Windows 7 Cannot do Windows update and will not update software

[geno368]

I am running Windows 7 Home Premium and for several months I have been trying to do a windows update. The service does show to be running. When I check for updates it says the update software needed to be updated so I select it. It acts like it updated it and starts checking for updates but in a few minutes it says "windows could not search for updates" error 80073712. Any help please? Thanks

 

[Trouble]

I've had to do a couple of these recently and the only way I was able to overcome the issue was to perform an in place upgrade / repair.
You might try the system update readiness tool as described here
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-update-error-80073712#1TC=windows-7
But it never helped for my issues, I had to go with the repair as described, also in that same article.

 

[geno368]

I was unable to fix the problem with the readiness tool so I attempted to do the repair. It stopped as well because I have never been able to do an update and sp1 is not on my os. I went to microsoft downloads and tried to manually install sp1 with my antivirus disabled. It ran for about an hour and then said it was unsuccessful. error: 0x8007371b. This was a Vista system originally and I updated to win 7 a couple of years ago...did not realize w/update was not working. What now?? Thanks

 

[Trouble]

If you have never installed SP 1 onto your version of Windows 7 then you will need to perform the in place upgrade / repair with installation media without the Service Pack integrated into it.
You should be able to acquire the ISO from here Link Removed
Please make sure that you obtain the correct version and bit architecture (32 or 64) that's identical to your current installation.
Burn the ISO to a DVD and you should be able to perform the in place upgrade / repair as per my earlier link.
Good luck and keep us posted