Windows 7 freezes, won't update, even after in-place reinstall

[Barry Bernard]

About 2 weeks ago I got a notice that there were new updates available for my Dell. I have it set to notify me but don't download any updates. I opened the updater and saw that there were over 40 updates and it stated that I hadn't installed any since April. I always install them when notified. I clicked to update all and it just ran and ran. So finally I cancelled the update and when I went to shut down my computer there were 2 updates to be installed at shutdown. I did that and when I restarted my computer I went back to the update site and tried to download the rest of the updates but the same thing happened. Each time there would be 1 or 2 updates waiting to be installed when I shut my system down. I did this about 6 times and then the last time the computer froze while I was at the update site downloading. Had to power off the computer, nothing else would get it to work. After restarting, I went back to the update site and it stated that I had NEVER checked for updates and NEVER installed any updates. Tried various things that I found online to fix this but nothing worked. Finally got an ISO copy of Windows 7 SP1 from a friend and did an in-place reinstall. It was a copy he made a few years ago so it wasn't up to date with all the updates. Everything went fine with the reinstall but the update page still says NEVER for both and it will just run and run and not do any updates. Also the computer now intermittently freezes for a time and run really slow, except when I first start it. Before I did the reinstall I did a cleanup, emptied temp and prefetch folders, did a check disc, and ran anti-virus and Malewarebytes. I have tried a few things that I found online but can't get Microsoft FIXIT to work and can't get Internet Explorer 11 to load or do any updates. I didn't try "How do I reset Windows Update components?" because I was very nervous about doing that much typing into the registry. Didn't want to screw it up. I was thinking that maybe if I got a newer ISO copy of Windows 7 SP1 I could try another in-place reinstall but I can't find a place to download a legit copy. My computer does have a COA for Home version 64 bit. Sorry this went on so long but I just wanted to get as much info out there as possible. I don't want to have to blow everything off of my system if at all possible, that's why I want to get it fixed. I've never contacted a help forum before so I'm hoping someone can help. What should I do now ?

 

[john steadman]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17101/windows-7-system-recovery-options

make sure windows_update is enabled in services.msc.

 

[Barry Bernard]

It is. That is one of the many things that I tried. I would like to try an in-place reinstall again if I could find a place to download a more recent copy of Windows 7 SP1. One that has a lot of the newer updates already in it. I did find one link to a microsoft page but there was only a notice for some kind of business software. Must have been an old or wrong link. Thanks for your input.

 

[john steadman]

might still work??

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

 

[Barry Bernard]

Didn't work because my product key is for Windows 7 that was preinstalled by the manufacturer. They told me to contact Dell for software. Darn Microsoft. Any other place to get an ISO image of Windows 7 SP1 with all the newer updates anyone ?

 

[john steadman]

some info i found in a search

http://dellwindowsreinstallationgui...and-recovery-program-windows-vista-7-version/

https://www.msofficedownload.com/wi...bit-download?gclid=CLHCrr654M4CFRFwvAodVUoBRA

 

[john steadman]

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/m/microsoft_os/20440287

dell info

 

[john steadman]

http://www.dell.com/support/content...-downloads/dell-backup-solutions/Media-backup
this is dell image recovery for all windows O.S.
best of luck with this one

 

[Barry Bernard]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I can't even do a backup of my system without it completely locking up. That is why I was trying to find an ISO image of Windows 7 SP1 x64,to do an inplace reinstall. I could make a copy on my wife's computer and try to get it to redo mine. I'm just about fed up and are almost ready to do a full reinstall. I have the original disk that came with my computer but it is before SP1. That's why I can't use it for an inplace reinstall. Older version, won't let me

 

[rayal49]

Try using WSUS offline updater.A tutorial for this can be found at https://malwaretips.com/threads/tuto...-update.57320/.
Used it when I had a problem with updates after a re-install of W7.Seemed to kickstart Windows update. Also download and install KB 3102810 update from Microsoft downloads.
Good Luck

 

[john steadman]

well if you want a copy of win7with spk1 there are plenty to choose from on ebay..
you won't get a copy with all the latest updates you will still have to download those.

 

[Barry Bernard]

I already have a copy of Win7 SP1. I ran a inplace reinstall again today with the same results. Says never checked or installed any updates and won't update. Frustrating. I did put WSUS offline on my other computer and got all the updates but not sure how to transfer them to my messed up computer yet. I want to burn them to a DVD to move them. Haven't figured out how to do that yet. Couldn't get WSUS to work on my messed up one. That's why I had to do it with another computer. Thank again for all the info.

 

[john steadman]

just a reinstall is not fixing the problem
indicates to me that a complete wipe of the c drive is the way to go and do a "clean" install
I take it that your win7 disk is a full install one and not just an upgrade one..
save all data you wish to keep photos etc., If you wish to try this if you have not already done so i can provide assistance.

 

[Barry Bernard]

I want to thank you for all your help. I finally got it straightened out. I manually loaded a few updates (KB3102810, KB3138612, and the SUR tool) but could not get WSUS offline to work at all. Then I turned my automatic updates on and changed the hour to check for them (found this tip on another site on the web). Made sure my computer was set to never go to sleep or shut off and then went to bed. When I went to shut it down the next morning the little shield was next to the shutdown button. When I clicked on it the screen showed that there was 206 updates to be installed. It installed all of them with no problem. After restarting it found more updates to install. No problems doing that either. Seems like it might be back to normal. Again, "THANKS" for your input.