Windows 7 Windows 7 Update Agent 7.6.7600.320 Problems

[tbt]

I see multiple posts about the same - very REAL problem - yet no fix that works! I have reloaded Win 7 multiple times now on a Dell Laptop and as soon as the Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.320 is installed, the update scan is basically broken. I know it is this update agent install that is causing the problem, because I have duplicated it each time. Is there any true fix for this? I see answers about manually installing certain updates, but these updates still scan prior to install, so problem is not solved by this. Honestly, I don't see how Microsoft can allow this to go on with a supported operating system? Windows 10 is not the solution for this particular laptop. HELP! I have already done the Command Prompt Reset, switched to wired connection from wireless, reloaded multiple times etc. There has to be a solution to this?

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Sorry you are having problems with your Dell laptop. Windows update is a real problem for people, in general who are running aging hardware (Win7 computers are now 6 years old). Most laptops made today which are not Dell are rarely able to run beyond 5 years without some sort of failure. Such as Windows corruption, virus/malware infection, and most commonly failed hardware.

I'm not familiar with this exact update, but I suspect it has something to do with the recent changes Microsoft has made to their weekly push of updates to look more like the Win10 model. Here's an article which may explain some of that for you:
Microsoft update changes for Windows 7 and 8.1

The real issue for you to determine, is whether or not it's the recent update changes Microsoft has made to Win7 computers by changing from weekly push updates to monthly roll-up style updates or something else as I mentioned above. There are several other things that can cause a computer to "appear" be failing on a specific MS update number, when in reality, it's a symptom of a poorly running computer, infected computer, or a computer with failing or faulty hardware or often a combination of all three.

The best way to start is to do a FULL BACKUP OF ALL YOUR PERSONAL DATA TO EXTERNAL MEDIA BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH ANY KIND OF TROUBLESHOOTING OR SOFTWARE REPAIRS TO YOUR COMPUTER IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO!!!

Once you make certain you have a recent backup done, you can proceed to the following list:
1.) Scan your laptop for viruses/malware using whatever AV scanner program you have (Norton, Avast, McAfee, Defender, etc.) and find/remove all viruses found. Next, go to Malwarebytes.org and download and run the free MALWAREBYTES antispyware scanner. Find/remove all spyware viruses found. Reboot your laptop and retest to see if your Updates are now working.
2.) Test your Hardware and Software using the following article I wrote here: Windows 10 - Unclickable Task Bar
Make sure you start reading at POST #6 under the username of BIGBEARJEDI (that's me). This will solve about 90% of the problems you can have that are causing your laptop not to work with Updates properly.
3.) Once your Hardware is tested and or replaced any faulty hardware found, and you've read through and attempted some of the software repairs in my article, you may decide to do one of the more aggressive repairs such as a Windows resest or reinstallation from Factory Recovery Media. In the majority of cases this will remedy your Updates problem, and other similar problems as well (such as browser failures).

Keep in mind that you'll need to have patience as this troubleshooting make take 2-3 days or a week if you are a Novice at repairing your own computer. If this timeframe is too long for you to bear, you can always take your laptop to your local compuer repair shop such as Best Buy Geek Squad and pay a Professional licensed computer Tech to fix it for you. Expect that to cost $65-$200 depending on if your laptop needs parts or not. By using our troubleshooting procedures, you can save some money on that labor as well as parts if you are into the DIY thing. Remember though, that Laptops are much like automobiles, it takes years, usually decades of skill and expertise to be able to work on them and do it correctly.

Post back with any questions you have along the way. Remember that any computer or laptop can be fixed, it just depends on whether you are willing to spend the time and money to do so. Many people who are tek-savvy attempt to do so, get stuck and flustered and either deem the computer "unfixable" and throw the computer out in the trash or the bottom of a closet. Try to realize that unless you do this for a living as many of us do, you are not a professional computer repair technician, and it's not going to be easy to learn new skills. Unless of course you reach the end of your rope and pay a pro to fix it for you.

Best of luck,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>

 

[cokuncap]

If I sound weird its because my main language is spanish.

I think there is no fix for this because there is no servers serving the services to update any computer since the end of the announcment of windows 10 final day of free updating last July 30th, I just made a post that I'll copy paste here and also link it but the more I searth the web for this, the more secure I am that windows updates for windows 7 are OVER FOREVER.

Here is the link to my original post, its the same problem you have updating:

[HACHE][TE][TE][PE]://answers.microsoft.[CE][O][EME]/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/windows-7-update-not-working/4801f266-28ad-4c98-bd7e-626460274f8d?page=2&tm=1472510344488#LastReply

Ok, here is my theory

For one side: I use clonezilla every month to load an image of windows 7 and the first thing I do when image is loaded is to go to windows update and update everything I need manually and as months pass by I have been getting better and I know what is going to happen at every step I do...


For other side: I remember last month, July, the last month I was able to update in windows 7, that I was constantly getting asked if I wanted windows 10, of course I said no because in windows 7 I had everything and finally at the end of July (the 30th) windows 10 announce that period is over (not that I care much, was more like a relief getting rid of that popup trying to sell me that getting windows 10 was the best idea...)


Ok, now, that I am stuck with windows 7 with no possibilities of updating and putting the two stories above together, it kind of make sense the dates match (end of July) the date where the offer of upgrading free to windows 10 was over and the "coincidence" of windows 7 not loading more updates.


It seems very clear to me that this is the end of Windows 7 updates, and I wish that Microsoft would have announce this as well as the final grace period of upgrading...


good bye windows 7, or at least, good bye if I want to have it updated...

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Hi there,
I understand what you asking, but you need to re-read my POST #2 above again. The Windows7 updates are NOT gone forever! They have changed how they are delivering them concurrent with your observed date of July 30th. They CHANGED THEM FROM A WEEKLY PUSH UPDATE TO A MONTHLY ROLL-UP TYPE UPDATE, AND THE LOCATION OR WEBSITE YOU GET THE WIN7 UPDATES FROM HAS ALSO CHANGED!!!

Here's the link that explains it all once more for you:
Microsoft update changes for Windows 7 and 8.1

Best,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>

 

[cokuncap]

Thank you very much for your answer, I understand everything you said and thanks for the provided links.

On the other side, just to leave my opinion, ... this should be all automatic and invisible for a normal user, the average user should not be pushed to go to this or that website, download this or that, blablabla so they can have the regular updates they have always had by pushing the normal windows update button, just my opinion.


Thanks again.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

You're welcome! Glad to help.

I certainly agree with that, and you are not alone. Many of us here also have an issue with the entire Anniversary Update in W10 (released Aug. 2nd 2016 this year). I made reference to that in my first response back to you, as they are using that as the model for changing how the W7/W8.1 updates are being pushed out or distributed to consumers. Just imagine if Apple did something like this on their MacBook/iPad/iPhone products! There would be revolt and it would be instantly plastered all over the TV news.

So now, MS has an update that won't auto-install without user intervention that looks a lot like a Service Pack, but is not being called a Service Pack. This takes us back a couple of decades in the way-back time travel machine to the 1990s and W95 and W98/W98SE all the way up through Windows7 SP1. From 1995 to 2009 (14 years) this is how MS delivered their rollup style updates or Service Packs. Now they are trying to modernize it, and they need to fix it, or just tell customers that's just the way it's going to be for another 14 years or so. You don't like it, switch to another OS!! I'm not sure I like that either. I'd prefer that they fix the auto-updating mechanism which has been working nicely since 2009 on W7/W8.x.

To that end, several of us here on WF have taken time to report this issue to MS including myself. I also volunteer on the Microsoft Insider Tester forum for W10 and have reported it there. Several of the folks on that forum and other Tech help forums have also reported it to MS as well. As this takes time to do, we have to give MS time to try and attempt to create a fix. Personally, I would have liked to have seen a fix in the first week after the Aug. 2nd release date of W10; but that was not to be. It took a few weeks after that, earlier this month in August for MS to release the information on the W7/W8.1 update mechanism change. Reports we are seeing are not good, as Customers like you don't want to have to go back to the 90s way of doing things such as manually installing Service Packs or Updates or whatever. Especially since many folks fail at this, lock their computers up and have to call in a Tech or take it to their local computer store to get it fixed and pay money to do so.

I think what's happening is that MS decided somewhere up in Redmond-ville to decrease their value to the W7/W8.1 customer base, by forcing them to go back to manual updates (1990s style) if they weren't willing to step up to the newer auto-updating model of their latest OS, W10. This is a tactic MS has used for decades and that is, if you don't like how we are supporting you on older versions of Windows, then dump it and buy the new version! Problem solved, right? Of course, there are still hundreds of millions of folks still running W7/W8.1 something like 45% of all PCs worldwide still run those 2 OSes. MS is saying we are moving to a new Product with higher performance and auto-updating capabilities, so therefore we don't really care to retrofit those several hundred millions of you out there running older Windows versions, as of course that would cost too much money.

The deal now is however, with the latest W10 AU update not working like the early W10 updates were working, automatically updating I mean, what other incentives are there for customers to pay to move to W10 and have to take a giant step back to the 90s and install MANUAL updates on a monthly basis? That's going to be a hard sell I believe.

Well, you probably have more information on this problem than you wanted, but I also wrote this for the many others who have recently reported problems with their W7/W8.1 updates stopping, getting stuck, or even crashing their computers completely.

You may ask what you can do to help. And that would be to go to Microsoft.com and put in "LEAVE FEEDBACK" in the search box at the top of the page, and file out a feedback form which goes directly into MS where they review them. You can also try this general feedback form here:
Microsoft Products Accepting Bugs and Suggestions | Microsoft Connect

Best of luck,
<<<BBJ>>>