Windows Update Stuck At 0% On Windows 7 Machine

This Dell desktop is running windows 7 sp1. There are about 70 updates that need doing but I haven't been able to do them for a few months. It just says "downloading updates 0%" even if I let it sit there for 24 hours. I've tried selecting just one update, I've tried disabling all startup items except for the MS services, I've tried running several fix it tools from MS...still stuck.

Can you help me?

 

Have a look at this article by Woody Leonhard.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/31...steps-to-speed-up-windows-7-update-scans.html

 

Have a look at this thread.

With the July release of version 1607 for Windows 10, Microsoft changed the way it delivers Updates and many people have had problems with Updates for Windows 7.

 

The latest 'method' from MS, though it's actually for creating an updated DVD/installer for clean installs, might offer some clues if the other recent methods fail for you - it's a lot to work through (ignore the method and concentrate on the KBs listed - though the last couple of times I did any clean installs, I upgraded to IE 11 first, rather than last as it seems to be here): https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/astoica/2017/01/03/windows-7-refreshed-media-creation/

The below KBs should be the first to install:
TL;DR version:

Download the updates:
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=3020369
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=3125574
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=3177467
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=3172605
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=3179573
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=2841134
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=3185330

 

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions and references. The problem with this machine is that I can't seem to install ANY update, even standalone updates.

Eldon - I started following the steps in the Infoworld article. I was able to follow steps 1a-1d, but when I got to 1e and clicked on the msu file to install the first update listed, I get a window that says "searching for updates on this computer"...and that just sits there for hours

All of the suggestions above require updates to be installed...however each time I try to install an update it just says "searching for updates on this computer".

Any suggestions as to how I can get past this?

 

Pay close attention to the instructions, often you have to disable Windows Update and then reboot, re-enable WU then immediately run the .msu or .msi. This will prevent the Auto-update from blocking access to WU and allow the installation.

 

Thank you plodr, can you explain that further..."if you don't sent WU to NEVER and reboot"...what should I be doing with the settings?

 

Follow the instructions at this link in post #2: http://www.sevenforums.com/windows-...will-not-update-ive-tried-multiple-fixes.html

It worked for me.

 

Success! Thanks to all for your great suggestions and resource links. Once I followed instructions to set WU to "never" and rebooted I was able to follow the instructions in the Infoworld article that Eldon posted and after that all 92 updates downloaded and installed without issues. I'm now running Windows 7 and it is up to date! (Until tomorrow I'm sure when MS delivers an update)

 

You're welcome.

 

I had the same problem after doing a clean install of 64 bit windows 7 home premium.

Windows Update is taking an unusually long time to scan and install updates. https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3200747

I found this site by clicking on links to links from other replies to this thread or some other thread. There are just two downloads.
Instead of stopping windows update and rebooting you can just run command.exe as administrator and type net stop wuauserv before
installing the two files from microsoft. Two things happened after I installed just these two files. (1) Windows Update quit taking 25% of my CPU
(it did this continuously even when not updating). (2) No problems with Windows Update installations.