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How to Fix Windows 7 Won’t Update [Step-By-Step Guide]

How to Fix Windows 7 Won’t Update

It has been over five years since mainstream support for Windows 7 ended, yet many computers still run the popular operating system. Despite the release of Windows 10, which offers advanced features and design, many users prefer to stick with Windows 7 due to its simplicity and ability to run smoothly on older systems and hardware. In this article, we will discuss how to fix the issue of Windows 7 not updating.

As Windows 7 nears its end, updates are becoming increasingly rare. While updates are usually seamless, they can sometimes cause headaches for users trying to download and install them.

The Windows update service is designed to work quietly in the background, downloading and installing updates as they become available. However, users of Windows 7, 8, and 10 have reported a number of issues when trying to update their operating system.

One of the most common problems is that Windows Update gets stuck at 0% while downloading updates or during the “searching/checking for updates” phase. These issues can be resolved by implementing one of the solutions provided below.

How to Fix Windows 7 Won’t Update

If your Windows 7 won’t update, there are a few things you can try to fix the issue.

First, ensure that your computer is connected to the internet. Windows 7 won’t update if it cannot connect to the Microsoft servers. If you are connected, try restarting your router or modem to reset your internet connection.

Next, check for any updates that are currently being downloaded or installed. Windows 7 won’t update if another update is already in progress. Wait for the current update to finish before trying to install more updates.

Another solution is to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. This tool can automatically detect and fix common issues that prevent Windows 7 from updating.

If none of these solutions work, you can try resetting the Windows Update components. This will delete any temporary files and reset the update services on your computer

If you are still experiencing issues with Windows 7 won’t update, you can try downloading and installing updates manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to spend time troubleshooting and fixing the update issues, you can consider upgrading to a newer version of Windows like Windows 10. Lets discuss in details how to fix these issues.

Restart Windows Update Service

Restart the Windows Update service.

One possible solution to resolve the issue of Windows 7 won’t update is to restart the Windows Update service. The Windows Update service is responsible for checking for updates, downloading them, and installing them on your computer. Sometimes, this service may become stuck or unresponsive, causing Windows 7 won’t update. By restarting the service, you can reset it and get it working properly again.

To restart the Windows Update service, follow these steps:

  1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type “services.msc” and press Enter.
  3. Scroll through the list of services and locate the “Windows Update” service.
  4. Right-click on “Windows Update” and select “Stop.”
  5. Wait a few seconds, then right-click on “Windows Update” again and select “Start.”
  6. Close the Services window and check for updates again.

If restarting the Windows Update service does not resolve the issue of Windows 7 won’t update, there are other solutions you can try, such as running the Windows Update Troubleshooter or resetting the Windows Update components.

However, if these solutions also fail, it may be necessary to manually download and install updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Another solution to try if you are experiencing the issue of Windows 7 won’t update is to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter. This tool is designed to automatically detect and fix common issues that prevent Windows 7 from updating. It can be a useful tool if you’re unsure of what’s causing the problem or if you’ve already tried other solutions without success.

To run the Windows Update Troubleshooter, follow these steps:

  1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type “control” and press Enter.
  3. Click on “Troubleshoot” on the Control Panel.
  4. Click on “View all” on the top left corner.
  5. Click on “Windows Update”
  6. Click on “Run the troubleshooter”
  7. Follow the prompts to complete the troubleshooting process.

The troubleshooter will scan your computer for any issues that may be preventing updates from being installed. If it finds any, it will automatically try to fix them. Once the troubleshooter is finished, check for updates again and see if the issue of Windows 7 won’t update has been resolved.

If the troubleshooter is unable to fix the issue, you can try other solutions such as resetting the Windows

Check if you guys have Internet Explorer 11 and also .NET 4.7 (Prerequisites for updating Windows 7)

In order to resolve the issue of Windows 7 won’t update:

  • You should ensure that your PC has the latest version of Internet Explorer 11 and the .NET framework installed. These programs are necessary for Windows 7 to perform updates successfully.
  • To install the latest version of the .NET framework, visit the Download Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7 website and click on the red “Download” button.
  • Once the download is complete, locate the downloaded file and follow the on-screen instructions to install it. Make sure to have a stable internet connection during the installation process.
  • Next, you’ll need to enable or check the integrity of the newly installed .NET 4.7 framework. Open the Control Panel by typing “Control” or “Control Panel” in the Run command box or Windows search bar and pressing Enter.
  •  Go to Programs and Features under All Control Panel Items. You can adjust the icon size to small or large by clicking on the “View” option to make it easier to find items.
  • In the next window, click on “Turn Windows feature on or off” on the left-hand side. Check the box next to the .NET Framework 4.7 and click “OK” to enable it. Now, your PC should have the necessary components to successfully perform updates and resolve the issue of Windows 7 won’t update.

Turn off Windows Firewall

Turn off Windows Firewall

Another possible cause for Windows 7 won’t update is that the Windows Firewall is blocking the new update files from being downloaded. Many users have reported that temporarily disabling the Windows Firewall resolves this issue.

To disable the Windows Firewall, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Control Panel and click on Windows Defender Firewall.
  2. In the next window, select “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off” from the left pane.
  3. Click on the radio buttons next to “Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended)” under both Private and Public Network Settings.
  4. Click OK to save and exit.

It’s also important to turn off any third-party antivirus/firewall program that you might have running before attempting to download the updates again. This is important because these programs can also block the new update files from being downloaded.

After disabling the Firewall and any third-party antivirus/firewall programs, try downloading the updates again. If this resolves the issue of Windows 7 won’t update, you can turn the Firewall back on and re-enable your antivirus/firewall programs once the updates have been installed.

Try to update after a clean boot

Another reason why Windows 7 won’t update is that one of the third-party applications installed on your PC might be interfering with the update process. If this is the case, you can try installing the update after performing a clean boot, where only the essential services and drivers are loaded.

Here’s how to perform a clean boot:

  1. Open the system configuration tool by typing “MSConfig” in the Run command box or search bar and pressing Enter.
  2. Go to the Services tab of the MSConfig window and check the box next to “Hide all Microsoft Services.”
  3. Click on the “Disable All” button to disable all remaining third-party services.
  4. Go to the Startup tab and click on “Disable All.”
  5. Click on “Apply” followed by “OK.” Restart your PC and try downloading the new update.
  6. If the update installs successfully, open the system configuration tool again and enable all services and startup programs back on. Restart your PC to boot back normally.

By performing a clean boot, you are disabling all third-party services and startup programs, which may be interfering with the update process. This way, you can identify the problematic software and remove or update it to resolve the issue of Windows 7 won’t update.

Download and install new updates manually 

If none of the previous solutions have worked for you, then it may be necessary to install the new OS updates manually. The Windows Update service may be failing to download the latest updates because it needs to be updated itself.

  • First, download the appropriate version of the servicing stack based on your system architecture, either 32-bit or 64-bit.
  • Next, open the Control Panel (by typing “control” in the Run command box and clicking OK), and go to System and Security.
  • From there, select Windows Update and then Change Settings. Expand the Important Updates drop-down menu and choose “Never Check For Updates (Not Recommended)”.
  • Click OK to save the changes and restart your computer. After your computer has booted back up, go to the Downloads folder and double-click on the KB3020369 file that you downloaded earlier.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to install the servicing stack. Now, download the July 2016 update for Windows 7, again based on your system architecture, and install it.
  • Your computer will restart as part of the installation process.
  • Go back to Windows Update in the Control Panel and change the settings back to “Install updates automatically (recommended)”.
  • Finally, check for updates and you should no longer have any issues with downloading or installing them through the Windows Update tool.

Modify Security Permissions of the SoftwareDistribution Folder

If none of the above solutions have worked for you, it may be necessary to take manual steps to update your Windows 7 system. One potential issue may be that the Windows Update service is failing to download updates, and this can be rectified by allowing full control of the SoftwareDistribution folder to the user.

To do this,

  • Open Windows File Explorer and navigate to the C:\Windows folder.
  • Locate the SoftwareDistribution folder and right-click on it to select Properties.
  • Switch to the Security tab and click on the Advanced button.
  • In the Owner tab, click on Change and enter your username.
  • Verify your username by clicking on Check Names and enter your password if prompted.
  • Once again, right-click on the Software Distribution folder and select Properties.
  •  Under the Security tab, click on Edit and choose the user or user group you want to give full control to.
  • Check the box for Full Control under the Allow column and click OK.
  • This should allow the Windows Update service to access the necessary files and download updates for your Windows 7 system.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are several reasons why Windows 7 won’t update, including internet connectivity, concurrent updates, issues with the Windows Update service, limited storage space, compatibility issues and modifications made to the operating system.

To resolve the issue, you can try troubleshooting and fixing the problem, or consider upgrading to a newer version of Windows like Windows 10. We have suggested all the possible solutions. Hope you like the article.