Troubleshoot problems with installing updates in WINDOWS 7

Is there an easy way to fix my problem?

Possibly. Windows provides a built-in troubleshooter that can automatically find and fix some common problems with Windows Update.

• Open the Windows Update troubleshooter by clicking the Start button , and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type troubleshooter, and then clickTroubleshooting. Under System and Security, click Fix problems withWindows Update.

I tried to install updates but one or more didn't get installed.

• Did you try the update again manually? There are some errors that are just a matter of bad timing, and they can be caused by busy websites, overworked Internet connections, or a number of other factors. These problems can sometimes be corrected by trying to update again. Here's how to check for updates manually:

  1. Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button . In the search box, type Update, and then, in the list of results, click Windows Update.

  2. In the left pane, click Check for updates, and then wait while Windows looks for the latest updates for your computer.

  3. If updates are found, click Install updates.

     Read and accept the license terms, and then click Finish if the update requires it. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

  

  Note

  Some updates might require that you restart your computer to finish installing. Save and close all your programs before restarting to prevent data loss.

• Did you accept the Microsoft Software License Terms? Install the update again and review and accept the license terms.

  1. Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button . In the search box, type Update, and then, in the list of results, click Windows Update.

  2. Review any error messages.

  3. If an error message about license terms or cancelled updates is displayed, click Try again, and wait until you are prompted to review the license terms.

  4. Accept the license terms, and wait to see if the update is installed successfully.

• Is there enough free disk space on your computer? If you need more free space on your hard disk, you might need to uninstall programs, delete your temporary Internet files, delete files that you don't use, or empty the Recycle Bin, and then try again to install updates.

• Did you cancel the installation process or disconnect from the Internet? It's fine if you did. Just check for updates again and install any updates that were cancelled or interrupted.

• Were you installing a driver update? Driver updates for devices such as video cards can occasionally cause errors because the files being installed are corrupt or aren't the correct files for your version of Windows. Windows Update should provide you with the most up-to-date drivers for your verison of Windows. However, if you have a problem installing device drivers from Windows Update, contact the manufacturer of the device. For more information, see Update a driver for hardware that isn't working properly.

• What else can I do? If the previous questions don't address the problem, you can learn more about what happened and what to do next by reviewing any error messages that are displayed in Windows Update.

  • Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button . In the search box, type Update, and then, in the list of results, click Windows Update.

    If an error has occurred, an error code and a link to Help will be displayed. If there isn't a specific Help topic for that error, you can use the error code to search online for help.

I keep being offered an update from Windows that I don’t want or that I already removed.

You can hide the update, and then Windows Update won't offer it to you again unless you choose to restore it. Here's how to hide an update:

1. Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button . In the search box, typeUpdate, and then, in the list of results, click Windows Update.

2. Do one of the following:

   • Click the link that tells you important updates are available if you have important updates to hide.

   • Click the link that tells you optional updates are available if you have optional updates to hide.

3. Select any update that you want to hide, right-click it, and then click Hide update. Do this for each update you want to hide.

4. Click OK.

I hid an update and now I want to install it.

You need to restore the update to the list of updates that Windows can offer, and then install it. Here's how:

1. Open Windows Update by clicking the Start button . In the search box, typeUpdate, and then, in the list of results, click Windows Update.

2. In the left pane, click Restore hidden updates.

3. Select the update that you want to install, and then click Restore. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

4. Windows will automatically check for updates, and then prompt you to install the update that you restored as well as any new updates that might be available.

I restored hidden updates but I can’t find the one that I want to install.

This happens when a more recent update addresses the same problem as the update that you tried to restore. Windows will offer you the more recent update only.

My computer was turned off during a scheduled update.

When you start your computer after it has missed a scheduled update, it will check for updates. You can choose to install them immediately, or postpone them. If your computer is on during the next scheduled update, the updates will be installed. If new updates are ready to be installed, you can also install them before turning off your computer. When updates are waiting to be installed, you'll see a shield icon on theWindows Shut Down button .

I keep getting prompted to restart my computer to finish installing updates.

Some updates apply to files or services that Windows is using. These types of updates can't be installed while Windows is running so you should save your work, close any open programs, and then restart your computer to finish the update process.

I installed updates (or a driver update) and now one of my devices doesn't work.

There are several reasons why this might happen. If you purchased your computer with the device you are updating the driver for, you should first check with the computer manufacturer for a driver. Most computer manufacturers use third-party brands of devices, such as video or audio cards. In some cases, the manufacturer might have modified drivers to use with your computer, while the third-party device company will have more generic drivers. Installing a generic device driver, even though it's written by the device manufacturer, can sometimes cause problems.

The other reason might be that the version of the driver might not work for your device or computer. Hardware devices are often revised but still retain the same name. It is possible to use the latest driver, but not have it work correctly. In this case, you might need to revert to a previous version of the driver for that device. Check the computer or device manufacturer's website for a version of the driver specifically for your device, or remove the driver and restart your computer to reinstall the older driver. For help with these steps, see Update a driver for hardware that isn't working properly.

I tried these troubleshooting steps, but I still can't solve the problem. What should I do next?

Try one of these options:

• If Windows Update displays an error code or error message, search Help and Support using the error code or error message as your search terms. To include the latest Help content in your search, make sure that you’re searching WindowsHelp online.

• Go to the Discussions in Windows Update website to see if someone else has found a solution or to request help from other Windows users.

• Go to the Windows Update Support Center website to try to find more information about the error code or to request support by e‑mail.

• For troubleshooting problems with installing updates, go to this Microsoft Knowledge Base article on the Microsoft Help and Support website.

Error code this applies to: WindowsUpdate_dt000