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Ask HN: A Windows 7 system isn't updating automatically. How can I force it to?
I've had to revert to an older laptop (yay, SV vehicle break-ins) running Windows 7.
I had expected it to download a lot of updates (the big recent security updates triggered multiple gigabyte updates on a recent-manufacture Windows 10 laptop), but ... nothing.
My Installed Updates page shows NO updates in the past 16 months. I've used this machine on the Internet at least a few times a month in that span.
I've tried triggering updates manually using Control Panel-> Windows Update -> Check for Updates, but all I get is a moving "Checking for updates" progress bar... with no visible progress and no indication of downloads.
The final indignity is that clicking on "Updates: Frequently Asked Questions" gives me only the "Windows Media Player DRM: frequently asked questions" popup. Urgh.
What next to try?
- vermilingua 9y agohttps://stackexchange.com/ https://stackexchange.com/
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- totalZero 9y agoI wouldn't expect there to be a ton of required updates for Windows 7 in the past 16 months. Apparently there's a "Fix problems with Windows Update" that shows up under "System and Security" if you search the Control Panel for "Troubleshooting." There are a bunch of updates available for download here. No idea how kosher this is, but I found it via the MSFT website. http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Faq.aspx http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Faq.aspx Worst case scenario, you can try reinstalling: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7 Do you really need the machine to be updated for your purposes? If it ain't broke, don't fix it...
- cylinder714 9y agoI had the same problem a few months back with my machine. I had to manually install a couple updates, which fixed the issue. Search for "windows 7 won't update" via Bing or Google. I'm sorry I can't be more specific....