Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update?

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viking33
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by viking33 »

John Gray wrote:Surely the Windows updates for all versions of Windows should carry on like they used to before - unless some changes are made to the download mechanism?

I've just tried to download updates on a laptop [which had been reimaged from one which hadn't been updated for some time and had Office 2003 on] since lunchtime yesterday, left it overnight, found a reboot had occurred, and then that there were 58 updates, about half of which Office 2010 [which I'd installed instead of Office 2003]. It is quite happily downloading and installing them as I type.
You had to leave it running ALL NIGHT? :groan:
That can't be running correctly. How long has the update files been taking to install them?

I just restored a backup image of my C drive with True Image. I went back about a month ago
( when things seemed normal ) and guess what? Checking for updates is still chugging along, slow as ever!
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John Gray
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by John Gray »

viking33 wrote:You had to leave it running ALL NIGHT? :groan:
That can't be running correctly. How long has the update files been taking to install them?
Yes, overnight! Once the list of updates appears the download and installation of them goes at the usual speed. The time is taken assessing which updates are required.
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stuck
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by stuck »

viking33 wrote:You had to leave it running ALL NIGHT?
Yes, as John has already said, the problem is that between clicking 'check for updates' and the list of updates being presented it takes forever. Once the updates are showing though they install at their normal rate.

Ken

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HansV
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by HansV »

Has anyone of you who experience this problem tried the Fixit from How do I reset Windows Update components? (This is the fix mentioned by Stuck on the first page of this thread)
Best wishes,
Hans

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John Gray
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by John Gray »

Not yet - I have used the two previously-recommended 'fixes' KB3083710 and KB3102810 to no good result, but have downloaded the Fixit ready for use when next required.
John Gray

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ChrisGreaves
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by ChrisGreaves »

John Gray wrote:I'm finding that it is taking literally HOURS...
Bit late joining in, I know, but ...
(Yes, I have d/l these two pages + Woody's to peruse in detail).
I made a clean installation two weeks ago and gave up on the Checking For Updates after two hours. I am, as you may know, using Free WiFi from around town.
I searched the web and found many forums complaining about the slowness.
I am currently contemplating checking in to a local hotel for the night just to do the updates. Crazy, I know, but $119+tx is cheaper than getting internet access for the jpb (typicallt $40-50 per month).
And anyway, I get a Free Breakfast with the $119 :coffeetime: :laugh:
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

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jpb?

Joint Planning Board?
Juvenile Picture Book?
Japanese Pharmaceutical Business?
Jurassic Pillow Basalt?
Best wishes,
Hans

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stuck
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

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HansV wrote:Has anyone of you who experience this problem tried the Fixit...
Not yet but having to wait overnight for my netbook to find the list of updates is no big deal for me. It's only a home PC, nothing depends on it.

Ken

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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by PJ_in_FL »

Update on the Excel opening to blank screen problem:

Hans, that was attempted but didn't correct the problem I was having. Running Office Repair did fix the problem this morning. Took almost all morning to do it too! Have to select the ONLINE option to get all the fixes installed.
PJ in (usually sunny) FL

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viking33
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

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HansV wrote:Has anyone of you who experience this problem tried the Fixit from How do I reset Windows Update components? (This is the fix mentioned by Stuck on the first page of this thread)
Yep, been there , done that. No help!
Also replaced the two KBs mentioned above. No help!
SFC /scannow. No help.
AV & Malware checks. No help
Re-Imaged. Nada.
Few other "fixes" mentioned on the Forums.Still NG

Why is it so selective? Only some of us lucky ones are having this situation.

In desperation, last night, I left it running and checking. TEN HOURS later, it stopped checking and said I had 26 updates, so I let it run and went to bed. This morning, it said OK fella you are all set?
Is this to be the normal period to DL and install updates now? :aflame:
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

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viking33 wrote:In desperation, last night, I left it running and checking. TEN HOURS later, it stopped checking and said I had 26 updates, so I let it run and went to bed. This morning, it said OK fella you are all set?
Is this to be the normal period to DL and install updates now? :aflame:
And, do remember that some updates rely on other updates to be installed first. Meaning now that those 26 updates have been applied, there might be more pending. Go ahead... check for updates again (before going to bed! :hairout: )
Regards,
Bob

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viking33
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

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BobArch2 wrote:
viking33 wrote:In desperation, last night, I left it running and checking. TEN HOURS later, it stopped checking and said I had 26 updates, so I let it run and went to bed. This morning, it said OK fella you are all set?
Is this to be the normal period to DL and install updates now? :aflame:
And, do remember that some updates rely on other updates to be installed first. Meaning now that those 26 updates have been applied, there might be more pending. Go ahead... check for updates again (before going to bed! :hairout: )
Couldn't wait for bedtime, so I ran Windows Update again.
12 minutes later, it said I had two more updates.Took about 4 minutes to download and install both OK. I can accept that time but the question remains, WHY did all this happen? ( and how was it corrected? ) :scratch: :scratch:
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by JoeP »

I've seen a recommendation that installing KB3145739 separately may help.

Unfortunately all the various Windows configurations appear to make a simple general solution very difficult.

Joe
Joe

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ChrisGreaves
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

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John Gray wrote:There is always the cynical view that the recent slowness of Window 7 updates may be a cunning ploy to get people to move over to Windows 10...
The thought occurred to me a week or so ago. I'm not in favour of Consipracy Theories since IMHO they seem to be based on filling in a gap caused by a lack of knowledge.

However.

While I was waiting 2hrs for the "Check for Updates" I ran Bitmeter in Firefox. The chart showed pulses of d/l acivity every 75 seconds(1), regular as almost clockwork.
At the time I thought "It looks as if MSoft has set a Wait 75 seconds between responses delay at their end".

I have sinced filled in part of the gap caused by a lack of knowledge by reading Susan Bradley's arguments about how (presumably for each update) MSoft needs to scan everything else, again, each time, for each KB-fix, to see if the KB-fix is required or if it has been superseded. I read also about why superseded fixes cannot be disabled for historic (recovery?) reasons.

:cheers:

(1)I note with interest that three hundred updates multiplied by seventy five seconds yields over six update-hours of delay, so those folks (here and Woody's) who claim a wait of 5+ hours would be in the ball park.
Waiting for the fly-ball to come down.
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viking33
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

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ChrisGreaves wrote:
John Gray wrote:There is always the cynical view that the recent slowness of Window 7 updates may be a cunning ploy to get people to move over to Windows 10...
The thought occurred to me a week or so ago. I'm not in favour of Consipracy Theories since IMHO they seem to be based on filling in a gap caused by a lack of knowledge.

However.

While I was waiting 2hrs for the "Check for Updates" I ran Bitmeter in Firefox. The chart showed pulses of d/l acivity every 75 seconds(1), regular as almost clockwork.
At the time I thought "It looks as if MSoft has set a Wait 75 seconds between responses delay at their end".

I have sinced filled in part of the gap caused by a lack of knowledge by reading Susan Bradley's arguments about how (presumably for each update) MSoft needs to scan everything else, again, each time, for each KB-fix, to see if the KB-fix is required or if it has been superseded. I read also about why superseded fixes cannot be disabled for historic (recovery?) reasons.

:cheers:

(1)I note with interest that three hundred updates multiplied by seventy five seconds yields over six update-hours of delay, so those folks (here and Woody's) who claim a wait of 5+ hours would be in the ball park.
Waiting for the fly-ball to come down.
You state a couple of possible theories, Chris. But the fact remains that this only seems to affect some users but not all.
Also, why would they insert such a delay into getting their updates?
More, you would think that if there was a legit reason to slow things down to a crawl, MS would make an announcement and stand up and state this to their customers. Or do they all have their heads in the Cloud? ( pun intended ) :mad:
BOB
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by HansV »

In addition to JoeP's suggestion higher up in this thread: An unlikely combination of two Windows updates can reduce scan times from hours to minutes.

I haven't tried it myself, since I use Windows 10.
Best wishes,
Hans

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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

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viking33 wrote:You state a couple of possible theories, Chris. But the fact remains that this only seems to affect some users but not all.
Oh, I'm only saying that I can see where Consipracy Theories get their start. Sitting by myself a week or so ago watching that pulsing d/l I asked myself why it would be. WiFi access can be irregular, but this was like a heartbeat, so it was easy for my brain to think "It must be at the other end", i.e. Microsoft.
I don't necessarily think that it IS Microsoft, but until a better theory came along, that theory fitted my observations.
Also, why would they insert such a delay into getting their updates?
Well, some people say it is a deterrent. Making Win7Updates slow could push people into Win10.
And more $$$ for MSoft
More, you would think that if there was a legit reason to slow things down to a crawl, MS would make an announcement and stand up and state this to their customers.
I agree. The Conspiracy Theory thinking thoiugh might argue that there isn't a LEGIT reason to slow things down, hence Microsoft's silence on the issue.

I rather thhink that different users have different experiences because each user has a different setup, and those users who have followed the straight-and-narrow are not experiencing problems, whereas those of us, like me, who had recently re-installed Win7SP1 and didn't know about some of the subtle KB fixes were left hanging.

All in all I can't help feeling that WHEN Check For Updates takes so long MSoft ought to be able to go back into its nanny state "I see you are experiencing a long delay, Dave (HAL-like tones). Would you like me to instal KB<magic number here> patch, Dave?"

Cheers
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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by stuck »

HansV wrote:In addition to JoeP's suggestion higher up in this thread: An unlikely combination of two Windows updates can reduce scan times from hours to minutes.
I've just down followed the advice in Woody's article and :joy: :joy: :joy: Check for updates took only 15 mins to report back with a list of updates. First time it's been that speedy since before last summer I think.

Ken

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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

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Thanks for the feedback! Good to hear that.
Best wishes,
Hans

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Re: Is anyone else experiencing problems with Windows Update

Post by CData »

You mention in your first post; laptops..... assuming then the link is wireless - don't forget to move them near the wireless router. I was having a slow experienced and realized it didn't help having the laptop far away from the router - it was a pretty good distance normally and doesn't affect typical use....but I moved it next to the router and things got done more quickly...still pretty slow but finished.