[Fix] Windows 8/8.1 Keeps Checking for Updates Forever

Today in this tutorial, we are going to address a very annoying problem present in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 operating systems. Recently one of our active readers “Sumit” contacted us regarding this issue. Following is the message sent by the reader:

I was using Windows 8.1 (32-bit) on my home computer but, after RAM upgrade I downloaded Windows 8.1 (64-bit) and installed it. Even after 30 minutes, Windows is still checking for updates and it’s continuously using CPU resources (45-50%). Any solution? It’s a clean install and I haven’t installed any software yet except Google Chrome. Downloaded Windows 8.1 from Microsoft website.

Things I tried:

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1. Restarted my PC
2. Ran Windows update troubleshooter (control panel)

So basically you perform a clean/fresh installation of Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 in your computer and when you check for new Windows updates, it keeps checking for hours. The progress spinner (animation) keeps spinning forever and nothing happens. No new update is downloaded or installed. After some minutes, Windows Updates starts taking high CPU resources and disk usage.

Windows_7_Checking_For_Updates_Problem.png

If you are also facing this problem and Windows 8/8.1 is not detecting or downloading any update, this tutorial will help you in fixing this issue.

Following steps will fix this issue in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 computers and your computer will start downloading and installing new updates without any problem:

STEP 1: Disable Windows Updates Temporarily

1. Open Control Panel and change View by type to Large icons. Now click on Windows Update icon and then click on “Change settings” link given in left sidebar of Windows Update.

2. Now choose “Never check for updates” option from drop-down list.

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Windows_Update_Shows_Notification_of_New_Updates.png

3. Apply the changes and close Windows Update window.

4. Restart your computer.

STEP 2: Run Our Exclusive Script to Fix Windows Update Issues

Go to following topic:

Fix Windows Updates Problems and Issues Using Automatic Reset Script

Download Windows Update reset script and run it as mentioned in the topic. It’ll repair Windows Update database and components and will also clear Windows Update cache.

STEP 3: Download and Install Required Windows Updates

Now you’ll need to download and install following 2 updates:

  • KB3173424
  • KB3172614

First install “KB3173424” update and then install “KB3172614” update.

You can download these updates from following direct download links:

Download KB3173424 Update for Windows 8.1 (32-bit or x86)

Download KB3173424 Update for Windows 8.1 (64-bit or x64)

Download KB3172614 Update for Windows 8.1 (32-bit or x86)

Download KB3172614 Update for Windows 8.1 (64-bit or x64)

PS: You might need to download and install following 2 prerequisites before installing “KB3172614” update in your computer:

April 2014 Update Rollup for Windows 8.1 (KB2919355)

April 2015 Servicing Stack Update for Windows 8.1 (KB3021910)

After downloading and installing the updates, restart your computer.

STEP 4: Re-Enable Windows Updates

1. Open Control Panel and change View by type to Large icons. Now click on Windows Update icon and then click on “Change settings” link given in left sidebar of Windows Update.

2. Now choose “Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them” option from drop-down list.

3. Apply the changes.

4. Now click on “Check for updates” button and wait for few minutes. It might take 30-60 minutes in checking for new updates.

Now Windows 8/8.1 will successfully detect new updates available and will download and install them in your computer.

NOTE:

If you are facing similar issue in Windows 7 operating system, following tutorial will help you:

[Fix] Windows 7 Keeps Checking for Updates for Hours

Also Check:

[Tip] Use Windows Update Troubleshooter to Fix All Problems

Published in: Troubleshooting Guides, Windows 8

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

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  1. ugh. have been going thru this for 2 days downgrading a lenovo y900. just to run one app that seems to crash constantly on win10. so i installed a fresh copy of 10. if the program starts crashing. i will follow this guide.

    thank you

  2. Yes but besides this problem I cant seem to update the KB you suggested myself either any Idea why.

  3. Thanks a lot, it worked fine for 8.1.. your step by step guidance was very helpful..

  4. After wasting hours and hours of time on recovery and restore more than once and many other bits of advice it has taken me less than a hour following your advice to get updates working. Only 10mins into checking and so far found 135 important updates. Thankyou so much.

  5. You are absolutely a wizard.

    I had come to think of Microsoft MVP’s as a joke, as people who can’t even read a problem and understand it— much less provide an answer without asking a question that was already answered in the original post. Worse than useless. Wastes of time.

    But here you are, with two fixes for problems that were driving me nuts for two days!!!

    The first one was the Charms pestering due to mousepad settings that control touchpad drivers. But the BIG one was this. The non-updates.

    I have spent two days trying to get update working following a HDD failure and reinstall of 8.1 and nothing was working.
    Within 15 minutes with your reset script and a couple downloads we are updating, 163 updates loading right now.

    Although your expertise has ruined my poor stereotype of MVP’s, it’s worth it to find a tech who has the right answers. Thank you.

  6. Many thanks VG! This worked perfectly. I think you’ve saved me a lot of time and even more frustration.

    I seem to encounter this problem two out of three times when installing/reinstalling Windows and it is exceptionally annoying. I find it incredible that a freshly installed machine can fail to find updates and be corrupted somehow “out of the box”. This is one reason I create full disk images for each machine to restore from whenever possible – just to avoid this situation.

  7. At last! Something that actually works. Have spent over a year with no updates on my Windows 8.1 PC after a reinstall of the os. Tried all the Microsoft fixes and a number of others including trying to manually download the updates but nothing worked until now. I now have the joy of downloading 186 updates but that’s great. Thank you.

  8. Did exactly as recommended. It did not work! Any other suggestions?
    I also spent multiple days previously with Microsoft Tech support (up to the highest level). They also could not solve this issue.

  9. Worked like a charm after trying out 20+ other options first. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to return to bed.

  10. I was trying to solve Windows Update error for my ASUS laptop.That error can not be fixed even though I download Windows ISO file from MICROSOFT website and reinstalling Windows.
    Now I can Update Windows by following your step by step procedure.
    It really work for my ASUS Windows 8.1 single language 64 bit.

    *** THANK YOU SO MUCH ***

  11. Hello VG,

    RE: [Fix] Windows 8/8.1 Keeps Checking for Updates Forever.

    I have a HP20 computer running Windows 8.1 64 bit which has this problem.

    I have followed your instructions and installed update KB3173424 OK.
    However update KB3172614 just shows the Windows Update Stand Alone Installer window checking for updates Forever and does not install.
    This also shows the same message Forever when I try to install update KB2919355 and does not install.
    So I am stuck and would appreciate some help.

    Regards,
    Peter

  12. I have the exact problem that is described: After a fresh install, windows hangs when checking for updates. But this fix does not work, because when I try to install the manually-dowloaded updates, the Windows Update Standalone Installer looks for updates on the computer, and hangs too.

  13. hi
    thanks
    this worked great
    here is link to the catalog with updates, catalog.update.microsoft.com/Home.aspx

  14. January 25th, 2020

    After installing a fresh copy of Windows 8.1 I had trouble updating. Window’s would be checking and checking for updates, but nothing would happen. It would just get stuck searching for updates. After following the directions, I finally managed to get window’s to actually search and find updates and now they’re being installed.

    Thank you to the person who originally posted the directions. Much appreciate!

  15. My HP Probook 6545b kept saying all the downloads cant be installed on your computer. I have windows 8 Enterprise N. Please what can I do.

  16. I have a Dell Inspiron touch-screen desktop (2013) with Windows 8.1, 64-bit, 12GB internal memory.

    Been having problems with updates not installing and not up to date. I know it is set to update automatically but it doesn’t do anything now and is caught in a forever-loop, not updating anything the past year. It is also very slow to boot up.

    I have read your fixes a well as others including MS. I’m ready to try and the last error code before giving up was 80246013.

    Another given tip gives two different methods to try (reset Windows Update Components) & restart Update Services). If neither works, they suggest using Restoro Repair. Who knows what to believe or try or what might or might nor work!

    Apparently, this is quite a common problem but so many different fixes.

    What are the chances that you fixes will work for me, please?

  17. I’m sure this works on Windows 8.1, but I tried installing KB3173424 and KB3172614, but they don’t seem to work for me because my system is regular Windows 8, NOT 8.1. Any other suggestions?

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