What takes Windows Update so long?
Aug 23, 2015, 2:35 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
What takes Windows Update so long?
I acquired another laptop a couple of months ago. Seemed in good shape, so I did a fresh install of Win 7, added my usual programs (Office, Adobe, etc) and put it aside.
I dragged it out today and noticed that the last update was July 20. OK, only about a month or so old, so I checked for updates.
It's been checking now for about 45 minutes. Task Manager shows almost no activity on the net, except for a burst in the beginning (probably the August Malicious Software Removal Tool, which it could figure out right away it needed).
I've noticed this on some other machines, too. There's not much there - why should it take so long to figure out I need a few updates?
I dragged it out today and noticed that the last update was July 20. OK, only about a month or so old, so I checked for updates.
It's been checking now for about 45 minutes. Task Manager shows almost no activity on the net, except for a burst in the beginning (probably the August Malicious Software Removal Tool, which it could figure out right away it needed).
I've noticed this on some other machines, too. There's not much there - why should it take so long to figure out I need a few updates?
Aug 24, 2015, 12:20 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM+(segs)/MM, UA Ag, Hilton DM, Marriott Ti (life Pt), TSA Opt-out Platinum
Posts: 3,231
Yeah, I've noticed Win 7 (and Server 2008) can be really slow to find updates, especially if it's a "first run" scenario or they haven't updated in a long time.
In your case, you probably need hundreds of upgrades. Not only for Windows, but it's also likely looking for the Office updates. I'd let it run overnight.
In your case, you probably need hundreds of upgrades. Not only for Windows, but it's also likely looking for the Office updates. I'd let it run overnight.
Aug 24, 2015, 12:43 pm
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*G) WS Gold | SPG/Fairmont Plat Hilton/Hyatt Diamond Marriott Silver | National Exec Elite
Posts: 19,284
Whatever you do just don't reboot the machine and or do something silly like stop/start the Windows Update service.
Aug 24, 2015, 2:47 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
Not really ... I think about 14 including the optional ones. Remember, it was a fresh install and the big slug of updates was taken care of at that time.
Doooh! 
Aug 24, 2015, 5:10 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*G) WS Gold | SPG/Fairmont Plat Hilton/Hyatt Diamond Marriott Silver | National Exec Elite
Posts: 19,284
I also need the exact time stamp of when it started to download...
Aug 24, 2015, 7:42 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM+(segs)/MM, UA Ag, Hilton DM, Marriott Ti (life Pt), TSA Opt-out Platinum
Posts: 3,231
When you said "fresh install", I assumed you were installing the original RTM version. If you installed one that already had all the patches (or patched during install), then yeah, you wouldn't need all the updates.
Aug 24, 2015, 8:03 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SEA or BGR, Lower Earth Orbit
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 17,219
When it sits there looking for a long time I find that if I don't stop update, and do a restart, it will just sit there looking and looking and looking. This, for whatever reason, speeds it up. Users beware though.
Aug 24, 2015, 9:06 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
Interestingly enough, once it was all updated I tried to get Win 10. Unfortunately, like a lot of my machines, the NVIDIA video hardware is not supported. So, I got out another one that uses Intel graphics. And once again, even though it had last been updated on July 28, and didn't even have Office on it, it still looked for updates for well over an hour and I got the same updates. Hmmm.
On the bright side (I hope), I was also able to download Win 10. I was happy that my wireless connection was pumping data to me at 2 - 2.5 MBytes/sec, so the whole 2.5 Gb download was done in about 15 minutes or so. There was no hesitation, either. Like the old joke, It was "all one long strand".
Aug 24, 2015, 9:08 pm
#10
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC E50K (*G) WS Gold | SPG/Fairmont Plat Hilton/Hyatt Diamond Marriott Silver | National Exec Elite
Posts: 19,284
But if it's downloading and it appears stuck, and you do a restart, it starts back at 0%