How To Update Windows 7 Quickly

How to speed up Windows 7 Update scans—forever

Win7 Update scans got you fuming? Hither'due south how to make the well-nigh of Microsoft'southward 'magic' speed-upwards patch

Woody Leonhard By

Columnist, InfoWorld |

Microsoft has changed the manner it deploys patches, adding a new twist to an old problem. For many folks, Windows vii Update scans still take hours—even days. How do you lot knock your Win7 machine upside the head, so it will find new patches in less than glacial time? We have a new Microsoft-sanctioned approach that but needs to be tempered a piddling.

Note that, in the new patching paradigm, even those who manually download monthly security patches ("Group B") still need to use Windows Update, if simply for .Net patches, Office patches (for those who don't have Role Click-to-Run), and other patches that don't arrive every bit part of the Security-but Update.

I've long talked well-nigh "magic" speed-upwardly patches—odd combinations of Microsoft patches that make Win7 Update scans run an guild of magnitude faster. Drawing on the experiences of Dalai at wu.krelay.de/en and many characters (EP, ch100, NC, abbodi86) at AskWoody.com, we've managed to notice combinations that solve the problem, which vary from calendar month to calendar month.

Now, it appears as if nosotros have one "magic" patch to dominion them all—and Microsoft has officially endorsed it. In that location are two fatal flaws, though.

The speed-up patch, KB 3172605, is problematic, as I discussed in July. Information technology contains a new version of the Windows Update Agent, which takes minutes instead of hours to figure out which patches are available.

At that place are two issues with KB 3172605 ("July 2016 update rollup for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1") that aren't discussed in the KB commodity:

It includes components that aren't related to the Windows seven Update browse slowdown problem. If you want to speed upward your scans, you have to have all of the update rollup. You tin't pick out the good part.
It crashes a very common set of Intel Bluetooth drivers.

Intel continues to not fix its Bluetooth drivers for the Intel Centrino Wireless 8260/7265/3165/7260/3160/1030 and Centrino Advanced-N 6230/6235/2230 Bluetooth devices—a big swath of Intel Bluetooth systems (see poohsticks' immediate report on AskWoody). Last week, Intel confirmed it had fixed the drivers for its other Bluetooth devices. If you lot've experienced otherwise, please striking me in the comments or over on AskWoody.com.

In short, you demand KB 3172605 to speed your Windows Update scans, but KB 3172605 contains a lot of extra baggage—including a slice with the unfortunate side outcome of knocking out many Intel Bluetooth drivers. Rock, meet bundled difficult place.

The easiest method I've plant for speeding up Windows Update scans for Win7 looks like this:

Pace one. If necessary, fix the bad Intel Bluetooth driver.

If you never use Bluetooth, couldn't care less about Bluetooth, or know for a fact that you don't take an Intel Bluetooth driver, skip to Stride 2.

Intel's updated support article 22410 traces through the issues that you may see if you install KB 3172605 on a PC with an Intel Bluetooth driver. There's a very straightforward video that shows you how to identify your Bluetooth adapter. If you take Intel within, you need to become the driver updated.

At that place are myriad drivers and complex installation details, simply you can cut to the hunt. If your wireless adapter came from Intel, run the official Intel Driver Update Utility. That'll bring your system up to the latest version of all Intel drivers, including the one that conflicts with KB 3172605.

If you have any of the known bad drivers (follow the steps in the video), in that location's a complex arroyo developed by abbodi1406 on the My Digital Life forum that volition cure the slow Windows Update scanning problem without zapping your Bluetooth driver. For almost folks with bad drivers, abbodi1406's approach is too complex. Far easier is to install KB 3172605, knowing it will kill your built-in Bluetooth, and buy a new USB-based Bluetooth adapter (bold you accept a free USB slot).

Intel and Microsoft seem to be at odds hither, and those with older Intel Bluetooth radios are defenseless in the crossfire. Intel concedes that its older Bluetooth driver won't work with KB 3172605, KB 3133977, KB 3161608, or KB 3179573.

Footstep 2. Try to install KB 3172605.

The speed-up patch you lot desire, KB 3172605, has a prerequisite. It's KB 3020369, the "Apr 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2." Most people already have KB 3020369 installed (or one of its workalikes, including KB 3177467). If you don't have 3020369 and try to install 3172605, the installer volition bellyache, but no damage is washed. That's why I recommend you install 3172605. Hither'due south how.

Step 2A. If Windows 7's Windows Update is in the eye of an update scan, click the "X" and reboot to stop the madness. Aye, even if you've been waiting for six hours, this volition exist faster. Trust me.

Step 2B. Download the KB 3172605 MSU installer file. There are different versions for 32-bit and 64-chip.

Step 2C. Turn off the cyberspace. If y'all're attached via ethernet cable, pull the cablevision. Turn off Wi-Fi. Do whatever you need to get off the filigree.

Pace 2nd. Run the installer. Double-click on the MSU file that you downloaded. Information technology should stop in a couple of minutes. If you get the bulletin "This update is not applicative to your computer," brand certain you have the correct version (32-bit or 64-bit); if you do, jump down to Step 3.

Pace 2E. Turn the internet back on.

Footstep 2F. Reboot. When your machine comes back up for air, yous're done. Endeavour running Windows Update again and meet if life in the fast lane is sweet.

Footstep three. Install KB 3020369. If your PC tells you that KB 3172605 is "non applicable to your estimator" and you're certain you lot take the right version of the patch (32-flake vs. 64-bit), this is the culprit.

Step 3A. Download the KB 3020369 MSU installer file. There are unlike versions for 32-bit and 64-bit.

Step 3B. Install KB 3020369 by double-clicking on the downloaded file.

Step 3C. That's all you demand—no reboot required, nada squirrelly. Go dorsum to Step ii.

While you're thinking most (and maybe swearing at) Windows Update, take a few minutes to decide how y'all want to proceed, given the massive "patchocalypse" change in Windows 7 (and 8.ane) updating, constructive in October.

No matter how you await to handle Windows 7 patches in the future (see my discussion of "Grouping A" and "Grouping B"), I recollect it's wise to plough off Windows Update. To do so, click Start > Control Panel > System and Security. Nether Windows Update, click the "Plow automatic updating on or off" link, and so choose "Never check for updates (non recommended)."

Then proceed your eye out here in my Woody on Windows columns, or over on AskWoody.com, to see how each month's patches are shaking out.