[Solved] Windows updates taking forever

I just installed XP Pro on a new hard drive in a Gateway computer. I used a Dell install disk and activated XP using the sticker on the machine. No problems so far.

I installed SP-3 using a CD that I made a while ago.
I installed all the drivers so Device manager looks good.

The problem I'm having is that Windows updates is taking forever. It seems to get stuck at "Checking for the latest updates for your computer".

Task Manager shows a svchost.exe at 50% CPU. So I think the update is working. Disk access light stopped coming on. So maybe it's stuck.

I'm now trying Windows Update with the machine in a clean boot state.

Did a bunch of searching on the Internet. Haven't found a fix yet. Thought I'd post here. Maybe just venting. Been at this for a few hours now. It's ridiculous.

 

This month there has been a lot of problems with WinXP updates.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...ed-my-pc/27dbff1d-1a10-423e-b9f5-9ca029f364cc

Because of the problems i'm not even updating the XP machine.

 

Thanks Starbuck. I tried another install using another disk. Similar issue.

This time however, it doesn't sit there telling me that it's looking for updates. I get
Windows update error 0x8024d001 I'm not alone with this.

I kinda remembered this from a recent install I did. On that installation, I just turned on Auto Updates and came back 30 minutes later and the updates started working. I'm trying that again.

 

Have you tried the MS Fixit? (Automatically diagnose and fix common problems with Windows Update)
There's also a download of the latest Windows Update Agent that may help.
Fix this problem http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949104
Windows Update Agent

.

 

You know, downloading the Windows Update Agent is where I was headed to next. Holding off because I found this in my notes from a machine I loaded just about a month ago.

Reload XPMC from the Dell CD.
SP-3 install –OK.
Activated the license.
Can’t do manual update. Error number 0x8024d001
Download IE8 – I see nothing happening. I’m just going to let it sit for a while. CPU is at >60% svchose.exe using 50% PID: 880.
Rebooted and see one update waiting. Install it. Manual Windows update now working.
Genuine Windows advantage – took about 30 minutes.
​

This seems to be exactly what I'm seeing today. I'm gonna give it an hour or so before downloading the Windows Update Agent.

 

Let me know how you make out with it Tony. I have an XP machine coming this afternoon that needs
a wipe and load. ( I'm not looking forward to it. I swore no more XP installs.) Yet here I am......

 

Well, seems patience is your friend here. I did everything in clean boot mode, but I don't think that's nexessary.

I let the machine just sit for about 30 minutes. I then noticed the yellow shield in Notification Area indicating an update was ready. It was KB898461 - permanent copy of Package Installer for Windows. I let that install. Manual updaets were still not working.

A while later, maybe 15 minutes, there were 3 updates waiting. svchost was still at 50%. Let them install. Manual updates were still not working.

I let it sit for about an hour. In that time svchost still hung at 50% and now update.exe was using CPU also. The hard drive started going crazy. Sounds like something was working.

Then everything quited down. CPU was at 0%. There were no update notification in the Notification Area. Went to Shut Down and sure enough, the shield was there noting if I shut down, updates would be installed. I chose that option. It installed 121 updates.

15 minutes later - manual updates are working. I let it install Windows Genuine Advantage Validation tool. It then allowed it to install 4 high priority, along with some software and hardware updates.

Bottom line, the updates are going to take about 2-1/2 hrs. Just be patient and let Windows download the updates automatically. Then you can start checking manual updates.

 

Seems to be a problem with new installs. You're probably OK if you've been doing updates all along.

 

You are absolutely right Tony. I have run into almost identical problems with this XP install. It's moving along but slowly.

 

I fired it up this afternoon. Thought it was done with updates, but another 9 updates started downloading. These were .net-related.

 

Just did a fresh install of XP Pro on an old Inspiron. Updates went thru nicely. The only thing I did different is while selecting options during the installation, I chose NOT to turn on Auto Updates. I then installed SP-3 from CD. Afterwards I turned on auto updates. It didn't take long for the yellow shield to pop up with an update. Then after not too long, it downloaded and installed another 131 updates. Just passing it along.

 

Good to know. Thanks Tony.