Checking for Updates - Stuck Win 7

Correct Lead3, but I would advise Windows Update service be stopped and a reboot take place in addition to the Never setting.

Several of us have been working on an improved set of instructions.  I'll include it here. Feedback is more than welcome.......

August 18, 2016

Windows Update has become quite problematic for Windows 7 users.  For the past year or so, we've been working to find a solution that will work for you.  We have found one that works very well indeed for most.  We know for certain this works well for August 2016 until the September 2nd Tuesday, known as Patch Tuesday.

We hope to be able to update this for September.

We emphasize that for this to work, you must follow exactly as this describes.

There are two main types of Windows 7 installations: 32 bit or 64 bit.  You need to know what is installed in your computer.  Click the Start globe, type system in the box. Choose System information in the list.  The techie shorthand for 32 bit is x86 and for 64 bit is x64

1.   Start Windows Update and change the Setting to Never check for updates.  We recommend you keep that setting.  Then Windows Update will no longer be automatic.  From this point onwards, you are responsible for starting and installing updates.  We recommend you do that a few days following the 2nd Tuesday each month.

2.   The process starts by ensuring that there is nothing running that will prevent the update from working properly.  Click on the Start globe and type services into the text box.  Click on Services in the list that pops up.  In the window that then pops up (its alphabetic), find Windows Update.  Right-click on it (left-click if your mouse is set for left-handers) and choose Stop. 

3.   Restart your computer.

4.   You are now going to download and install either one or two updates manually.  In most cases only the first (KB3172605) of these is needed.  If that produces a result that says the update is not appropriate for you computer, you need to first install the 2nd of these (KB3020369), then install the first (KB3172605).  Choose the one that is for your machine -- 32 bit (X86) or 64 bit (X64).

KB3172605:

32 bit

https://download.microsoft.com/download/C/D/5/CD5DE7B2-E857-4BD4-AA9C-6B30C3E1735A/Windows6.1-KB3172605-x86.msu

64 bit

https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/6/0/560504D4-F91A-4DEB-867F-C713F7821374/Windows6.1-KB3172605-x64.msu

KB3020369:

32 bit

https://download.microsoft.com/download/C/0/8/C0823F43-BFE9-4147-9B0A-35769CBBE6B0/Windows6.1-KB3020369-x86.msu 

64 bit

https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/D/0/5D0821EB-A92D-4CA2-9020-EC41D56B074F/Windows6.1-KB3020369-x64.msu

5.   After restarting your computer, wait about 10 minutes until Windows Update completes its tasks.  Do not use the computer for any other purpose during this wait period.

6.   Start Windows Update.  It will take only a few minutes to come up with a list and download the updates you select.  The process is quite normal as it always was from this point onward.

If your computer has not been updated for a long time, it may take longer.

First in Windows updates settings, set to Never check for updates. 

Then reboot your computer, then install KB3020369, if not installed.

Then install KB3172605.

Windows updates should return to normal.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3020369

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605

You can then set the Windows update settings back to what they were.