Using Fusion 8.5.3 can not download any updates for windows 7

[anaroo]

I installed windows 7 on fusion 8.5 some months ago and use it just infrequently just for a couple of programs but I would like to install all available updates for windows 7 from MS website via windows controller centre: check for updates but the updater just checking for updates for hours and nothing is happening. I know using Mozilla Firefox I can access the Internet and download files so the access works, but why I can not download updates? I run fusion on MBP 15" 2017 with Mac OS Sierra latest. The screen shot showing the updated running circles for hours is below.

Trying to update windows defender I got a message window with the error number (see below screenshot) so something is preventing windows accessing the internet, but what?

On my older MBP 13" I have similar setup and the windows 7 updates no problem. I compared all??possible??? settings and they look same.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[bluefirestorm]

It is because mainstream support for Windows 7 ended in January 2015. Microsoft would also have taken out Windows Update for Windows 7 as part of that end of mainstream support.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-7-support-what-happens-on-january-13-2015/

[SvenGus]

On a fresh Windows 7 installation, in order for Windows Update to work (and not hang, with the bug described above), you should also manually install:

- Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (if not already present);

- April 2015 Servicing Stack Update;

- Windows 7 SP1 Convenience Rollup;

- Internet Explorer 11 (the full package, for IT administrators).

At least, this worked for me, when I reinstalled Windows 7 SP1 about a month ago...

[SvenGus]

... Links (when necessary, select the appropriate language):

Download Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (KB976932) from Official Microsoft Down...

How to Update Windows 7 All at Once with Microsoft’s Convenience Rollup

Download Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7 from Official Microsoft Download Center

[anaroo]

Thanks for the comment and I knew about it,  but my older MBP 13" has just now downloaded updates for win7 from MS. So they still dole out updates.

Cheers, A

[bluefirestorm]

Yes, it should still dole out security updates via Windows Update so long as it is on Service Pack 1 as sven pointed out and provided the links. My apologies for the incorrect information.

[anaroo]

Hi and thanks for the suggestions.

- Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (if not already present); yes it was installed originally

- April 2015 Servicing Stack Update; when downloaded and trying to install the update window goes for ages nothing happens, as in the attached screen shot

- Windows 7 SP1 Convenience Rollup; same here: when downloaded and trying to install the update window goes for ages nothing happens, as in the attached screen shot

- Internet Explorer 11 (the full package, for IT administrators). yes I had this too, the older MBP13" uses Mozilla as the default browser and the updates work fine.

One difference I have noticed between new MBP15 and MBP13 is when the new one goes to sleep the Win7 just closes and I have to restart it manually where on the old MBP when the computer goes to sleep (requires password to login back) win7 is running and say downloading.

Any other suggestions? I wished I had those two programs for Mac so no ned for windows which is such a vile OS.

[bluefirestorm]

Sorry I don't have such a vile Windows 7 OS anymore :smileylaugh:  . I converted a couple of Windows 7 laptops into VMs February last year (which up till then were receiving security updates way past the Jan 2015 cut-off of maintstream support); and upgraded them to Windows 10; maybe even more vile to you so you may not even agree to the word upgrade.

Your post jogged my memory on the last time I had to do a fresh install of Windows 7 on one of the said laptops sometime in mid 2014. After Service Pack 1 got installed, I think it had close to 200 updates from Windows update and it must have taken around 4 hours or so when it eventually did get through (after a few failed/aborted attempts including one I tried leaving running overnight).

I suggest turn off the power save/sleep modes in both the Windows 7 VM and macOS so that the networking/download doesn't get disconnected/interrupted. Depending on the macOS/OS X and mac hardware version you have; its WiFi is notorious in unable to recover the connection once macOS/OS X goes to sleep/power save mode. If possible/available for your MBP, use an Ethernet cable connection as an avoidance measure to possible radio frequency interruptions that can affect WiFi. Only other suggestion left is a little patience.

[ColoradoMarmot]

Check Wila's last set of links in this thread:

Can anyone suggest a fix for Windows 7 updates failing?

[MacsRule]

If dlhotka's link to a related thread doesn't work for you (it did for me, at least last year),  you can try the Microsoft Update Catalog. You'll have to download each update separately but you can install them (ideally in date order, earliest first) and not restart until you've done them all. Note that you can change the search argument as necessary.

[vmxmr]

I have seen similar behavior over the years. If I create a new Windows virtual machine (especially Windows 7, it seems), the new system won't update itself for a while. The checking for updates "progress bar" just keeps showing the moving highlight, but does not seem to connect or offer new updates that I know are pending. No amount of reboots, re-running Windows Update, etc. seems to work. When I create a new Windows 7 virtual machine from scratch   (not that common these days) using Windows installer, it takes time before Windows Update starts working as expected.

I have learned that if you leave the system running, eventually it will connect and update itself. It can take a day or so before it kicks in, but it will eventually get itself updated. Once you reach a certain point, the updates flow normally.

I like SvenGus' recommendation - download a few critical updates manually, and after that Windows Updates should work reasonably quickly as expected. I will do that myself in the future. In the meantime, I want you to know that your new Windows 7 virtual machine is likely to update itself if you leave it running long enough. At least it does for me.

[anaroo]

Many thanks for the advice, vmxmr. I will try to set up the update for a couple of days running and it hopefully will kick in. All possible updates  for manual download and installation are already been done by me so not that many are missing I hope. will report back in a week or so.

Cheers,

[ColoradoMarmot]

The ones in the link I posted are not normally listed (no clue why) - manually applying them should solve the issue.

[SvenGus]

An even better possibility could be to integrate those updates - and possibly also others - into an updated Windows 7 ISO/DVD, with NTLite: but this might of course be slightly more complicated...

https://www.ntlite.com

The Last Windows 7 ISO You’ll Ever Need: How to Slipstream the Convenience Rollup