New SSD, New system recovery CD's = Windows Update problems

[BC_Programmer]

Windows Update is one of the most poorly engineered software components for such a necessary modern feature that I can think of. Arbitrary errors, poor feedback regarding both downloading and errors, and just all-out terrible design at a technical level makes it a nightmare to deal with for anybody.

Then you go to the MS Forum and ask 10 different "professionals" and you'll get 10 different answers, and half of it is boilerplate or people offering their "home remedies". which may as well be "I found that it went better if I wore a pot as a hat, try that and report back pls"

In this case, One possibility is that the Recovery Disc brought it back to the RTM Windows 7, without Service Pack 1. That is important as SP1 included a patch released to fix an issue like this- Installing and Searching for Updates takes a long time.

Of course Windows Update would deliver Service Pack 1- if it worked properly! You can download it separately here. That may fix the issue if the recovery does in fact only have the RTM release.

[lectrocrew]

In the first postBut the original rive still works? - Right?
Or was the old drive in trouble?

A number of article out there claim that one can migrate Windows 7 to a SSD and still have good optimum performance. But I don't know if that is really so. Other places say that what you are trying is the right way to do it. Fresh install with undulates over Internet.
But another says it is possible to download a pack that, when used correctly, does a cumulative update for Windows 7 and you download it as a complete file.
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/05/windows-7-now-has-a-service-pack-2-but-dont-call-it-that/
I have not tried it, but the topic is considered on other sister and they seem to say it works.  Hee is another link about the cumulative download.
http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-comes-through-with-rollup-of-updates-and-fixes-for-windows-7/
So,maybe you need to try all over again.

_____________________
The HP2000-299wm hard drive in this machine was bad. I had originally bought it cheap ($30) for spare parts (display mainly) in another HP2000-299WM that I have which I've upgraded to Win 10. But when I swapped the HDD out of my other machine into this one for testing and found it to run well I decided to buy a display (already replaced) for the other machine and buy an SSD for this machine.
 I don't want to do anything at this point to this machine until the Microsoft techs get through working with it. But I have your "so called Service Pack 2" link bookmarked and will try it ASAP if the MS techs don't get this issue fixed. If they do fix this issue then I'll try it on another Win 7 machine I have that I rarely use just to see how well "Windows 7 SP1 convenience rollup" works with a fresh OLD Win 7 OS install.
Thanks for the link Geek!

[Geek-9pm]

Read over the post by BC_Programmer.

The so-called 'SP-2', the  cumulative update,  needs a good SP-1 install to start with. And I think there is an update you before using the cumulative update.  Read over well before you try. I have yet to use it myself.

[lectrocrew]

Windows Update is one of the most poorly engineered software components for such a necessary modern feature that I can think of. Arbitrary errors, poor feedback regarding both downloading and errors, and just all-out terrible design at a technical level makes it a nightmare to deal with for anybody.

Then you go to the MS Forum and ask 10 different "professionals" and you'll get 10 different answers, and half of it is boilerplate or people offering their "home remedies". which may as well be "I found that it went better if I wore a pot as a hat, try that and report back pls"

In this case, One possibility is that the Recovery Disc brought it back to the RTM Windows 7, without Service Pack 1. That is important as SP1 included a patch released to fix an issue like this- Installing and Searching for Updates takes a long time.

Of course Windows Update would deliver Service Pack 1- if it worked properly! You can download it separately here. That may fix the issue if the recovery does in fact only have the RTM release.

I've certainly had my share of problems in the past with Windows Update. Just a couple of months ago I posted a thread here concerning WU continuous %100 CPU usage.

http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,153970.msg942029.html#msg942029

The System Recovery DVD set that I ordered from HP for this new SSD does say 'Service Pack 1'.

[lectrocrew]

Kudos to MS, 'for a change' Lol, via Microsoft Technical Support (Answer Desk)! The MS level 3 tech got me going today after 3 hrs of troubleshooting. He was very courtious, understandable and helpful (and he didn't even recommend wearing a pot as a hat Lol).
 For future refference, after installing a fresh Windows 7 x64 OS from disc, if Windows update will not find available updates, then download/install the following updates manually in order:

(1) Windows Update Agent (select download from the list in the following link applicable to your Windows 7 x64 OS)
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/949104
(2) Windows Update Client for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2: February 2016 (KB3135445)
(3) Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB3145739)
(4) Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB3138612)
(5) Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB3102810)

*If WU problem still exist then download/install:
(6) System Update Readiness Tool for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB947821) [October 2014]

My Windows Update setting are: 'Install Updates Automatically (recommended)', 'Give me recommended updates the same way I recieve important updates' and 'Allow all users to install updates on this computer'.

When WU finds available updates there will likley be many, 284 important - 7 optional in my case. The MS tech recommended installing only a few at a time (~15-20 depending on file type/size) starting from the bottom of the list via checking only those corresponding boxes in the list. Since this machine now has the SSD drive which is very fast at start-up/restart, it was very time saving for me since I restarted after each group of downloaded/installed updates. I recommend disabling 'password required at login' and turning off 'Guest account' to speed up the time required for all the restarts involved. Remember to reactivate these functions , if desired, after completing the update process.

Thanks again to the MS tech's and you guys here on the CH forum!

[patio]

Certainly appreciate you sharing this solution to the issue here at CH...

This could save many others from the same headaches....

Kudos