How to speed up Windows seven Update scans—forever

Win7 Update scans got you lot fuming? Hither's how to make the most of Microsoft's 'magic' speed-upwards patch

Columnist, InfoWorld |

Microsoft has changed the way it deploys patches, adding a new twist to an former problem. For many folks, Windows 7 Update scans still take hours—fifty-fifty days. How do you knock your Win7 machine upside the caput, and then information technology will find new patches in less than glacial time? We have a new Microsoft-sanctioned arroyo that only needs to be tempered a little.

Note that, in the new patching prototype, even those who manually download monthly security patches ("Grouping B") still need to apply Windows Update, if only for .Net patches, Function patches (for those who don't accept Role Click-to-Run), and other patches that don't arrive equally role of the Security-simply Update.

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

Now, it appears every bit if we take one "magic" patch to rule them all—and Microsoft has officially endorsed it. There are two fatal flaws, though.

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

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

  • Information technology includes components that aren't related to the Windows 7 Update scan slowdown problem. If you want to speed up your scans, y'all have to accept all of the update rollup. You can't pick out the good part.
  • It crashes a very mutual ready of Intel Bluetooth drivers.

Intel continues to not set its Bluetooth drivers for the Intel Centrino Wireless 8260/7265/3165/7260/3160/1030 and Centrino Avant-garde-Due north 6230/6235/2230 Bluetooth devices—a big swath of Intel Bluetooth systems (come across poohsticks' firsthand report on AskWoody). Last week, Intel confirmed it had stock-still the drivers for its other Bluetooth devices. If you've experienced otherwise, please hit me in the comments or over on AskWoody.com.

In short, you need KB 3172605 to speed your Windows Update scans, but KB 3172605 contains a lot of actress luggage—including a piece with the unfortunate side effect of knocking out many Intel Bluetooth drivers. Rock, meet arranged difficult place.

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

Step ane. If necessary, fix the bad Intel Bluetooth driver.

If you never use Bluetooth, couldn't care less nearly Bluetooth, or know for a fact that y'all don't have an Intel Bluetooth driver, skip to Step 2.

Intel'due south updated support article 22410 traces through the bug that you may encounter if you install KB 3172605 on a PC with an Intel Bluetooth commuter. At that place's a very straightforward video that shows you how to identify your Bluetooth adapter. If y'all have Intel within, y'all need to get the driver updated.

There are myriad drivers and complex installation details, but you tin can cut to the chase. If your wireless adapter came from Intel, run the official Intel Driver Update Utility. That'll bring your arrangement upwards to the latest version of all Intel drivers, including the one that conflicts with KB 3172605.

If y'all take whatsoever of the known bad drivers (follow the steps in the video), there's a circuitous arroyo developed by abbodi1406 on the My Digital Life forum that will cure the slow Windows Update scanning problem without zapping your Bluetooth driver. For most 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 (assuming you have a free USB slot).

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

Step 2. Try to install KB 3172605.

The speed-up patch you lot desire, KB 3172605, has a prerequisite. It'due south 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 y'all don't have 3020369 and try to install 3172605, the installer volition bellyache, but no harm is done. That's why I recommend you lot install 3172605. Here's how.

Pace 2A. If Windows 7'south Windows Update is in the middle of an update scan, click the "X" and reboot to cease the madness. Yes, even if yous've been waiting for half dozen hours, this will be faster. Trust me.

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

Footstep 2C. Turn off the internet. If you're attached via ethernet cable, pull the cable. Plough off Wi-Fi. Practise whatsoever you need to go off the grid.

Step 2D. Run the installer. Double-click on the MSU file that yous downloaded. It should stop in a couple of minutes. If yous become the message "This update is non applicable to your computer," make sure y'all take the right version (32-bit or 64-bit); if yous exercise, spring down to Step 3.

Step 2E. Turn the cyberspace back on.

Step 2F. Reboot. When your machine comes support for air, you're done. Try running Windows Update again and run into if life in the fast lane is sweet.

Step 3. Install KB 3020369. If your PC tells you lot that KB 3172605 is "non applicative to your computer" and you're sure you have the right version of the patch (32-bit vs. 64-bit), this is the culprit.

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

Pace 3B. Install KB 3020369 past double-clicking on the downloaded file.

Step 3C. That'southward all you need—no reboot required, zero squirrelly. Get dorsum to Step two.

While y'all're thinking about (and peradventure swearing at) Windows Update, take a few minutes to decide how you want to proceed, given the massive "patchocalypse" change in Windows vii (and 8.ane) updating, effective in Oct.

No affair how you expect to handle Windows 7 patches in the future (run across my word of "Group A" and "Group B"), I call up it's wise to plow off Windows Update. To exercise so, click Start > Control Panel > System and Security. Under Windows Update, click the "Turn automatic updating on or off" link, then cull "Never check for updates (not recommended)."

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

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