Solved Vista Not Updating...Reinstalled Original OS. manually installed SP1, SP2

Co-worker wanted me to look at her computer to fix some problems. I found virus(es) had hijacked ie. I tried malwarebytes, etc. and switched to firefox and tried to run windows update but endless search yielded no updates.

I reinstalled the OS from original disk -- Vista Home Basic 32-bit.

I manually installed SP1. I then manually installed SP2. Tried updates again. Forever looking and no updates.

Could someone outline my next moves to be done to head towards a fix for this updating problem? I would appreciate it. I see that there posts with similar problems and I am not sure which ones I should try or do I need to do something else before I start manually downloading updates?

Thanks,
Don

There is an on-going thread about update slowness. Please see this post. http://www.vistax64.com/windows-upd...seems-hang-while-checking-11.html#post1408031

Thanks,
What I have tried so far is:
1. KB3145739
2. KB947821

I am running Process Hacker on the windows update. I am not sure what to look for, but the cpu is maxed out at a 100% and so far 4,100,000,000.000+ cycles. Kernel time, 16:25.000

The instructions are in that thread. Try disabling WU from the WU settings. control panel > Windows undate > settings. Look for a drop down, select it, & choose don't update. I don't remember the exact wording. Disconnect from the internet and reboot. Then install the updates from the bottom up.

drw2 said:

What I have tried so far is:
1. KB3145739

Click to expand...

Welcome to Vista Forums drw2. KB3145739 is indeed part of the workaround posted at Search for Windows Updates takes forever? - A possible solution - however it seems to be quite important to install the updates in chronological order, i.e. in order of ascending KB number:

1. KB3078601 (August 2015)
2. KB3109094 (December 2015)
3. KB3145739 (April 2016) Edit: This one should no longer be necessary
4. KB3164033 (June 2016)
5. KB3168965 (July 2016) Edit: This one should no longer be necessary
6. KB3185911 (September 13) (Replaces August's KB3177725)
7. KB3191203 (October 11) Edit: Latest addition, but there should be another November 8

(Obviously you need the Vista x86 versions.) If you have already installed KB3145739 but not the two earlier updates, it is probably safest to remove KB3145739 via Installed Updates (which I have never actually attempted) before proceeding. If you prefer, you could simply try installing the remaining updates in the correct order; however if you get a message that one of the Vista x86 updates does not apply to your system, that will be because the updates were installed in the wrong order, and you will probably need to reinstall Vista SP2 (it's not like you've made very much progress at this point).

There will most likely be another security update for Windows kernel-mode drivers on September 13 that will need to be "pre-installed" to allow checking for updates to complete.

Thanks to both of you for suggestions. I will start back on this tonight....

UPDATE: After doing the 6 manual installs in order I was able to get it to start updating...thanks...that did the trick...

Just wanna say thank you for the tips, solved my update problem hung at check update forever.

It is important to note that the final stage of this workaround changes monthly. As of September 13, KB3177725 has been replaced by KB3185911. If you have previously installed all Windows updates published on July 12, 2016 and earlier, then (and only then) KB3185911 should be the only one you need to manually install.

Vistaar said:

Welcome to Vista Forums drw2. KB3145739 is indeed part of the workaround posted at Search for Windows Updates takes forever? - A possible solution - however it seems to be quite important to install the updates in chronological order, i.e. in order of ascending KB number:

1. KB3078601 (August 2015)
2. KB3109094 (December 2015)
3. KB3145739 (April 2016)
4. KB3164033 (June 2016)
5. KB3168965 (July 2016)
6. KB3177725 (August 2016) Edit: Replaced by KB3185911 as of September 13 (see link).

(Obviously you need the Vista x86 versions.) If you have already installed KB3145739 but not the two earlier updates, it is probably safest to remove KB3145739 via Installed Updates (which I have never actually attempted) before proceeding. If you prefer, you could simply try installing the remaining updates in the correct order; however if you get a message that one of the Vista x86 updates does not apply to your system, that will be because the updates were installed in the wrong order, and you will probably need to reinstall Vista SP2 (it's not like you've made very much progress at this point).

There will most likely be another security update for Windows kernel-mode drivers on September 13 that will need to be "pre-installed" to allow checking for updates to complete.

Click to expand...

Where do you find these updates?

Lexicat said:

Where do you find these updates?

Click to expand...

On the website in the link or from a search using your favorite search engine.

Just thought I'd chime in with another 'Thanks' to Vistaar - My x64 VM hadn't been updated since April '15, and was locked in the update check.
Installing the KB's fixed it in short order .

Thanks for the feedback NoelDP. Since this thread is still being consulted, I have taken this opportunity to update the list of updates in post #5. Of course KB3191203 has been a necessary addition since October 11, and there should be another addition on November 8, etc.

There is also the matter of removing replaced updates from Dalai's outdated list. Forum member Imacri has actually been even more immersed in this issue than I have, and has posted elsewhere (Windows Vista Update Hangs at "Checking For Updates" - Page 11 - Windows Vista) that both KB3145739 and KB3168965 can now be removed. I was wondering myself two months ago why Dalai had not removed KB3168965 (http://www.vistax64.com/windows-upd...seems-hang-while-checking-33.html#post1408017), so I have added a notation in post #5 that this update should no longer be necessary. I'm not familiar with the case for removing KB3145739 (and don't plan to reinstall Vista just to test), so perhaps Imacri might post an explanation. Of course it does no harm to manually install an update that is no longer essential to the workaround as long as any replacing update is installed afterwards, so please do install updates in order of ascending KB number, i.e. chronologically.

Edit: See Imacri's post http://www.vistax64.com/windows-upd...seems-hang-while-checking-40.html#post1408405