or another, by doing a repair install or something of the sort. You may have to use the recovery console to get System Restore or even sfc to work.

Solution 2

In Dec '16 I had Windows update issues (not updating for hours & in one case days) on new install on one Lenovo T530 & at same time on Lenovo T430s. I spent probably 4 hrs a day for a 6 days looking & trying different stuff.

I solved it using another Super User post, Windows 7 SP1 Windows Update stuck checking for updates. After following the answer by @ElderGeek things finally came together on the T530.

Following the guidance given (in terms of manual updates requests, going into msconfig.exe, reboots, etc) I have only the following updates when it finally started working correctly on the T530:

• KB3172605
• KB947821
• KB3138612
• KB3125574
• KB3020369

Again they weren't necessary loaded in that order, rather following the guidance given. MS support adopted this as solution but it isn't outlined as well as @ElderGeek did.

Solution 3

This article has some information on how to proceed when updates freeze. Looks like a good place to start with before we look at the last option of a re-install.

It is better to set update settings to Manual and let you suggest installing updates instead of automatic. This gives you the option to install updates only if it is necessary for the system.

Comments

[paintbox]

Secondly, I've had to face this once on a fresh install, and only reason i could find was some windows update conflicting. Only fix that worked for me is a reinstall and configuring update settings to check for updates but ask me before install from automatic. There are updates not required at all which doesn't need to be installed. Make use of the description. A little effort on googling will make it easy to decide if this update is really needed or not.

[user4951]

I reinstall. Install the lan. And then do update a little at a time. Yea, check updates, but let us choose whether we wantto download or not.

[user4951]

Your answer will be useful once I have an old installation. For this one, I'll just reinstall. Thanks anyway +1 selected.

[Indrek]

Welcome to SuperUser! Next time please break your text up into paragraphs for easier readability. You can also use additional formatting options, like lists for instructions, code formatting for commands to be typed in, and so on. See superuser.com/editing-help for more information.

[Matt]

If anyone did what I did and cancelled the install when it got stuck, then found the file wouldn't install at all, I found I was able to install the update again after renaming the folder %windir%\CheckSUR

[Dan Dascalescu]

If it takes days to scan an whatnot, and given the OP's Windows was freshly installed, it's fastser to just wipe and install Windows + select updates again.

[DavidPostill]

Welcome to Super User! This is really a comment and not an answer to the original question. You can always comment on your own posts, and once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post. Please read Why do I need 50 reputation to comment? What can I do instead?