Cannot install any updates on clean Windows 8.1

Question

I made a clean install of Windows 8.1 on a computer. I'm trying to check for updates. The update check takes very long and finally the Windows Update section tells me that no updates are available and that no check has ever been done.

Why does the update check fail? What can I do with it?

Answer 1

Stop the Windows Update Service (via services.msc or in a cmd.exe which is started as admin via net stop wuauserv), download and install this update:

Installing and searching for updates is slow and high CPU usage occurs in Windows 8.1

Do a reboot and check again for new updates.

Answer 2

I had this exact same problem.

You need the new version of windows update. The problem is, the patch notes for the updates you need don't actually tell you that they update windows update.

You need KB3173424 first, then install KB3172614. You should disconnect your computer from the network and restart before installing these after downloading.

https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB3173424

https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB3172614

I don't actually know if disconnecting your computer from the network to prevent windows update launching in the backround is necessary, but it worked for me. Similarly, I don't know if the updates must be installed in that order, or even if you need both of them. I just know it finally made the update process work. Hurray.

Answer 3

This problem continues into 2019, and, to my experience, none of the above answers are effective in the present day. At great length, I have been able to correct this issue with my Dell 3135 after a factory image restoration and installing update KB4504418 followed by KB3172614 & then KB4512488. Lots of helpful clues to be found in this thread. I did stop the Windows Update service before applying these updates, & I did apply them using an Administrative Command terminal, entering:

start /wait "" "%SystemRoot%\system32\wusa.exe" "C:\full\path\to\Update.msu" /quiet /norestart

as described in this very expert advice. (For those less savvy, you must replace the above path, "C:\full\path\to\Update.msu", with the explicit full path to the update module.

It is worth mentioning that I was unable to enact any of these updates in Safe Mode as advised in an earlier solution.

Answer 4

I used this method and it worked.

1. Run cmd as administrator.

Type the following commands:

2. net stop wuauserv
3. ren SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
4. net start wuauserv

I managed to finally install updates using the above method.

Answer 5

Thanks user683780.. The process you described helped me get Windows 8.1 updating again. The only additional step I had to make was to enter safe mode in order to rename the software distribution folder.

My steps were:

• turn off auto update,
• download KBs (save),
• restart computer in safe mode,
• Rename SoftwareDistribution folder,
• restart PC,
• run the two KBs,
• restart PC and;
• return updates to auto.

Check for updates showed 223 updates pending.

Answer 6

After a clean install of Win8.1 I had this problem. The method outlined by user683780 (manually d/l KB3173424 and KB3172614 etc) worked for me. Be sure to disconnect your computer from the internet before running these files, otherwise they will not install - your computer will look like it is installing the first one but in fact it is still trying to use the old version of windows update already installed. As well as being disconnected from the internet before running these updates I stopped the existing windows update service on my machine (press windows key and R key, type services.msc into the run box, locate the windows update service in the list (wuauserv) and stop it). My laptop is now busy installing 1.2GB of important updates! :) PS be sure to run the updates in the order given in the answer above.