Another Win 7 Update Failure

[Mike McCall]

So, I have a Lenovo IdeaPad Y550P in for a tune-up. Multiple attempts to update the OS produces nothing. No errors, just hangs while looking for updates. D7II wasn't able to fix it. MS Fixit tool couldn't fix it. WSUSOffline installed 198 updates, rebooted & still hangs while looking for updates. WSUSOffline installed 2 additional updates after that, but still no love using the standard method. Ideas?

 

[carmen617]

There's a new Windows 7 convenience roll-up package I've used a couple of times successfully in the last week. You have to start with Windows 7 SP1. Instructions here: http://www.howtogeek.com/255435/how...l-at-once-with-microsofts-convenience-rollup/

 

[mr m]

Or here:

https://www.technibble.com/forums/threads/for-those-of-you-having-issues-with-win-7-updates.68897/

 

[Mike McCall]

Yeah, none of that is working. I've looked at several supposed fixes and have gotten nowhere. The Hard drive is running hard, though I can find nothing causing it, and memory usage varies between about 50% - 97% (4GB) even with nothing open. It's supposed to be a $49 Tune-Up special (to drum up some business), but this is looking to be well outside the scope of that. The HDD tested as having a bad sector, and I'm temped to just give it back with no charge. Otherwise, it needs a nuke & pave and they won't pay for that. The last time it was updated was March of 2015. I've never given anything back un-repaired, but I'm getting close.

 

[glennd]

I've never given anything back un-repaired, but I'm getting close.

I have. After thrashing about on the bench for 2 or 3 days, the customer wanted it back so i switched off updates just to make the computer usable and handed it back. Told him to bring it back in a couple of months and we'll have another shot at getting it updated.

 

[brandonkick]

Your $49 tune up special should have terms and conditions that keep you from sinking hours
into a machine like this one and risk not making any money at all on it.

You can try tweaking.com's windows AIO repair but honestly the windows update service just plain
stinks on ice. I've found that once I get a system fully updated, and ensure that it has at least 4GB of
ram (like to go with 8 GB at least personally... some people resist), then the updates service isn't so
bad. I normally have to do a stand alone SP1 install and then use WSUSoffline to get the system close
to being updated other wise the built in update service at best is stupidly slow and at worst exhibits the
behavior where it sucks up basically all available system memory while it's running. That will make the
machine run like pure crap.

The part that is bothersome to me is the ram consumption. Check to see if it's a svchost that is hogging
the memory. If it is, try killing it and disabling windows update then reboot. If you don't see the ram usage
spiraling out of control then it's the update service at fault like I talked about.

1 bad sector doesn't really bother me, I don't think that's of relevance.

 

[Mike McCall]

I have. After thrashing about on the bench for 2 or 3 days, the customer wanted it back so i switched off updates just to make the computer usable and handed it back. Told him to bring it back in a couple of months and we'll have another shot at getting it updated.

I think there's wisdom in knowing when to back-off of something. I have this stubborn streak when it comes to figuring this stuff out, just like everyone else here.

 

[Mike McCall]

Your $49 tune up special should have terms and conditions that keep you from sinking hours
into a machine like this one and risk not making any money at all on it.

You can try tweaking.com's windows AIO repair but honestly the windows update service just plain
stinks on ice. I've found that once I get a system fully updated, and ensure that it has at least 4GB of
ram (like to go with 8 GB at least personally... some people resist), then the updates service isn't so
bad. I normally have to do a stand alone SP1 install and then use WSUSoffline to get the system close
to being updated other wise the built in update service at best is stupidly slow and at worst exhibits the
behavior where it sucks up basically all available system memory while it's running. That will make the
machine run like pure crap.

The part that is bothersome to me is the ram consumption. Check to see if it's a svchost that is hogging
the memory. If it is, try killing it and disabling windows update then reboot. If you don't see the ram usage
spiraling out of control then it's the update service at fault like I talked about.

1 bad sector doesn't really bother me, I don't think that's of relevance.

I consider the $49 special a kind of loss-leader. It's intended to accomplish two things:

1. Tell me whether anyone is even seeing my feeble marketing efforts.
2. Tell me whether anyone is willing to respond.

The special ends Tuesday and I've only had 1 person respond, though they did bring me 2 laptops.

I've used several of the so called "fixit" tools while reading of the troubles encountered by many folks getting Win 7 to update. It has SP1, and I did manage to install 198 updates using WSUSoffline. This particular laptop is at least 5-years old (the HDD was manufactured in 2010), has a broken hinge, and has been abused its whole life. I'm confident this thing has been running this way for a long time and they thought they'd get a miracle fix for $50. I've attached the GSmartControl output for the drive.

I spent considerable time trying to track down the RAM culprit. The processes were starting & stopping too quickly to nail anything down. Couldn't find anything in the startup programs either. I reset the update service several times and saw no real change in performance. I already have a day & a half into this machine and haven't made much progress on this issue. As I look at the HDD test results I'm thinking the best thing I can do for the customer is help her decide what to do with the machine from here. She in no way seems willing to spend money on a HDD & memory. I think her spending $98 to tune-up 2 laptops is the extent of her commitment. I'll charge her for the one, and suggest more extensive work on the other. The Toshiba is primed & ready to self install Win 10, and the Lenovo would be too if it would update. I have to tell her that it will happen, whether she wants it to or not.

 

[glennd]

attached the GSmartControl output for the drive.

OMG!! Tell the customer the tune up is not possible. The computer is a write off. Offer the data recovery service...

 

[dannyict]

did you try this one? https://www.zerobyte-developments.de/WindowsUpdateFixer/index.html

 

[cypress]

OMG!! Tell the customer the tune up is not possible. The computer is a write off. Offer the data recovery service...

Yup this is exactly what I would do. You could still make a profit on both of them that way.

 

[sorcerer]

What the hell is causing all these problems with windows updates? River Valley made a great posting a short while ago but that specifically mentioned new installations of windows. I've had 6 machines in over the last 4 weeks that are suffering high CPU usage (typically 95-100%) from svchost.exe and it's always wuauserv that's the culprit and so far, I've only managed to fix one of them. Nothing seems to work; I've followed River Valley's suggestions to the letter; I've installed the latest 'April 2016 Servicing Stack' and the 'Convenience Rollup' all to no avail.

Windows Update was always slow but it's never been like this until relatively recently so just what is causing it?

 

[brandonkick]

What the hell is causing all these problems with windows updates? River Valley made a great posting a short while ago but that specifically mentioned new installations of windows. I've had 6 machines in over the last 4 weeks that are suffering high CPU usage (typically 95-100%) from svchost.exe and it's always wuauserv that's the culprit and so far, I've only managed to fix one of them. Nothing seems to work; I've followed River Valley's suggestions to the letter; I've installed the latest 'April 2016 Servicing Stack' and the 'Convenience Rollup' all to no avail.

Windows Update was always slow but it's never been like this until relatively recently so just what is causing it?

I've been experiencing this windows update problem on machines for well over two years. I would not get in very many
machines that would do it, but some would. Fast forward to today and it seems to be happening a lot more often. As I said
above, in many many cases I was able to get the machine up to date using external methods and then the update service
would play nicely.

 

[brandonkick]

@Mike McCall

Glancing over that log you've attached, I'd say the drive is a goner. A lot worse stuff in there
that one bad sector.... but as you've said if she won't pony up the dough there isn't much
you can do.

 

[Markverhyden]

Yep, stop messing around right now and grab an image for safety sake. She may say that she was having no problems but that does not mean that the computer is 100%

 

[Mike McCall]

The very first thing I do when something comes in is image the drive. I may not get the chance later.

I'll recommend that she replace the drive, add RAM, & move to Win 10 (she'll have to at some point anyway and replacing the drive is a good time for it). Since I wasn't able to complete the Tune-Up I'll not charge her for the Lenovo, but I will the Toshiba. Maybe she'll have me do the replacement drive & upgrades. Hard not to try and sweeten the pot to gain a customer.

 

[Krynn72]

Hard not to try and sweeten the pot to gain a customer.

Its not that hard once you realize sweetened pots actually attract pains in the ass and not customers.
I would have stopped working the second I saw that SMART log (which would have been the first thing I checked) and offered replacement service with a fresh reload of windows and data recovery. I would have expected her to decline the repair given what you've described, and just let her go on her merry way.

If a laptop is going to be a piece of crap when you give it back, even if that's what the customer chose to have you do, its going to suck for both the customer and for you (who will be blamed for it sucking). If they aren't willing to do what it takes to fix it, I'm not willing to waste any time with it trying work-arounds and bandaids to get it to hobble around. Because the customer will expect it to be a marathon runner regardless of how many times you explain that its going to be a hobbler.

 

[Porthos]

If a laptop is going to be a piece of crap when you give it back, even if that's what the customer chose to have you do, its going to suck for both the customer and for you (who will be blamed for it sucking). If they aren't willing to do what it takes to fix it, I'm not willing to waste any time with it trying work-arounds and bandaids to get it to hobble around. Because the customer will expect it to be a marathon runner regardless of how many times you explain that its going to be a hobbler.

Amen to that.

 

[Mike McCall]

Its not that hard once you realize sweetened pots actually attract pains in the ass and not customers.
I would have stopped working the second I saw that SMART log (which would have been the first thing I checked) and offered replacement service with a fresh reload of windows and data recovery. I would have expected her to decline the repair given what you've described, and just let her go on her merry way.

If a laptop is going to be a piece of crap when you give it back, even if that's what the customer chose to have you do, its going to suck for both the customer and for you (who will be blamed for it sucking). If they aren't willing to do what it takes to fix it, I'm not willing to waste any time with it trying work-arounds and bandaids to get it to hobble around. Because the customer will expect it to be a marathon runner regardless of how many times you explain that its going to be a hobbler.

The sweetened pot here is the possibility I might get the work (at regular price) should she decide to do the job. Since the agreed upon Tune-Up wasn't completed, I have difficulty charging her for something I didn't do.

 

[Krynn72]

The sweetened pot here is the possibility I might get the work (at regular price) should she decide to do the job. Since the agreed upon Tune-Up wasn't completed, I have difficulty charging her for something I didn't do.

Not charging for something you didn't do is fine, and typical. Doing all the work you described above trying to accomplish something when the obvious "right thing to do" was apparent from the get-go (SMART test) is what I'm arguing against.

You just put a **** load of work into something you're not getting paid for. Whats worse is that this is a better outcome than doing all those work-arounds and actually getting it to "work" with that failing hdd and then charging the client for work on a computer that's still going to suck to use.

Its about getting into the mindset of being a "solutions provider" not a "service provider". The customer's original complaint was probably something to the tune of "my computer is running really badly and lots of functions just don't work right". The service provider will offer their "tune-up" service, the solutions provider will offer to make their computer work fast and normally again. In this case to really solve her problems, an hdd replacement and a fresh install is required.