Troubleshooting Windows 10 Pro 21H1 makes my main gaming pc Windows Updates get stuck on Checking for Updates screen/Please wait

[ng4ever]

It never finishes. When I go back to the previous version of Windows 10 Pro it starts to work fine again. Should I hold off on 21H1 ?

 

[Brahman]

I too had the issue. The only way out is to reimage your pc to 20 h2 then download and use Windows 10 Update Assistant to upgrade to 21h1, nothing else can fix this. After upgrading check for windows updates and install the optional cumulative update for 21h1 too. Never use windows update to upgrade to 21 h1. ( in your current state you can't even get in to windows safe mode...check it)

Edit: 1. if you are using "NVidia GeForce experience" reinstall the same after upgrading, Because it may cause an error while shutting down saying "program manager keeps preventing shutdown of your system".
2. Don't forget to run "sfc/scannow" command in cmd as admin after upgrading.

 

[Stopspying]

I saw a similar 20H1 endless update cycle on a PC last year, there was no way to do anything else with the machine, it was like a BSOD but with the Update GUI showing. Switching it off with the physical switch on the front of the box was the only way to stop it, re-starting the machine in all of the possible options got nowhere until I tried booting it from a backup of the C: drive.

 

[ForgottenSeer 85179]

Did you try a full shutdown/ disabling Hybrid Boot?

 

[Ink]

Have you run Windows Troubleshooting app?

Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional Troubleshooters > Windows Update

 

[peter1111]

I got the same problem, so I just keep doing the update and restart for like 4 times and it finally finished. try that.

 

[mkoundo]

exactly same issue here. I used the update assistant and it finally worked. sfc /scannow found corrupt files after the installation so better check also

 

[peter1111]

It never finishes. When I go back to the previous version of Windows 10 Pro it starts to work fine again. Should I hold off on 21H1 ?

the update is glitchy

 

[Brahman]

exactly same issue here. I used the update assistant and it finally worked. sfc /scannow found corrupt files after the installation so better check also

good to hear that it worked. It took me a day to get over the issue. I tried everything and nothing worked, the dam thing couldn't even get to safe mode. In the end I decided to try the update assistant way and it worked. Good thing I had image backup otherwise I would have gone mad.

 

[CyberTech]

Same here i tired of it ffs waiting for new windows anyway..

 

[Stopspying]

This type of Windows Update experience is why I always hold off updating the OS on devices until I can get an idea of how well it is behaving on other peoples machines. It might seem selfish and I'm very aware of the need to patch critical flaws, but MS have a long history of messing up their updates. It might only be a small minority who are affected by the type of situation described in this thread but there is only so much time in every day and devoting that time as an unpaid guinea-pig, messing around with BSODs or similar, is not my preferred way to spend my time.

 

[Brahman]

This type of Windows Update experience is why I always hold off updating the OS on devices until I can get an idea of how well it is behaving on other peoples machines. It might seem selfish and I'm very aware of the need to patch critical flaws, but MS have a long history of messing up their updates. It might only be a small minority who are affected by the type of situation described in this thread but there is only so much time in every day and devoting that time as an unpaid guinea-pig, messing around with BSODs or similar, is not my preferred way to spend my time.

That's why one should have 3 or 4 types OS images in backup. Restore your latest image and you are done and if you have time you can also experiment with various kinds of fixes.

 

[mkoundo]

That's why one should have 3 or 4 types OS images in backup. Restore your latest image and you are done and if you have time you can also experiment with various kinds of fixes.

Yes, exactly this. I always create a fresh macrium system image just before attempting anything with windows updates. When i encountered a problem with this 21H1 update I restored in less than 5 minutes.