Windows 8.1 refusing to check for updates

[jft135]

We have 5-6 machines in the shop right now with fresh 8.1 installs (using 4 different types of installation media) and every single one refuses to check for updates. They pretend to, but they never complete. They've been doing this for about 24 hours now. I've tried one at home and with the hotspot on my phone just in case it was an issue with our internet connection.

Has anyone heard that Windows Updates servers might be acting up? I really don't want to send these home unless I can confirm that they're all fine and it's an MS issue.

 

[glennd]

I've noticed that on win 8.1 installs. takes days to do updates. sometimes it says it's downloading but there's no network activity. seems to be peculiar to 8.1.

 

[Metanis]

Could try to force it. Open a command prompt as Administrator and type "wuauclt /detectnow /resetauthorization". Then a few minutes later check c:\windows\windowsupdate.log to find out what's happening. Also, I vaguely recall the need to visit the Windows Store in order to get updates to kick off.

 

[Porthos]

wsus offline

You are not by chance using Audit mode?

 

[frase]

You could try these batch files worked for me in win 8.1

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html

 

[glennd]

I also found this:

start %systemroot%\system32\msdt.exe -id WindowsUpdateDiagnostic

 

[mr m]

I had two Win 8.1 update issues a while back. One would check for updates and never find any. The other would update fine except for KB3000850. That particular update failed at every auto install over the last month according to the history.

I open an elevated command prompt and entered this: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/947821

 

[Martyn]

Obviously you've checked time and date of the laptops(not sure if it affects 8.1 though)?