Window update hangs

First, boot up into Safe Mode see step 5 , then access to the command prompt, the most basic of Windows interfaces: right-click on the Start menu, choose Command Prompt Admin , and a text box should appear.

Type "net stop wuauserv" and hit Enter, then follow that with "net stop bits" and hit Enter again. You're not going to break anything by doing this — these are just temporary files Windows creates so it knows where it's up to, and Windows Update will create them again from scratch.

With that done, go back to your command prompt window and type "net start wuauserv" Enter then "net start bits" Enter to get Windows Update and its related background services up and running again; hopefully this trick should be enough to kick-start the update that was previously stuck.

One of the more obscure reasons why a Windows update might not be installing is because a virus or some kind of spyware is blocking it: malicious apps like these can often be squashed by Windows security updates, which is why they try and stop the latest patches from being installed on your machine.

Try running a full and thorough virus scan using whatever security software you have installed you do have some installed, right? If you think your antivirus software has also been compromised you can download some on-demand scanners, like this one from Microsoft or this one from Dr. Restoring key Windows files and OS options is a lot easier than it used to be, and 'resetting' Windows 10 basically means putting all the system files back to their factory state without touching your personal files along the way although you can choose to wipe your drive completely if you want.

Windows 8 offers both 'refresh' and 'reset' options , while on Windows 7 the reset option will typically have been provided by the PC's manufacturer. Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. On TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables.

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Feedback will be sent to Microsoft: By pressing the submit button, your feedback will be used to improve Microsoft products and services. Privacy policy. This article provides a workaround for an issue where Windows Update hangs and newly installed updates are uninstalled after a system restart.

This is an expected message. However, the system appears to stop responding hangs for about 15 minutes. Windows Update is a Windows service in charge of downloading and installing system updates. If Windows Update hangs, you can usually fix it by restarting Windows Update service. There is a wide range of Windows Update issues, but we covered most of them in our Windows Update hub. If your having additional problems with Windows Update or your PC, we suggest you check out our Windows 10 errors hub for more useful guides.

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Still having issues? Fix them with this tool:. Frequently Asked Questions Why is Windows 10 update taking so long? Can I use my computer while Windows is updating? What happens if you turn your computer off during an update? How do I permanently turn off Windows updates? This article covers: Topics: Windows Update Errors. Was this page helpful?

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