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Installing Win 7 MS updates


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I am a fan of Win 7, so shoot me.  I have generally read/heard only less than generous reviews of 8 and 10, so I am not going to touch them - for many reasons, but maybe I shall have to, I dunno.

Recently I picked up an ex-lease Dell 9010 with I7 and a modest SSD and more RAM than I can point a stick at.  Super impressed.  I am not a gamer, but for one or two applications I do need horse power, in spades.  Designed for Windows.

I have three lappies running Win 7, zero problems - according to Belarc (a small impressive utility, free - I recommend to those curious, on many levels, like also providing keys and all sorts of stuff) they are all up to date.  

My 9010 is not.  It was freshly installed with Win 7 SP1 when I bought it, and that is fine.  There are, however, about 200 updates in those intervening years.

It just hangs when trying to update.  The "searching for updates on this computer" just goes forever, with no result - and that could be as simple as one manual update.

I have checked out all the geek forums, with many useful suggestions for those in my predicament (I am not alone!!).  I have tried them, but it still will not take.  Just hangs there, even overnight and all next day.

What are Microsoft up to?  They have done the right thing in the past with issuing accumulated updates, which can be fixed while you have a cup of tea or whatever rocks ya boat.

Maybe it doesn't matter, I am beginning to think.  I don't intend to use the desktop for dodgy internet browsing or ...spit...MS Internet Explorer.  Just standalone third party proprietary number crunching programs, one of which does require an internet connection.

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@Lloyd

 

It is doable, as long as SP1 is installed

 

You'll need to download and install first the 'Servicing Stack' KB3020369

 

Link For 32 Bit OS

Link For 64 Bit OS

 

Then Install 'Convenience Rollup' KB3125574

 

Link For 32 Bit OS

Link For 64 Bit OS

 

See how you go with that...

 

spc_busy_100-103.gif?w=150&h=100

Edited by aasza
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For some bizarre reason that I can't explain (maybe the challenge), I recently revived an old computer in the shed that was running XP!  After a few frustrations, I bought a license online for Windows 7 for $50 and downloaded and installed it.  Over the next few days all the updates installed automatically without a hitch.

 

The only real issue I had was that the drivers for both a TP link wireless dongle and a Netgear kept causing BSOD's.  However networking with ethernet was fine, but I didn't want a 15 metre cable snaking across my listening room.   Eventually I gave up and just connected a Sonos bridge I had lying around via ethernet from the bridge to the computer.

 

Sorry, no idea why you're having the problem you describe.  Can you just reinstall Windows 7 and start from scratch?  I had to do that several times for various reasons, mostly related to the wireless dongle drivers, but it took me a while to find the culprit - I initially blamed the Norton security s/w.  The funny thing was  that each install was subtly different in various ways despite the same software being used each time in exactly the same way.     

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28 minutes ago, aasza said:

@Lloyd

 

It is doable, as long as SP1 is installed

 

You'll need to download and install first the 'Servicing Stack' KB3020369

 

Link For 32 Bit OS

Link For 64 Bit OS

 

Then Install 'Convenience Rollup' KB3125574

 

Link For 32 Bit OS

Link For 64 Bit OS

 

See how you go with that...

 

spc_busy_100-103.gif?w=150&h=100



Yes, very good, thankyou - we are on the same frequency.  Yep, 64 Bit.

However I have been trying to do the  KB3020369  for maybe 7 hours now.  I give up - will sleep on it.  That is what I meant when I said just a single update.

I even went offline and unplugged virus software and firewalls.

Bed time soon - frayed nerves.

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26 minutes ago, aasza said:

Tony are you sure it was a driver issue and not a hardware or IRQ error ?

 

Not 100% sure - I did spend some time looking up solutions and my reading of the info out there suggested my issues were due to driver incompatibility with the old OS.  Both wireless adaptors are brand new and the USB ports work fine with other peripherals.  The adaptors worked OK, I just kept getting nasty random BSOD's while their drivers were installed.

 

Anyway, the Sonos is quite an elegant solution and all the computer knows is that it has an ethernet network connection and it's happy with that.

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1 hour ago, Tony M said:

For some bizarre reason that I can't explain (maybe the challenge), I recently revived an old computer in the shed that was running XP!  After a few frustrations, I bought a license online for Windows 7 for $50 and downloaded and installed it.  Over the next few days all the updates installed automatically without a hitch.

 

The only real issue I had was that the drivers for both a TP link wireless dongle and a Netgear kept causing BSOD's.  However networking with ethernet was fine, but I didn't want a 15 metre cable snaking across my listening room.   Eventually I gave up and just connected a Sonos bridge I had lying around via ethernet from the bridge to the computer.

 

Sorry, no idea why you're having the problem you describe.  Can you just reinstall Windows 7 and start from scratch?  I had to do that several times for various reasons, mostly related to the wireless dongle drivers, but it took me a while to find the culprit - I initially blamed the Norton security s/w.  The funny thing was  that each install was subtly different in various ways despite the same software being used each time in exactly the same way.     


Thankyou Tony.  Via Belarc, I do have the key.  There may be another one under the bonnet when it was originally made.  I could try, as I have the basic 7 disc media, not SP1.  Small matter - that bit ought to be easy.

 

This is my first foray into SSD.  In the past I have done the diskpart thing to completely wipe a hard drive and start again, but I find myself in unfamiliar territory.

You say a "few days".  Maybe I am being too hasty.  I would prefer things to heal themselves rather than to invoke some massive surgery.

I'd be happy to muck around with a computer I didn't care about, as a learning experience - if it works, great, if it doesn't, who cares?

I also have a Dell XP desktop on the floor gathering dust, I might muck around with it.  I bought it for $50, works perfectly in every respect.  Thankyou for that suggestion.  I kinda like [edit - liked] XP.

I am not an IT person by any means, but necessity..you know.

Edited by Lloyd
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1 hour ago, aasza said:

You could just install Linux on it, that's always a bit of fun :party

 

Linux Mint 18 (32 or 64 bit) has a windows feel (ubuntu is more apple-esque)

Works out of the box. No windows/drivers issues.

And its free. yep, free.

I don't understand why more people haven't switched.

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8 minutes ago, cram said:

I don't understand why more people haven't switched.

 

Too many proprietary softwares written specifically for windows, and emulators/virtual machines aren't always the easiest to use..

 

 

 

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Hi Llyod

Amazing that this topic comes up when I have the exact same issue with a work computer :wacko: ?

 

After spending many fruitless hours searching, only this site had useful information and links:

http://www.askvg.com/fix-windows-7-keeps-checking-for-updates-for-hours/

In short, the issue appears to be that the Windows update program has itself been updated and the old versions do not talk properly with the Windows servers, hence they hang.

The latest (64bit) WU package is in KB3138612 which installed on my laptop and is finally updating.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3138612

 

I did find however that it is best to let it update rather than trying to update 208 updates as one. All together they time-out the computer, causing it to crash.

Before you begin make a valid restore point.

Before you begin make a valid restore point.

Before you begin make a valid restore point.

Just checking that you make a valid restore point first

 

Cheers

Ralph

Edited by Ralph
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On 11/29/2016 at 9:16 AM, aasza said:

 

Too many proprietary softwares written specifically for windows, and emulators/virtual machines aren't always the easiest to use..

 

 

 

 

Yes.  The software I am using is specifically designed for windows.  On this Saturday morning it is doing its stuff.  All 8 threads  are working hard  - it is a challenging problem, and I have dozens more for it to solve - come back Christmas time - 2017..  The things I think about when falling asleep these days.  How can I push zee CPU to the limits?

It can use client machines to help out, but I am not there yet.

Needless to say I have blown up a lappie or two from overheating, despite having a bunch of fans underneath.

Oops.

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