Windows Update takes forever to load the update list

[Thunderbolt 2864]

I have an annoying problem with Windows Update.

Every time when I load the Windows Update site, it takes at least 5 minutes just to load the update list, most of the time it sits there and does nothing, as I noticed my modem activity nothing much happens. Before that it took 30 seconds and now it take its time loading. I find this really annoying and I was wondering is there a solution to fix this bloody thing.

Thanks for reading.

[joll69]

i've seen the same thing for a few weeks now...i've also seen an instance of svchost.exe (running the automatic updates service), which spikes cpu to 99% during this time...the service is running before and after running MU, but the cpu only spikes (as well as lots of physical and virtual memory changes) when "searching for updates".

i havent found a solution yet, but i have tried to kill that instance of svchost when it spikes (stupid me), it killed several other services, and the computer would behave strangely until rebooted...

my next attempt would be to remove excess .cat files, as i've seen too many of those give problems on MU...but as i've only got 80 of them, i dont see how they could be causing this...i suppose this is why vmware exists, so i dont hose my own system

Edited December 1, 2006 by joll69

[Jeremy]

I'd recommend you try Dial-A-Fix to reinstall the Windows Updates components.

Dial-A-Fix Homepage

[Thunderbolt 2864]

Thanks, I used that Dial-A-Fix program, the problem still persisted. Thanks for helping anyway.

[LeveL]

Get Firefox or Opera and use WinDiz

[Jeremy]

Get Firefox or Opera and use WinDiz

Getting Firefox or Opera isn't going to eliminate the need to update the OS with WUs. Also, if you're going to consider an alternative to Windows Updates, there's AutoPatcher and Windows Updates Downloader made by our own Jcarle.

[cluberti]

Have you applied the hotfix in KB916089 as of yet?

[denzilla]

I've noticed this problem on all PCs that have been upgraded from Windows update to Microsoft Update. Before upgrading, it was like 2min max to get the list and with MU, its now upwards of 5-9 minutes! Going to administrative options and reverting back doesn't make the problem go away, either. I know its also scanning for Office updates too but in the time it takes MU to scan it, I could've got a list from WU, manually visited OU and cut my lawn! This is a pretty severe problem and wastes a lot of people's time. Its hell on patch tuesday at work since we're poor and don't have a WSUS.

Edited December 1, 2006 by denzilla

[Thunderbolt 2864]

Have you applied the hotfix in KB916089 as of yet?

I applied that hotfix and restarted my computer and the problem is still persisting. Thanks for helping anyway.

Geez, I wish Microsoft would fix this, I mean, waiting for that update list to load, for like 5 minutes or more is ridiculous.

Edited December 2, 2006 by Thunderbolt 2864

[Jeremy]

Geez, I wish Microsoft would fix this, I mean, waiting for that update list to load, for like 5 minutes or more is ridiculous.

You can always use AutoPatcher.

[jcarle]

Is your hard drive running full tilt while waiting?

If it is, I suggest you try running a defrag. I've seen fragmentation be the cause of a slow windows update at times.

[denzilla]

That doesn't help. Happens on Win2k machines too.

[cluberti]

I applied that hotfix and restarted my computer and the problem is still persisting. Thanks for helping anyway.

Geez, I wish Microsoft would fix this, I mean, waiting for that update list to load, for like 5 minutes or more is ridiculous.

Well, let's take a look and see what's happening while the issue is occuring - perhaps we're barking up the wrong tree? If possible, I need for you to gather data from two tools when you're scanning with Windows update:

1. Download and install the debugging tools for windows - do a typical install, but install the files to C:\Debuggers. Also create two folders on C:, one called "adplus" (C:\adplus) and one called "websymbols (C:\websymbols). One more thing - create the following system environment variable (right-click My Computer > Properties > Advanced tab > Environment Variables button > System variables > New button):

Variable name:   _NT_SYMBOL_PATH
Variable value:  SRV*C:\websymbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols;C:\websymbols

2. Open a command prompt in the C:\debuggers folder, and type the following command to get dumps of the particular svchost using the CPU time (you'll be doing this in step 5):

cscript adplus.vbs -hang -p <PID> -o c:\adplus

- substituting the actual PID of the svchost.exe process we wish to dump for <PID> in the command above - to determine the actual PID for the command above, go to the Processes tab of task manager, then go to View > Select Columns and click to select the PID column checkbox. Now, on the processes tab, each process will show it's PID value (including the svchost.exe process we want to dump), and this value is what we need to use in the command above during the time of high CPU.

3. Download filemon from sysinternals and run it while the high cpu is occurring - we need to see which process in particular is actually hitting the disk during the high CPU duration (as you've said, it can be many minutes, so seeing what's happening on disk during this time can be very useful).

4. Go to Windows update and start the problem by checking for updates.

5. While this is occurring, get two to three adplus dumps (by running the command listed in step 2 at least two or three times) of the specific svchost.exe process using the CPU time, as well as running filemon during this time. After the CPU spike stops, save the filemon log and adplus dumps, and either you can analyze them to see what's happening, or you can send them up (either here or to an FTP) for us to review. I'd really like to see what function is actually causing this (above and beoynd what Process Explorer would show us, in case that's what you're thinking ).