Windows Update stuck at 0% and not downloading

Please run the Windows Update Troubleshooter:
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9830262

Please provide the exact details of any problem it reports as not fixed.

Thanks for the speedy reply...

Just waiting for Malwarebytes to finish and then Kaspersky scan (which I'll run separately afterwards) and then I'll run the Update Troubleshooter as advised above and report back.

Further info to initial post...

When I download and then try to install KB3138612 it downloads fine but when I attempt to install this is what I get:

Have downloaded the above file (KB3138612) and saved to a folder.  Also downloaded and saved to the same place is KB947821 (System Update Rediness Tool - SAR) both of which I can run after disconnecting from the internet should the need arise.

I have also downloaded the Windows Update Diagnostic .cab file (9830262) in your reply and saved that to the same folder, link: http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9830262

Many thanks

Beej

UPDATE:  Malware bytes has just completed and found no threats (yay!)

First off, you should not have installed both Kaspersky and Malwarebytes.  Malwarebytes thinks it is an AV too and will cause conflicts.  Second, Kaspersky has been guilty of causing these problems.  Consider removing it at least temporarily.

If your system has never been re-installed, consider seriously doing this.  It would produce a dramatic improvement in performance.

IF you do a re-install, a fix for the Windows update following a re-install has been discovered by Ken Morely.

1) Download KB3083710 and KB3102810 in advance on to a USB stick

2) Disconnect the computer from the Internet

3) Perform a fresh reload from Recovery Media or Windows 7/64 with SP1 RTM.

4) Manually install KB3083710 and restart - WU components.

5) Manually install KB3102810 and restart - WU components

6) Restore the Internet connection and launch Windows Update as normal.

7) After a few minutes, you should have plenty of updates to download and install.

Ken Morley

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-update/windows-update-remains-at-checking-for-updates/ff3c442e-79a6-40d3-ac35-29e130cebef1

Further update..

After Malware bytes reported no issues, Kaspersky also reported no threats found.

Now running Windows Update Diagnostic (9830262) as per posts #2 and 3.

The above fixed several problems but saying 1 error wasn't fixed, error code 0x80070057:

Any further suggestions?

Going to disable WiFi and try to install KB3138612

Will then try Windows Update again to see what (if anything) happens.

Beej

Yep a familiar sight :/

Run sfc /scannow three times in a row restarting before running it again
Click Start and type in the search box
cmd
Right click the suggestion on the top and run as administrator
Then type
sfc /scannow
Then the enter key.
Yes there is a space between the c /
When the scan is done type
exit.
Restart the machine and repeat 2 more times.

Then,
Use winkey+R
Type in the Run box,
eventvwr
Windows logs on the left column and expanded them and right click and click on clear on the 4 entries below,
Applications
Security
Setup
System
Exit and restart the machine again

Repeat the system readiness tool again.

You can help it by setting you windows update settings to Automatic

If you don't want the win-10 stuff Uncheck Give me recommended updates the same as Important...

Set the install time to the top of the hour in advance/ save.

Restart again

On restart verify these services

Then click Start and type in the search box
services
Click the suggestion or the enter key
Make sure these services are running and on automatic or delayed start.
Double click the listings to get the options to change them.
Background intelligent transfer services
Cryptographic
Windows installer
Windows update

Run the readiness tool.

@Canadian Tech

Don't want to go down the re-install Windows route just yet if I can avoid it : )

@Thrash - many thanks for your input.

Further update.

Turned WiFi off so I was no longer connected to the internet.

I stopped Windows Update (in Services.msc) and then killed the associated PID

Then ran the previously downloaded KB3138612 (an update to Windows Update) and managed to successfully install this.

Re-booted machine & kept WiFi off.

Had to kill the PID associated with wuauserv again (via elevated command prompt)

Tried to install SUR (System Update Rediness Tool) KB 947821 - but got the message that my machine was incompatible with the software (or some such error).

Re-booted machine and turned WiFi on, re-started Windows Update (in Services.msc) and ran Windows Update.

Has been showing me the following for the last hour and no updates apparently downloaded:

Don't know why it is showing that I have never checked for updates or installed updates as this is what I get when I click in 'View Update History':

Will try your suggested fix - except the Rediness Tool doesn't seem to want to run on my machine.

Is this because it is only Win 7 Home Premium and not Pro?

UPDATE:  Version I tried to run was marked v35.   Typed in "Microsoft" and "System Rediness Tool" into Google and brought up a page with several options (link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20858)

Clicked on 'Knowledge Base Article (under 'Related Resources') and selected "x64-based (64-bit) versions of Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 7" from the list, download link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=20858) which gave me v34 as opposed to v35.

The v34 file of the SUR - System Update Rediness Tool (KB 947821) is 539MB (if anyone is interested).

Have downloaded this version.  Let's see if that runs on my machine!

UPDATE 2

3x runs of sfc (System File Checker) after re-boot each time has reported "no integrity violations" each time.

Now going to delete entries in Event Viewer and try System Rediness Tool

UPDATE 3

Ran the v34 version of KB947821 successfully ( :D ) and it asked if I wanted to install the Hotfix (= yes) and said it was copying the contents to the Windows Update Cache.

Took ages to install - the green progress bar got to about 95% and then seemed to stop.  Did I need to run Windows Update at this point??

Checked the services you mentioned and all were set to started/Auto delayed except for 'Windows Installer' which was set to 'Manual'  I started this service and set it to Auto.

Incidentally, why run the sfc three times, restarting before each check (just for my information)

Cheers

Beej

Running sfc three times is just in case there are errors found in the first and to also be triple sure there are no errors found ;)

Try and manually install net 4.6.1

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49981

Hi Thrash,

Successfully manually installed KB 3135983 and KB 3135988 (which seems to be for AMD processors?) - both marked .NET Framework 3.5.1 this morning and then tried to install .NET Framework 4.6.1 as you suggested.

Tried to install KB 3122661, KB 3127233 and KB 3136000 (all highlighted in Windows Update as .NET Framework 4.6.1) and all three failed to install with the same error message:

Your link takes me to KB 3102438 which seems to be installing at this moment in time (!)

I will update you as to what happened after the above finished installation!

Thrash, your link worked and I now have .NET Framework 4.6.1 installed - thanks.

Still having Windows Update problems - see posts below.

Thanks for your help so far,

Beej

UPDATE:

Well, I may be able to install Security Updates manually, but Windows Update doesn't seem to be working by itself.

I manually started running Windows Update some 25 mins ago after a restart (the pc didn't inform me as it usually does that 'Updates are Available') and so far it hasn't found anything (and that is despite installing KB 313 8612).

I have applied EasyFix 50205.msi twice (second time in more aggressive mode) and that hasn't fixed the problem.

I will now run the Windows Update Troubleshooter again and see what that says.

Beej

OK - further update.

STILL getting the 0x80070057 error I was getting yesterday:

Any ideas how to resolve this?  I followed the advice given yesterday by Thrash to the letter - but it hasn't solved the problem.

All I get when I run Windows Update is the 'checking' message - but no amount of waiting seems to pull anything off the servers:

Thanks to all for their input so far.

Beej