Windows Update hangs on "Checking for latest updates ... " bar

I'm running XPSP2 with IEv8.0RC1 beta. Automatic updates hasn't been working
on this computer for a while. I went to WinUpdate and am trying the 'express'
install to manually update.

Windows Update hangs at the "Checking for the latest updates for your
computer.." screen. The green progress bar is active. Also, the yellow
"install" shield at the bottom right is active and shows 2% progress.

But that's it ... it stays like that for hours. The green bar keeps moving
and the yellow shield shows 2% .... and nothing progresses.

Any ideas?

Matt wrote:
> I'm running XPSP2 with IEv8.0RC1 beta. Automatic updates hasn't
> been working on this computer for a while. I went to WinUpdate and
> am trying the 'express' install to manually update.
>
> Windows Update hangs at the "Checking for the latest updates for
> your computer.." screen. The green progress bar is active. Also,
> the yellow "install" shield at the bottom right is active and shows
> 2% progress.
>
> But that's it ... it stays like that for hours. The green bar keeps
> moving and the yellow shield shows 2% .... and nothing progresses.
>
> Any ideas?

First - uninstall the beta for Internet Explorer. Try again.

If that fails...

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Reboot.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemRoot%\system32\net stop wuauserv
--> Click OK.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32 %SystemRoot%\system32\wups2.dll
--> Click OK.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemRoot%\system32\net start wuauserv
--> Click OK.

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run") --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/d...displaylang=en

Reboot.

Log on as a user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer and
visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a CUSTOM scan...
(Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.)

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one. I would completely avoid the Optional
Hardware updates.

Come back - let us know if that worked.
.... Really - come back and let everyone know if that worked.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html