Fix Slow Updates/High CPU Usages - Windows 7

[Circaflex]

This is something I have been testing in VM's and with the assistance of a few colleagues, but this has solved the following on clean installs and even some dirty installs:

 

-Checking for updates never finishes

-High CPU usage while Checking for Updates

-Windows Update freezes or locks up the system for periods of time

-Searching for updates can takes hours

 

 

Step 1: Install KB3172605 by downloading the .MSU, expanding the .MSU into a folder, and use DISM to apply the CAB file. In order to do this, enter the following commands in an admin command prompt. Please take note, if your system is 32-bit you would instead use Windows6.1-KB3172605-x86.msu

 

mkdir update
expand -f:* Windows6.1-KB3172605-x64.msu .\update
dism /online /add-package /packagepath:update\Windows6.1-KB3172605-x64.cab

 

Reboot your system and try running Windows Updates, sometimes this is all it takes. On a few of my test VMs, I found this one did the trick, on a few others it did not.

 

If you receive an error stating the manifest file contains a syntax error (0x800736B5) perform the following:

The issue is caused by the Version key under Component Based Servicing in the registry. It is out of date and DISM does not know how to process one of the commands inside the update.  The easiest way to fix this, is to download and install the Windows 7 Roll-up Prerequisite. In order to do this, download the Prerequisite file and perform the following commands from an admin command prompt:

 

mkdir prereq
expand -f:* Windows6.1-KB3020369-x64.msu .\prereq
dism /online /add-package /packagepath:prereq\Windows6.1-KB3020369-x64.cab

if your system is 32-bit you would instead use Windows6.1-KB3020369-x86.msu

 

Restart the machine and you should be able to install KB3172605 at this point, without any errors.

 

**As an additional note, if your Windows 7 system is a fresh-install and was recently upgraded to SP1, or has not done updates for a very very long time, there could possibly be hundreds of applicable updates. In this situation, it is advised to install the Windows 7 Rollup Package, which contains all updates between the launch of SP1 and April 2016.

 

TL;DR Steps

1. Install KB3172605 

2. Install Roll-up Prerequisite

3. Install Roll-up Package

4. Check for updates, which should run much faster now.

 

Download Links:

 

KB3172605

Windows 7 Roll-up Prerequisite (x86)

Windows 7 Roll-up Prerequisite (x64)

Windows 7 Roll-up Update (x86)

Windows 7 Roll-up Update (x64)

[+Warwagon MVC]

Instead of extracting the update and installing it by command, unplugging from the internet and restarting the windows update service before trying to install the update will also make the update install quicker.

 

That being said the command would be useful for remote work.

[+Warwagon MVC]

I used this a day ago, to install an update on a machine where it was remote and the user was not home to unplug the internet from it to install the update.

[T3X4S]

Wanted to list another great method.

Very handy on a clean Win7 x64 SP1 install.

Download these hotfixes:

Do not install them.

Go here:

Use PowerShell to install a list of hotfix all at once.

Follow the simple directions -

PS will install each item silently, without rebooting, and echo each time a hotfix is installed.

Once all are done, reboot.

You should be able to use Windows Updates normally.

UPDATE:

Just tested on a new VM (Win7 x64 SP1) - worked great.
 

____________________________

This is the PS script

$dir = (Get-Item -Path ".\" -Verbose).FullName
 Foreach($item in (ls $dir *.msu -Name))
 {
    echo $item
    $item = $dir + "\" + $item
    wusa $item /quiet /norestart | Out-Null
 }

 

[Circaflex]

I've found on a clean install, today actually, that if you install the pre req listed, then the rollup and then finally the kb 3172605 updates will work without any issues. Very simple process. 

[T3X4S]

13 minutes ago, Circaflex said:

I've found on a clean install, today actually, that if you install the pre req listed, then the rollup and then finally the kb 3172605 updates will work without any issues. Very simple process. 

Well... mine's cooler !
(and my post has more colors, so I win)

[The Evil Overlord]

8 minutes ago, T3X4S said:

Well... mine's cooler !
(and my post has more colors, so I win)

Uhm.....

 

[Circaflex]

28 minutes ago, T3X4S said:

Well... mine's cooler !
(and my post has more colors, so I win)

Touché! You catch any of the Memorial the last few days?

[T3X4S]

1 hour ago, Circaflex said:

Touché! You catch any of the Memorial the last few days?

No I havent, Im gonna watch the highlights though.