Windows 7 update not working

Microsoft has made changes to Windows Update that require updated components that are not in the recovery image (this can cause Windows Updates to take hours or days to work, if at all).

Summary: "Windows 7 SP1 - How to install Windows Updates quickly on a fresh image".

How to install initial needed Windows 7 SP1 Updates after a re-image (takes approximately 30 minutes)

These instructions should make the installation and update experience for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) faster and easier.

NOTE: Your Internet connection speed will be the determining factor in how fast these updates download. Slow Internet connections may have dramatically slower download and install times.

Solution

These steps will allow the system to download Windows Updates properly:

NOTE: If BitLocker Drive Encryption is enabled on the hard drive, it is recommended you suspend BitLocker on the hard drive before performing the manual Windows updates below. To suspend BitLocker, follow the steps below:

1. Click Start
2. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > BitLocker Drive Encryption
3. Select Suspend Protection (you may be prompted to select Yes to confirm)

Once the Windows updates are installed successfully, return to Control Panel > System and Security > BitLocker Drive Encryption and choose Resume Protection to re-enable BitLocker on the hard drive.

1. Disable Windows Updates by going to Control Panel, Windows Update, then Select Never check for updates under "Important Updates", then Click the OK Button and confirm any User Access Control (UAC) prompts. (See Figure 1.)
   
   Figure 1. - Changing the Windows update settings.
    
2. Restart the system.
3. Download and Install Microsoft KB3020369 (Servicing Stack Update April 2015)
4. Restart the system.
5. Download and Install Microsoft KB3125574 update from the following location: Microsoft Update Catalog - Microsoft KB3125574. For more information on this update, refer to the following Microsoft Help article: Microsoft KB3125574 (Convenience rollup update for Windows 7 SP1 - This rollup package includes most updates that were released after the release of SP1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, through April 2016).
6. Restart the system.
7. Download and Install Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 Standalone
8. Restart the system.
9. Go back to Windows Update and turn on automatic updates by going to Control Panel, Windows Updates Select Install updates automatically under "Important Updates" (It will take up to 10 minutes to display the next set of updates). See (Figure 2.)
   
   Figure 2. - Re-enabling Windows Update default settings
    
10. Download the remaining important updates & restart the system if required. (See Figure 3.)
    
    Figure 3. - Download and install remaining Windows updates