Installing Windows 10, checking for updates

System updates help fix errors that were previously made in Windows. Any user has the opportunity to check for updates and install those found if there are currently available versions. Already installed updates can be viewed and removed.

Checking for updates

You can check for, obtain and install updates in one of the following ways: using third-party applications from Microsoft or through the built-in function. The easiest and fastest is the second option, which allows you to update the system through the update center without resorting to third-party applications.

Additional method with a third-party program

If the first option for some reason does not suit you, then you can use a third-party Microsoft application - Windows 10 Updates. You can download it from their official website: go to the page offering to download Windows 10, the “Update Now” tab will appear at the top, in which you will need to click the button of the same name. This window appears only if you have visited the desired page from a computer on which Windows 10 is already installed.

Download the Windows 10 Updates application

After launching the downloaded program, follow the instructions that appear on the screen. All you need to do is click the “Update Now” button, the application will do the rest for you: find, download and install available updates, if there are any, of course.

Click on the “Update Now” button

Video: Getting updates

View received updates

If you need to view or delete already downloaded or installed updates, you can use one of two methods: editing through the control panel or searching using Explorer.

Search through Explorer

This method allows you to view downloaded but not installed updates, since update files are deleted from the computer some time after installation so as not to take up a large amount of memory. Go to the path Primary_disk_partition:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download. In the final folder you will find subfolders with long names - these are update files that have not yet been installed or have been installed recently.

View downloaded updates in the Main_partition_disk folder:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

Via control panel

This option will allow you to view a list of previously installed updates, as well as select and remove some of them:

What to do if the search for updates takes a very long time

Searching for updates with a stable Internet connection should last no more than ten minutes. This is the normal time frame for searching; downloading and installation can take much longer. If ten minutes have passed and the search is still going on, it is most likely frozen. To get rid of this problem, you need to reset your Update Center settings.

In the section on the question How long does it take to check for updates in the Windows 10 installer asked by the author Gor Jan the best answer is Finally, I decided when you are stuck on this window, close the program, go to drive C: then go to the ESD -> windows folder, run setup.exe, you will be asked to install updates, but you click not now and that’s it! and then install

Zakhar Seleznev
(417)
I already updated to 10 a long time ago and there is no folder

Answer from Suck through[guru]
Depends on internet speed

Answer from tt0¦¦¦[guru]
The first time I installed it, it probably took me 3 hours, otherwise it took more to install. complete scribe

Answer from Neurologist[guru]
I got over it quickly

Answer from Nasopharynx[guru]
The updates are quite big. This means that with a low download speed, the time for this operation increases greatly. It took me an hour and a half.
The total update time I got was about three hours.
In general, you can skip checking for updates, but on some devices this may cause more problems. After launching a new system, it sometimes slows down a lot. This will be fixed after installing all updates.

Answer from Freiman[guru]
for a long time. a very long time. Usually you should skip this function. updates will be downloaded later

Answer from Regmon[newbie]
Great advice to you. When installing, disconnect all cables from the Internet. If it’s a laptop, then don’t connect via Wi-Fi. After installing Windows, when you are on the desktop, then turn on the updates.

Answer from Vyacheslav V. Rezvov[active]
>Ivan Zhalmutdinov
>The matter moved forward after the actions described here
>remontka.pro/windows-update-reset
Unfortunately, it didn’t help 🙁
I reset it through the task manager when I was completely tired of waiting.
Then I launched c:ESDWindowssetup.exe, the process started, and I refused to update.

Answer from Fadis Igdisamov[active]
11111

Answer from Vadim Kryuchkov[active]
010101101010010

Answer from Kjell Olsen[newbie]
Zakhar Seleznev man, thank you very much. Of the hundreds of options that I’ve been reading for an hour now, yours turned out to be the only one that works.

Answer from Artyom Artyomov[newbie]
Psst, it also takes a long time to close))

Answer from Sima Astapenkov[newbie]
Zakhar thank you very much, you helped me a lot!!

Few people think about how important Windows OS updates are. The main goal of upgrading a system is to improve the security of your computer from external threats. Theft of personal and corporate data, re-encryption or deletion of files and much more are just a small part of the dangers that await the user on the global network. Microsoft is constantly updating the system in order to minimize all threats to users.

Checking for updates

The easiest way to check for uninstalled updates is to contact the Update Center (OC).

After starting the scan, the “Settings” window can be closed, and the service for searching and installing updates can run in the background. In this case, the task can take several hours to complete, so there is no point in monitoring the process. The operating system itself will inform you when the installation is complete and prompt you to restart the computer.

My experience shows that it is better to complete the installation immediately, since uninstalled updates can slow down the system as a whole.

Video: How to check for Windows 10 updates

Quickly check for Windows 10 updates using a shortcut

There is a method that allows you to “quickly” check for updates. There is no need to rummage through “Options” and settings, just open one shortcut, after which a chain will start that activates the search for updates.

After creating a shortcut, double-clicking on it will open the CO and start the process of checking for updates.

Additional method with third-party Windows 10 Update Assistant program

The Windows 10 Update Assistant utility was created by Microsoft programmers and is an additional tool for updating the operating system. However, the “Assistant” has one difference regarding the CO: when using the assistant, not only the security databases and libraries are updated, but also the operating system itself becomes a newer version.

Download the tool from the official Microsoft website. Programs from other resources may be malicious or unlicensed, which can harm your computer.
Let's run the file.
In the window that opens, click the Update Now button.
Click the Update Now button
We wait until the utility finishes checking the compatibility of the computer and the product being installed, then click Continue.
Click Continue and start the update process
We wait until the program finishes its work, after which we restart the computer.
We wait until the program completes the update and restart the computer

Video: How to use Windows 10 Update Assistant

Forced verification via the Command Line terminal

You can do almost everything through the Command Line terminal on your computer. Checking for updates is no exception.

The scan will take place in the background, so it is better not to restart the computer for a while.

View received updates

To find out which update attempts were successful and which were not, you need to look at the “Update Log”. Additional information on a particular update can also be found in the protocol service.

Problem with very long search for updates and other possible problems

Like most Windows components, CO can be affected by errors. This can be either simple - endless updates, or more complex - damaged service files by viruses or disk errors.

If any error occurs in any service, when something in the operating system does not work correctly, you must immediately diagnose the OS for viruses. For this we use at least two different anti-virus programs to increase the range and quality of the search. After checking, you need to run a tool to scan and restore system files.

Long system update

The problem with a long, almost endless search for updates is known to many users. Often this is due to Internet problems, in which case everything will be resolved by itself. However, when services malfunction on a computer, light user intervention is needed to correct the situation.

Updating Windows 10 is very easy if you follow the instructions above. Keep your system up to date and protected from all possible threats of data loss or theft.

It downloads and installs all the necessary updates. This is logical, because by default the settings have an automatic search and installation function. But it is useful to know how to check for Windows 10 updates. Sometimes you can find them available but not installed.

How to check for updates in Windows 10?

It's simple: call the Settings application. It opens using the Win+I combination. In the "Update and Security" section there is an "Update Center" button. There is also a large “Check for updates” button. Click on it and the system will automatically start searching for available updates that have not previously been installed.

The process will last a couple of seconds, then it will display the message “Device has been updated.” This response means that there are no updates available yet. Otherwise, you will be prompted to update. Agree.

How to check installed Windows 10 updates?

The method described above allows you to search only for updates that have not yet been installed. But how to check Windows 10 updates that were installed previously. There is also a functionality for this - “Journal”.

In the same parameters there is a button "Update Log". Their names will be listed there, as well as the installation date. Moreover, the system even displays the installation status as “Successful” or “Failure”. If the installation fails, Windows tries to reinstall the update, but even if the re-installation fails, it is downloaded again.

To see details, simply click on the installation date. There will be a brief description of the reason for the installation and an attached link to the Microsoft website with a detailed list of problems that this update fixes.

Removal

Now it’s clear how to check for Windows 10 updates, but how to remove them and is it necessary to do it at all? Sometimes it is necessary. For example, on Windows 7, some installed updates caused the system to go into a loop, causing the computer to be unable to boot. The image of the login screen was constantly displayed, then nothing happened. To solve this problem, it was necessary to delete some files in safe mode, and only then the computer would boot normally.

So far, such problems have not been observed in Windows 10, but it is quite possible that they may exist. It is possible that after the next Windows 10 update, your computer will perform worse. In this case, you will need to rollback or delete.

There is a "Delete" button at the top of the log window. Click on it, the control panel will open on the "Installed updates" tab. There you can select the desired item (what you are going to delete) and click on the “Delete” button. The system may ask for confirmation. Agree. After this it will be deleted.

Remember that the system will try to install this update again, but until then you will have time to check whether your computer is working normally. And if the problem was really with it, then it should be banned from installation. This cannot be done using the built-in functionality. You will have to use a third-party tool, for example, Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter, but this is no longer the topic of this article.

Now you know how to check for Windows 10 updates and remove them as needed.

There are currently three different issues that Windows 10 users are facing when installing updates. Firstly, there is an error downloading the update or the download process is frozen. Secondly, there are problems during the installation of the update, and finally, the system crashes with BSOD after a reboot. Below are some possible troubleshooting solutions.

Fixing Windows 10 update download problem

If the cumulative update does not download, try the following steps:

If a cumulative update freezes during download or the installation fails, something has gone wrong with the update files. After the folder containing the update files is cleared, Windows Update will try to download the update components again. Go to the following location:

C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

Delete all files/folders, but do not delete the Download folder itself. Select all files and folders using CTRL + A and press Delete key to delete. Restart your computer and run the update process again.

If the cumulative update freezes during download, try the following solution:

Enter Services
Scroll to service Delivery optimization.
Right-click on the service and select Properties.
Change the “Startup Type” to “Manual”.
Restart your computer.
If Windows 10 update still gets stuck, change the startup type to Automatic (Delayed Start).

Stop the Windows Update service

If stopping the Delivery Optimization service does not solve the problem, also try stopping the Windows Update service. If your Windows 10 update is stuck at the “Initializing...” step, try the following solution:

Click on the Start menu icon.
Enter Services and launch the classic application of the same name.
Scroll to service Windows Update.
Right-click on the service and select Stop.
Restart your computer.
Check for new updates.
The update should proceed as normal.

Windows Update reset script

Completely reset the Windows Update client settings. It has been tested on Windows 7, 8, 10 and Server 2012 R2. The script will configure services and registry keys related to Windows Update, restoring the default settings. It will also clean up files related to Windows Update.

Fixing Windows 10 update installation problem

In some cases, you may encounter a problem while installing the update. If the update installation is stuck at some point, try the next solution.

If your computer is frozen at the stage, then follow the instructions below.

While holding the power button, turn off the machine.
Restart your computer and boot into Safe Mode.
Sign in to your account (if required).
Make sure all virus scanners are disabled before continuing.
From the Start menu, type Recovery and select the appropriate desktop app.
Click Running System Restore.
Select an earlier restore point, and then click Next.
Follow the instructions to begin system recovery.
Wait while your computer completes the system restore process.
Regardless of whether the restore is successful or fails, you will most likely get rid of the error stuck at the moment “Preparing to set up Windows. Don't turn off your computer."
Sign in to your account if required.
Disable virus scanners before continuing.
Start the Windows update process.
The update should now install without problems.

Some users may encounter a stop error that causes a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) to be displayed during a system reboot.

If you encounter a BSOD crash when upgrading Windows 10, check out this article:

Disabling Windows 10 updates and drivers

Sometimes you may need to disable the installation of Windows 10 updates on your computer. Windows 10 Pro users can defer updates for a certain period of time, but Windows 10 Home users do not have this option.

Microsoft has provided a separate "Show or Hide Updates" tool to disable cumulative updates or even drivers.

DISM commands to check for problems with Windows 10

You can use the official DISM commands to restore a Windows image to fix any problem with your updates. Before you start, it's a good idea to take a full system backup or create a system restore point in case something goes wrong.

Using the CheckHealth option in DISM

Team /CheckHealth DISM allows you to detect potential corruption. This command is used only to find damage, but does not perform any repair operations.

Command line, right-click on the link that appears and select "Run as Administrator" because running DISM requires device administrator rights.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

UsageoptionsScanHealth inDISM

Team / ScanHealth DISM allows you to scan your Windows image for any damage. Unlike /CheckHealth, the /ScanHealth check can take up to 10 minutes.

To run this command follow these steps:

1. Search for Start menu Command line

2. In the "Command Prompt" type the following command and press Enter:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth

UsageoptionsRestoreHealth inDISM

Team /RestoreHealth DISM allows you to automatically repair damaged Windows images. Unlike /ScanHealth, the /RestoreHealth scan can take up to 10 minutes.

To run this command follow these steps:

1. Search for Start menu Command line, right-click on the link that appears and select "Run as administrator".

2. In the "Command Prompt" type the following command and press Enter:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth