I just did a fresh install of windows 8.1 and can't seem to get Windows Update to download for crap. I've tried everything from Troubleshooting - Fix Problems with Windows Update to going into services stopping and restarting Windows Update.
I really don't know what else to do
You can't force update I think, it'll update when Microsoft feels like updating, not when you say it has to, unless you're using a Pro or Enterprise version. If you have internet connectivity, updater should work. If you can get on the internet in a browser, but updater really doesn't work, that probably means that system files are corrupt, which only happens about once in a fortnight on Windows 8 and 10 lol. To solve that, open a terminal window with admin and run "sfc /scannow", and it will repair any damaged system files.
When you attempt to update do you end up with a screen like this?
If so, I've found it's only because of the nVidia - Graphics Adapter updates.
I go to PC Settings > Update and Recovery > Windows Update > View Details.
From there you can un-select them and install all the other ones.
Windows 7 did this a few months ago. After every fresh install it would take 3/4 days to collect all the updates, and then about as long to download and install them.
We got around it by running the Windows Update Diagnostic, restarting, stopping the Windows Update service, installing KB3020369 & KB3172605, restarting and then allowing it 10/15 minutes to collect after clicking 'find updates'. (I found this guide on FB and it actually worked!)
I believe this is just another sign of MS stopping support for older OSs to force people onto 10.
We use WSUS Offline Updater: http://download.wsusoffline.net/ at work, if some servers just won't pull any updates. Works for clients too and is especially useful for new systems that need hundreds of updates. Just set the updater to auto reboot and get back to it fully patched some time later.
I've used this at home when doing repair work on other people's systems. Works great. Saves a lot of bandwidth as well! 👍
The Windows update service for Windows7 and Windows8.1 alike are pretty much dead since June last year.
Wsus is a good option, but you have to be carefull which particular updates you install.
Because MS has been backporting allot of the spying and telemetry tracking crap from Windows 10 back to Windows 7 and 8.1.
MS found a solution to that too. As of October, they're putting all the updates in one huge KB, so you can either install everything or nothing. They're currently working their way back, incorporating older updates until they'll get to a point where you install a fresh Win7 or 8.1 and you get 1 gigantic update that brings the whole OS up-to-date, spyware and everything. As I said earlier, you can't uninstall specific parts via Windows update, so you either take it with the spyware or you run a completely unprotected OS.
If you think "ah, I'll just download the individual KBs", you better start downloading right now because if Microsoft's recent behavior is anything to go by, they'll take those down too once the rollup update can go back to vanilla Win7 and 8.1
I have a windows 7 machine that would not update for months. Initially when I installed it, it had the same problem, I found a link to an updated installer (oh the irony) which got it to work for a couple of updates, but then it broke again. Today I found this, which fixed it for me, it is updating as we speak. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-update/windows-7-update-solution-for-advanced-users/f39a65fa-9d10-42e7-9bc0-7f5096b36d0c?tm=1471614914888&auth=1
Only downside as far as I can see is that they recommend you disable automatic updates and so you have to manually tell it to update (that's the way I like it anyways, so meh), details are in the link.
I've ran "sfc /scannow" over a dozen times and it keeps finding files that are corrupt but could not fix BUT If I run the command again I get Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violation <--- After awhile I get this message like a couple of times then I get then I get the other message.
Nope I don't get that screen at all. I just get the green bar moving from left to right continuous. It stayed like that from Saturday to Sunday until I stopped it
Alright I'll try WSUS Updater, I actually over look this site in my search for an answer cause the site look kinda suspect to me. But I will give a whirl
I was still pulling updates Friday or Saturday until I did the reinstall. As for the spying and telemetry KB files I had about 20 maybe 30 files I refused to install due to all the crap MS put in them
I prefer to do it that way as welI I don't like things installing without my input
So, has any of the suggestions fixed it for you?
Yeah I just fixed almost everything I got about 153 updates and 6 Optional that refuse to install and when I do I get a BSOD
I've made restore points after installing about 68 updates
You have to delete the folder that stores updates and retry.
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I already tried that 5 times to be exact didn't fix the problem. So what I did was hide all 159 updates did another check and it pulled the same security updates and one from October
Shot like this is why I run Linux now
