My Windows 8 desktop is stuck on updating

Question

My HP Windows 8 desktop has been stuck on updates for hours and I don't know what to do. It's been displaying the message, "Updating 11 of 11..." For hours but can't seem to complete the operation. Any suggestions?

Fahad Saleem · Answer 1 · 2013-10-07T10:22:29.997

2

Running a manual check for updates will work, it worked for me

What you have to do is to install the KB2771431 first then run a manual check for the other Windows 8 updates and install them, it will work fine.

The other solution is to restore the system to a point and then install the updates manually

I found this awesome link which explains the solutions to this Windows 8 Stall problem

edited Oct 07 '13 at 10:22

answered Oct 07 '13 at 07:39

Fahad Saleem

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score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Mar 20 '17 at 10:16

Here are two similar questions: Windows 8 stuck installing update and How to cancel Windows Update? . In the last one I've written an answer.

Hopefully I'm not violating user policy by reposting my answer here, but not many people seem to have found the Q I originally answered.

Here is an alternative way, without the commandline.

First, when accessing the update options through Metro by doing mouse to upper right corner->Settings->Change computer settings->Update/Restore there is not even an "abort"-button to press.

The Windows Update options have to be accessed through the classic desktop Control Panel, where you promptly discover that even though you are an user with Administrator priviligies you can't press the abort button. My guess is that this is a bug where MS forgot to add whatever is needed for that small shield to be added to the button and check user privileges .

Instead, go to Control Panel->Services and scroll down to Windows Update service. Right-click and press Restart, and hopefully you can now select/deselect which updates to install.

That's because developers stopped saying "Abort" back in the '90s. It's "Cancel". — Andy Fielding, Sep 21 '16 at 04:00

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 07 '13 at 08:47

If Update Freezes then you can do one out of the following as prescribed by Microsoft

Method 1: Run the scan again

If the scan freezes and doesn't complete when Windows Update is scanning for updates, try to run the scan again. If you still can't scan for updates successfully, go to method 2.

Method 2: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

If Windows Update freezes during download, use the following method. If this method doesn't resolve your issue, go to method 3.

Fix it for me

Method 3: Perform a System Restore

Perform a system restore