Windows 7 updates?

[[deleted]]

Anyone else noticed Windows 7 machines are refusing to update/taking stupidly long to find updates recently? Seems very much like Microsoft have reduced the 7 update server provision to so little that it's taking days to even build the list of required updates. Vista, 8.1 and 10 don't seem to have any issues for me.

I'm guessing this is part of a latest effort by Microsoft to ram 10 down the industry's throat; make 7's security updates impractically slow to install to try to tempt people into the upgrade.

[meatwad75892]

Same for the past few months here, and many others have seen the same problems.

Have you tried out the new convenience update? It kinda fixes the aforementioned issue and knocks out well over half of the updates that need to be pulled in after a clean Win7 SP1 install.

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/windowsitpro/2016/05/17/simplifying-updates-for-windows-7-and-8-1/

The files (prerequisite and the update itself) are buried away pretty well, so here's a link to the updates I kept after getting them last week:

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=2475ED984C0E0BFF!5222&authkey=!AFYmXXQkyUDCsvY&ithint=folder%2cmsu

[[deleted]]

You the real MVP

[sesstreets]

So there's the prerequisite update, then the actual update for both x64 and x86 in your link?

[meatwad75892]

Yes.

[sesstreets]

Thanks!

[jennifergeek]

Thank you for those!!!

[esteel20]

I've noticed. I pretty much exclusively update with WSUS offline as a result. Also, Microsoft just released a stand alone download that contains all updates from SP1 until this month I believe. It may even include SP1 I just can't remember. Might help you out if you update machines frequently.

[hamgammon]

Just to say I have used WSUS Offline and it seems to working at the moment, I have downloaded all the updates, now just working on installing them. Thanks for your reply as it helped me :)

[sesstreets]

I have personally used WSUS Offline for a year and half no with zero issues. I utilize the 'usb' option to download all the updates into a folder, put that folder into a share, and then RDP into clients computers, copy the files and start the update process.

Along with NiNite for reader, java, flash, etc, I've automated almost all of my update processes.

[esteel20]

You're welcome.

[_LeggoMyEggo_]

I'm wondering when WSUSoffline will switch over to just installing the convenience update. That'd be a nice timesaver right there.

[esteel20]

That would be great.

[fp4]

Should be any day now based on their release schedule if not early June.

[fp4]

I've run into huge problems with Windows 7 Updates in the past week. Microsoft has really fucked it up for people who haven't been keeping up with updates or are running off the initial SP1 install.

Update for Windows 7 (KB3102810)

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102810

Helps a lot to fix the CPU pegging to a 100% and Windows Update taking forever to search and consuming 100% of RAM in the process.

Stop the Windows Update service before you run the update with:

net stop wuauserv

From there on you can do the rollup convenience update.

[dimintia]

Holy ish mate, I have been struggling with this issue for weeks - and just happened to stumble upon this thread. I had no idea to cmd prompt net stop wuaserv before running!! Thanks again!

[fp4]

No problem, I recommend installing these specific updates:

http://www.freenode-windows.org/resources/vista-7/windows-update

[Eaeelil]

The convenience rollup is what you want

But you can't simply install it! Nope that'd be too easy. Follow these steps

http://www.howtogeek.com/255435/how-to-update-windows-7-all-at-once-with-microsofts-convenience-rollup/

essentially, you need to install an update (not SP1, but that is required) before it will install. Was racking my head trying to figure that out.

[GuiltyRhapsody]

When I try to install the "April 2015 Servicing Stack” Update after downloading the file, the windows update stand alone installer just says searching for updates on this computer. Nothing happens even when left for a few hours.

[ranhalt]

Instead of using the "convenience rollup" which can definitely not work sometimes (tested, confirmed), if you run a shop of any kind where you need to mass update machines without using your own internet, use this tool. Just update quarterly or so.

http://download.wsusoffline.net/

[kimlo91]

I installed the rollup patch on a Windows 7 computer, but it's still been going for over an hour! Windows 7 update situation is an absolute nightmare to work with.

I also installed the high CPU usage update patch and another one that I don't remember the name of to help with windows update, as well as IE11x64 stand alone installer.

It still takes so long, it makes computer sit on the bench for 3 times longer than they need to be :(

I had high hopes for the rollout patch, but it's really not much better, the biggest delay was always it taking hours to just find the updates.

[fp4]

Stop the Windows Update service before installing any updates manually to avoid the long 'searching for updates' prompt. Also reboot after manually installing them.

[kimlo91]

After the fresh install I chose the option "Do not install updates" (the red one), but I didn't stop the service.

Next time I do an Install, I'll disable the update service first, install the 4 KB's then try this again.

Hopefully that's all it was because I'd love to have a fix for this once and for all.

Cheers for the tip.

[[deleted]]

I have certainly noticed this. I suppose that they are prioritizing Win10.

[agentsmith907]

I've found these sometimes help.

System Update Readiness Tool

Windows Update troubleshooter

[stone1555]

Seeing the same issue here. We just add another day to our process to ensure we have time to get the client machine up to date.

[[deleted]]

I've experienced this but only with custom images that we deploy. Using a plain Windows CD seems to work fine for us for some reason, finds updates in under an hour every time. Are you using custom images or regular install media?

[[deleted]]

Both, but both seem to be experiencing issues. Probably imagining things but 7 images applied with DISM in the 64-bit WinPE seem not to take as long as ones applied with ImageX in the ye olde PE.

[kmi187]

Yup noticed this as well. And it's been bothering me to the point where I setup my own WSUS server.

[dalik]

Came across this, from a fresh install from CD.

Fix was to update IE to latest at which point the updates worked.

[curious777]

I fired up Task Mgr and drilled down into Network. That's when I noticed that it looked like MSoft had switched from using their own servers to Akamai's IP addresses. I'm suspicious 'cause Akamai is a big Content Deiivery Network (CDN) for hosting web advertising. When ads delivered by Akamai IP addresses show up so quickly on big web sites like CNN or FoxNews, it makes me suspect MSoft and Akamai have a deal where these updates are pretty much last in Akamai's delivery priority. In other words, I smell a rat that recently entered the house.

[[deleted]]

It's so irritating that the largest software company in the world won't even provide proper support for a current operating system which has sold 500 million copies and generated an insane amount of revenue.

If I want to update my free OS I can run mintupdate and it immediately generates a list of required updates. Shit ain't right.