Windows 10 update finds updates, downloads them and then shows “Pending Install” but does not then install them straight away. They just sat there “Pending Install” showing and this can be for a long time. Windows 7 and 8.1 install updates straight away after the downloads are completed.
Questions – Why does Windows 10 not install the updates after downloading them? What is the Windows 10 update process waiting for?
Thanks in advance.
Speculatively- waiting for PC to be 'idle' - and there's the possibility the updates have to be unpacked.
I don't think it's related to Active Hours (that just controls the restart or not, and is effective after installation) nor the group policy
"Allow Automatic Updates immediate installation"
(others have shown even with that enabled, there can be a 'pending' period).
Let's see if there's any other comment..
The title to this article is a good summary
How to Set t Restart at a Bad Time
I had a mammoth session of updating machines yesterday and they all seemed to do that.
Just speculation, but it appeared that there was a 'required order' in which to install the updates, and the first one took a long time preparing to start its install. If you watch TiWorker in Device Manager you'll see it working hard in the background, despite windows update just saying 'pending...'. Once that one was out of the way the others followed in short order.
It is just doing it as background processes, no worries. Stop using your PC/Laptop will speed it up.
Some updates also have to be done in order.
I wonder if "Pending Install" is another way of saying "Creating a Restore Point" before the install begins? If so then it should not take a long time to create a RP so it may be doing something as well?
I should add that I have about 200GB of disk space left so it is not related to lack of storage space.
You can create a restore point if you wish but I do not use system restore points on my personal computer.
--- System restore points are not a reliable method to depend on: I've lost my notes on why not.
--- You could do a search on restore points.
I always have a system image backup ready using Macrium Reflect Free.
--- You should have the time to do by scheduling your pending install at a time of your convenience.
In my case I create monthly system image backups during the week before the 2nd Tuesday of the month.
--- Please consider a similar plan.
Probably not. In my 'mass update' yesterday, several machines had system protection turned off (so wouldn't be creating restore points). They seemed to take just as long in the 'Pending...' stage as those that had to create restore points.
A more likely explanation. As I said, TiWorker (aka Trusted Installer) works away in the background for a long time before the install itself starts. Open Device Manager next time and you can see more of what's going on....it may be doing something as well?
If System Protection is turned on then a Cumulative Update will always automatically create a restore point before installing. It's this that the OP was talking about.
...System restore points are not a reliable method to depend on...
Agreed, but unless you specifically turn off System Protection they get created without you asking for them....
I always have a system image backup ready using Macrium Reflect Free.
So do I. After my 'mass update' each Patch Tuesday I then have a mass session of creating new Full Macrium images of all the machines. 24 hours later I have just completed that process (I hate Patch Tuesdays).
Doesn't Malicious Software Removal Tool normally take a long time to complete before the other updates can start to be installed?
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