[TK421]

Quote:

Even with the latest Windows Update client, applying updates remains glacially slow

Quote:

Back in March, I created two squeaky-clean installations of Windows 7, starting with a Microsoft-created copy of Windows 7 Service Pack 1. In one, I relied on Automatic Update to pull down and install all of the "checked" updates, except for the "Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, version 1511, 10586" optional update. On the other, I picked specific updates and applied them manually.

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3055885/microsoft-windows/its-time-for-microsoft-to-fix-the-windows-7-update-slowdowns.html

Additional source:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/microsoft-crippling-windows-updates-on-windows-7.781280/

Can attest, both my laptops (see below) needs approx 2-3 hours to check for new win7 updates. Seems like a sort of sabotage from M$. Ridiculous.

 

[Oubadah]

..

 

[tpi2007]

I don't have that problem, but then again it might have to do with the fact that I have rejected every single obscure "Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: [insert month here]" that they have coincidentally released since Windows 10.

You might want to try doing the same / uninstalling the ones you already have and see how it goes:

KB3065987 - Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: July 2015

KB3075851 - Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: August 2015

KB3083324 - Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: September 2015

KB 3083710 - Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: October 2015

KB3112343 - Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: December 2015 (this one specifically mentions "This update enables support for additional upgrade scenarios from Windows 7 to Windows 10")

KB3135445 - Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: February 2016

KB3138612 - Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: March 2016

 

[TK421]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oubadah

Wow, I didn't expect this particular issue to get any serious attention.

On a fast modern PC that is not months out of date (in terms of installed updates), the "checking for updates" time isn't actually that bad , but I can see how it could be painful on slower PCs. And of course updating a clean SP1 install is a nightmare regardless of the system, not only in the time it takes but also the number of failures.

4700mq and 920xm (3.6ghz) considered slow?

both machines run ssd that maxes out the sata3 badwidth (liteon 256/500g 850evo)

 

[Oubadah]

..

 

[kpo6969]

It's Microsoft being Microsoft (and being deliberate also).

http://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1282790-the-time-it-takes-to-check-for-updates-on-clean-installs-of-vista-and-7-is-now-simply-horrific/

 

[tp4tissue]

This has nothing to do with computer speed.

It's their new updates..

Especially on Pirated builds..

 

[jmcosta]

"may be doing this on purpose to force people to upgrade to Windows 10" lol its probably some server issues ...

'everything leads to forcing people to upgrade'

 

[Oubadah]

..

 

[jmcosta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oubadah

However, you must be blind if you can't figure out why so many people have developed a sour attitude towards Microsoft, and why they are so quick to suspect the company of shady practices. They've gone far beyond the limits of decency with their aggressive Windows 10 push, and made it clear that they have no qualms about trampling over user experience on older operating systems for the sake of pushing people onto their new one.

Also, suggesting that it's "just some server issues" is bordering upon absurd. The servers would have to have been having these "issues" for years now, and at the very least that would still indicate negligence on Microsoft's part - ie. why haven't they fixed the bloody servers?

well that is true they did some sneaky moves.
when w10 got released the upgrade prompt was annoying but it eventually disappeared

 

[spyshagg]

The issue stems from microsoft but it is exacerbated by CPU speed.

From the last 10 machines I prepared, the slowest one took ~15 hours of "checking for updates" until it allowed me to install them. The fastest machine (i5) took about 2 hours.

During this time, the service svchost.exe is occupying 100% of one cpu thread, which accounted for 100% of the entire cpu on the oldest machine, and 25% on the newer i5.

 

[corky dorkelson]

I've had nothing but nightmares with getting fresh installs up to date. It takes days, and in between I get issues with "failed to update, reverting changes" which makes me go through huge rounds of updates all over again. I currently have a machine where WU is completely broken, it attempts and fails no matter which update(s) I select.

I'm ready for a new player in the OS arena.

 

[Dimensive]

I did a fresh install of Windows 7 on a fairly slow laptop and after hours and hours of waiting for Windows Update to finish searching, I searched Google and found this fix: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102810

 

[Oubadah]

..

 

[russ18uk]

This issue is insufferable if doing a clean SP1 build. Without one of the hotfixes you suffer from svchost.exe WU service consuming around a GB of RAM and maxing 1 core. With the hotfix (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3065987) it still maxes one core/thread and takes an age on slower machines.

The only workaround I have is to enter Audit Mode on a fast machine, clean install. Update Windows and sysprep the machine. Then capture the image from a Windows 8/10 boot USB (dism /capture-image).

 

[latelesley]

I was having these issues too, and eventually broke my windows install trying to fix it. I seen the way things were going, all roads leading to Win 10. I really don't like the interface at all, there was a reason I stuck with win 7, win 8/8.1/10 I really don't like. Anyway, when my install got nuked, and updates were having to be checked to see if they were Win 10 update related, I thought f*** it. I'm now running on Linux Mint. If i'm gonna be on a learning curve, it may as well be on a system with less telemetry. I'm still finding my was around the system, really feel like a newbie again, but It's already my daily driver for mainly Web, Skype, teamviewer, streaming/video. still to tackle the gaming side and tweak it, but it already looks like 4 of my steam games have linux versions. I'm done with MS.

 

[The Stilt]

I've seen this issue on various different systems. It doesn't matter what kind of hardware you've got or how up to date your install is from the start. The same exact thing happens no matter if you only got the SP1 on your install media or all of the ~500+ updates released after that slipstreamed to the installation to begin with. Without any of the "fixes" installed it will take at least 1-2 hours just to CHECK the updates. And thats prior actually selecting let alone downloading any of the updates.

Microsoft released the first update to address the issue in November 2015 (KB3102810), but it was swiftly superceded at least twice (the most recent is supposed to be KB3112343). With KB3112343 the update scan will take less than 20 minutes which is a huge improvement, but still extremely slow considering that Windows can scan the existing updates in a minute or so.

Surely it is just a coincidence (a bug) and has nothing to do with Microsoft trying to make people to update to Windows 10...

 

[Wildcard36qs]

http://www.portableupdate.com/

OR https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/2d191bcd-3308-4edd-9de2-88dff796b0bc

Those even work when Windows Update keeps erroring out.

 

[russ18uk]

PSWindowsUpdate works well. Use that when sysprepping Windows 8/10 when the Windows one is disabled until OOBE is complete.

 

[Decade]

I no longer use the built in windows update function to get a Clean Win 7 SP1 build up to date.

http://download.wsusoffline.net/ is my go to. In the time it takes for the built in update to propagate a list of updates, I'm about 90% done with installing a couple gigs worth of updates already.