Windows 7 Update Stuck on 2 Brand New Inspiron Desktops

Hi,

2 brand new Inspiron 3847 desktops with Windows 7 Pro 64 bit, both exhibiting the same symptoms in regards to Windows Updates.

Windows Updates says, last check: Never. But I see from Control Panel / Programs and Features / Installed updates that updates are current as of April.

When I check for updates, the same thing happens:

Stuck forever in Checking for updates...

Viewed in Task Manager, one copy of svchost goes to 25% CPU, its memory size does not change, resource monitor shows there is no disk or network activity to speak of, and nothing else is running (System Idle 75%, svchost 25%).

I've used this article superuser.com/.../windows-7-sp1-windows-update-stuck-checking-for-updates as a guide on other PC's and it works, but not with these two PC's. It's resistant to any attempt to fix it. svchost still goes into a 25% CPU loop and the only difference is the memory size it settles in at.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

edit: Right after I clicked post, one of the PC's pulled out of the svchost 25% cpu loop and actually started downloading updates after about 2 1/2 hours. It says it needs to download 109 updates. So it is definitely NOT current as of April. How old is this image that Dell is using ????

The other PC is still stuck in the loop although I did everything at about the same time on both. They're side by side on my workbench.