What to do if Windows 10 freezes while updating

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Sometimes the process of installing updates in Windows 10 stops at a certain percentage and does not move further. Here are some ways to fix this.

Situations when Windows cannot update for a long time are annoying. While the message "Please wait" is lit on the screen, you are deprived of the opportunity to work at the computer. Moreover, it often fails to update even on a freshly installed system.

They especially like to install for a long time and hang in the process of major updates. If a similar problem occurs, the following steps can be taken.

Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

This is the simplest and most obvious action, but in most cases it is sufficient. Download Windows Update Troubleshooter and run it. Then click Next and wait while Troubleshooter detects and fixes the problem. If necessary, the utility will offer to reboot the system.

Download Windows Update Troubleshooter →

We clear the cache and restart the update service

If the Windows Update Troubleshooter was unable to fix the update problems, you can try manually clearing the downloaded updates cache. It often happens that update files become corrupted when you turn off your computer while Windows has not finished updating. In this case, you can clear the update cache, and Windows will download them again.

Go to the "Start" menu, enter "Command Prompt", right-click on the icon that appears and run the Command Prompt as administrator. Then enter the following commands in sequence, waiting for the previous one to be executed:

Stop update services:

net stop wuauserv

net stop cryptSvc

net stop bits

net stop msiserver

Rename the update folders (after a successful update, they can be deleted):

ren C: WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

ren C: WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old

ren "% ALLUSERSPROFILE% application dataMicrosoftNetworkdownloader" downloader.old

Start update services again:

net start wuauserv

net start cryptSvc

net start bits

net start msiserver

The system update should now go smoothly.

Checking the integrity of the system

Sometimes updates cannot be installed because some system files are damaged. You can check if everything is in order with the system and correct errors if necessary. To do this, run Command Prompt as administrator and enter the following command:

DISM / Online / Cleanup-Image / RestoreHealth

Hit Enter. When the system has finished executing the command, enter:

SFC / Scannow

Press Enter and wait for the command to complete, then reboot.

Performing a clean boot

It is worth doing this if the previous methods did not work. A Windows Clean Boot is a system boot without third-party applications that might interfere with the update process. To learn how to perform a clean boot, see the instructions.

After rebooting, repeat the previous steps to clear the update cache again. Then launch the "Update Center". Before doing this, it is recommended to disconnect unnecessary peripherals from the computer.

Remember to re-enable startup applications by resetting your computer to normal startup when the system update is finished.

Installing updates manually

Windows allows you to download and install updates manually. Sometimes it helps. If you see that some updates cannot download or have installed incorrectly, you can find them on the Microsoft website using their number, which looks like KB1234567.

Go to the Microsoft website, enter the number of the update you want in the search bar, download it using your browser and install by double-clicking on the downloaded file.

Using a third-party update downloader

WSUS Offline Update is an application that downloads all service packs from Microsoft and then installs them. It works noticeably faster than the standard "Update Center". If you have tried everything, but the updates cannot be installed, you can download them using this application.

Download the archive with the application, unpack and run UpdateGenerator.exe. Check the version of Windows for which you will install updates and click Start.

When the updates are downloaded, find the Client folder next to UpdateGenerator.exe and run the UpdateInstaller.exe located there. Then click Start and your system will be updated.

Download WSUS Offline Update →