BRAND NEW XPS 8900 with Windows 7 Pro Will Not Update

This is a Microsoft issue not a Dell issue. SP1 is a start.

Then the DOTNET 4.6.2 offline installer.

Then the update troubleshooter.

Its not a one shot one reboot 5 minute fix it takes hours to download hundreds of hotfixes at a time in more than 3 reboot install sessions.

The DOTNET can lead to endless checking for updates forever with multiple multiple failures.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2714434

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53344

Monday we received another dozen XPS 8900 with Windows 7 Pro pre installed.  My employee came to me today that they will not update, Windows has been checking for updates for over 24 hours.  Told me he called Dell support and they blew him off.  Astonishing that Dell ships these systems with defective software.  Even more astonishing that despite being made aware of the problem they do not offer the relatively simple solution on how to fix it (simple once you figure it out that is, no help from this group) to all the customers who call in asking about it.  They tell you to reload it from scratch as if that will help.

Windows updates don't work at all anymore without SP1 then  Dotnet 4.6.1 stand alone the 300 billion file  update standalone update. and its not one step its over 5 reboots and takes 6 hours or more.

I usually do the 4.6.1 then restart a few times then download the bizillion update standalone and run as adminstrator OFFLINE overnight.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49982

Prerequisites

To apply the bizllion file update, you must install Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB976932) and April 2015 servicing stack update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB3020369).

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=3125574

Speedstep, thank you for your two replies but as I said I am not asking for a solution, The issue with updates was resolved and it was not what you suggest. The point I was trying to make is that Dell is shipping machine pre-loaded with Windows 7 Pro 64 bit that will not update and to make matters worse, their support people offer no solution other that telling you to reload the software that they do not provide the media for (these systems that ship with Windows 7 pro come with Windows 10 pro recovery media).  It is nothing short of insanity and it is sad that someone senior at Dell would not bother to contact me for the simple solution that they could add to their knowledge base. Instead they choose to ignore the issue and imstead choose to show contempt to new customer receiving these systems and risk returns. It makes no sense why they would choose to behave this way. I tried, but now I give up.

If what you wanted by posting was to let Dell know you were not happy, then you have done that so no response is required for this post, although I do not work for Dell.

If you want or need help understanding what might be going on, I would like to try and help.

The XPS 8900 is shipped with either Win 7 Pro or Win 10.  You received yours with Win 7 for some reason.  The description of the system says it will include a Win 10 license.  If that was actually the case then you could have downloaded the latest Win 10 version and updated.  If that is the path taken by your employees, can you describe why the system would not upgrade?  There are logs created during different stages of an update which can be analyzed to see why the upgrade failed.

If you got some media you describe as Win 10 Recovery media, it would not be the same as Install media but perhaps meant to replace the Recovery partition which probably came on the drive.

Since there are several things which might keep a Win 7 system from upgrading to Win 10, I agree Dell should have been aware and given you warning.  Even something as simple as uninstalling or disabling Bluetooth drivers prior to upgrading may have helped.

Having said that, most folks who upgrade systems would rather have a clean install of a new OS than bring along software and drivers which could be a detriment to the operation of the system.  If there is some pre-installed software you wanted, you might be able to recover that from the media you were furnished.

If you have Tech folks working on your systems I will give you this link in case they might be able to use it.  Hopefully, you have gotten past this bump and your systems will perform they way you want during their lifetime.

technet.microsoft.com/.../resolve-windows-10-upgrade-errors

And if you want to be really helpful, you can post exactly how you fixed this problem!

I thought I was clear but obviously not.

Appreciate the suggestions but they do not address my original concern, something that should  be Dell's concern.

Not looking for the solution as I have figured it out without reinstalling the entire system as multiple chat agents suggested (so not just one bad agent, but apparently a policy).

Was looking to reach out to someone senior at Dell who actually cared so they could add the solution to their knowledge base.  But also wanted them to explain to me why they would ship systems with this defect and how they can claim to be unaware of it when I have reported it multiple time.

I feel sorry for all those that get this system.  They will find many 'solutions' like those here that do not help and it will waste a tremendous about of time.  If I felt Dell cared about my business I could return the favor and share the solution with them.  Sadly they don't, so I am moving on.

First of all Windows 7 Service Pack 1 will be included in any 2015-2016 factory images so ignore any suggestions to install it. In fact Dell will use the Downloadable Skylake .iso as the basis of the factory image which incorporates 192 updates more than Microsoft's official 2011 .iso.

Microsoft have been at fault here. Windows 7 has not been able to update from a clean installation for some time.... In the past I recommended users to use the WSUS Offline Update which resolved the issues:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/wsus-offline-update/ 

Recently however Microsoft have been making some moves to address the updating issues releasing a Convenience Rollup which is really another name for Service Pack 2 and monthly security rollups.

Dell's Skylake .iso was released 3 months before this Convenience Rollup/Service Pack.

Installing the following with a restart between each.

Windows 7 SP2 Perquisite Update:

https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/D/0/5D0821EB-A92D-4CA2-9020-EC41D56B074F/Windows6.1-KB3020369-x64.msu

Windows 7 SP2 (April 2016):

http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/updt/2016/05/windows6.1-kb3125574-v4-x64_2dafb1d203c8964239af3048b5dd4b1264cd93b9.msu 

Monthly Security Rollup (Install latest Only each Rollup is cumulative):

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=security%20monthly%20rollup%20for%20Windows%207%20for%20×64

Natakuk4, that is helpful to those with this problem but way more complicated than necessary.  But most appalling is that Dell does not make any if those suggestions.

Moving this thread to the Microsoft OS Forum board because this is not a hardware issue. Please refrain from belittling or attacking comments. We are all here to assist each other.

cathaleen,

Our technicians were mistaken when they told you to reload from scratch. Here is the Dell article posted on 12/16/16 that our technicians should be following =

Windows updates may not run in Windows 7

If any of you think that the article should have edits, please contribute and I will forward them on to the article team.

Chris nice article but I would put more updates in that list specifically the Convenience Rollup (which I prefer to call "SP2") and the Latest Monthly Security patches; Microsoft moved to monthly security rollups. Installation of these after the Convenience Rollup will bring a system more or less up to date.

The offline IE11 also unfortunately requires perquisite updates before it can be installed (these may not install and hence IE11 may not install if Windows 7 already has the updating issue).

A restart should be performed after each update.

The updates for an English install:

64 Bit

Windows 7 SP1 (2011)

https://download.microsoft.com/download/0/A/F/0AFB5316-3062-494A-AB78-7FB0D4461357/windows6.1-KB976932-X64.exe

Windows 7 SP2 Perquisite Updates

https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/D/0/5D0821EB-A92D-4CA2-9020-EC41D56B074F/Windows6.1-KB3020369-x64.msu

Windows 7 SP2 (2016)

http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/updt/2016/05/windows6.1-kb3125574-v4-x64_2dafb1d203c8964239af3048b5dd4b1264cd93b9.msu

IE11 Prerequisite Updates

http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/C/A/6CA15546-A46C-4333-B405-AB18785ABB66/Windows6.1-KB2729094-v2-x64.msu

http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/4/9/14936FE9-4D16-4019-A093-5E00182609EB/Windows6.1-KB2670838-x64.msu

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/A/5/5A548BFE-ADC5-414B-B6BD-E1EC27A8DD80/Windows6.1-KB2834140-v2-x64.msu

http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/1/C/91CC3B0D-F58B-4B36-941D-D810A8FF6805/Windows6.1-KB2639308-x64.msu

IE11

http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/1/7/7179A150-F2D2-4502-9D70-4B59EA148EAA/IE11-Windows6.1-x64-en-us.exe

Monthly Security Rollup

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=security%20monthly%20rollup%20for%20Windows%207%20for%20×64

Cumulative - install latest month only.

Microsoft Security Essentials

http://mse.dlservice.microsoft.com/download/A/3/8/A38FFBF2-1122-48B4-AF60-E44F6DC28BD8/enus/amd64/mseinstall.exe

Microsoft Security Essentials Latest .Dat

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=87341

32 Bit

Windows 7 SP1 (2011)

https://download.microsoft.com/download/0/A/F/0AFB5316-3062-494A-AB78-7FB0D4461357/windows6.1-KB976932-X86.exe

Windows 7 SP2 Perquisite Updates

https://download.microsoft.com/download/C/0/8/C0823F43-BFE9-4147-9B0A-35769CBBE6B0/Windows6.1-KB3020369-x86.msu

Windows 7 SP2 (2016)

http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/updt/2016/05/windows6.1-kb3125574-v4-x86_ba1ff5537312561795cc04db0b02fbb0a74b2cbd.msu

IE11 Prerequisite Updates

http://download.microsoft.com/download/B/6/B/B6BF1D9B-2568-406B-88E8-E4A218DEA90A/Windows6.1-KB2729094-v2-x86.msu

http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/4/9/14936FE9-4D16-4019-A093-5E00182609EB/Windows6.1-KB2670838-x86.msu

http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/1/4/F1424AD7-F754-4B6E-B0DA-151C7CBAE859/Windows6.1-KB2834140-v2-x86.msu

http://download.microsoft.com/download/3/1/D/31DB4F4F-207D-416E-9A07-FBD9E431F9FB/Windows6.1-KB2639308-x86.msu

IE11

http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/2/F/92FC119C-3BCD-476C-B425-038A39625558/IE11-Windows6.1-x86-en-us.exe

Monthly Security Rollup

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=security%20monthly%20rollup%20for%20Windows%207

Cumulative - install latest month only.

Microsoft Security Essentials

http://mse.dlservice.microsoft.com/download/A/3/8/A38FFBF2-1122-48B4-AF60-E44F6DC28BD8/enus/x86/mseinstall.exe

Microsoft Security Essentials Latest .Dat

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=87342

Also if Dell can turn the script file I made into a .exe which downloads the updates aswell as slipstreaming them to a boot.wim and install.wim creating a new .iso I'm sure it'd be well used... The script file I made only slipstreams the updates from specific folders:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/f/3524/t/19999620 

Those suggestion are nice for someone that has a Windows update problem, but that is not what my thread was about.

I posted to resolve the issue of Dell shipping brand new systems preloaded with a defective software build that will not update.  I posted about the feabke Dell support that tells you to call Microsoft or to reload your system with media that they do not provide.

The suggestions on resolving generic Windows update issues are overly complicated in resolving the specific issue with the current build of Windows Dell is shipping.

But sure glad that you guys find it helpful to each other to answer questions others than the person that initiated the thread asked.   Not sure who it helps but noe of it helps me or the next sorry should that gets one if these defective systems delivered.  

This is the fix. Please be patient. It took 4 hours for updates to start downloading on my wife's new XPS.

answers.microsoft.com/.../ad6cfeef-232a-49b4-a57b-39978eea6630

And note that at the end of this procedure, Microsoft warns that it could take up to 6 hours for activity to be seen.

That is overkill.  The solution is far simpler.  But what would be even better is if Dell listened to customers who have received these systems for the last few months with the defective software builds installed and both updated the image they ship on new computers to eliminate the problem in the future and educated their terrible tech support on how to resolve this issue for customers that call in with this problem.  Unfortunately that appears to be too much to expect from Dell.  Going private appears to have help them put another foot into the grave.