Windows Update Lag Time Culprit Discovered.

I'm more than positive I have found out why Windows Update has not been working for a whole bunch of users. The last couple of months I have been monitoring the http://www.windowsupdate.com URL and discovered something very odd. Take a look at this screenshot:



Now at least 75% of the time, that website reports that http://www.windowsupdate.com is down for EVERYONE. Just take a look at my download speed from another screen capture that I took of the actual attempted download process:



Now it is no wonder why my update would take more than fourteen days at 13.5KB/sec.

Furthermore, if I go to the Microsoft Update Catalog, the results mirror back to the source of http://www.windowsupdate.com and have the same lag in download speeds.

Now what I want to know, is where is everyone getting their updates from if the server is down for everyone according to my very first screenshot and Microsoft Update Catalog mirrors back to http://www.windowsupdate.com?

Is there an archive that is current with all the available updates for Version 1703 Build 15063.0? In other words, I know someone has to know of a third party vendor that distributes the updates or there would definitely be a whole lot more people trying to figure out why Microsoft's most important servers are down 75% of the time.

Josey Wales said:

Not sure if I would trust that data base.

Layback Bear said:

I would not recommend getting Windows updates from any place but Microsoft.
Know way of knowing what is in those updates from other places.

I couldn't agree more with both of you on the trust of other databases for Genuine Microsoft Updates. I concede that the updates from other sources (regardless of a virus scan) could result in downloading bogus updates.

I did find something rather interesting though:



If the "Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows." box is "checked", the updater throws out error codes and Windows Update doesn't search for updates properly. If it does find updates when that box is "checked", their download and install rate is usually a failure.

When it is "unchecked" (as in my screenshot), Windows Update runs smoothly and has a way higher success rate of downloading and installing updates.

I wonder why that is? I had read about this setting months before the "Creators Update" was even announced for release and after upgrading to Version 1703, I realized that setting had been altered; as in the box was checked without my permission.

I know before the upgrade of the OS, it was stated specifically that my settings would not be altered; however, I had found several settings that Microsoft said would remain unchanged to be untrue. That is to be expected with a "in place upgrade" of an OS and I dealt with it accordingly and have been happy with the upgrade after I found out what had been altered without my permission.

I always use the first option. Can't recall having any troubles with the updates. I will test it when the next monthly updates arrive.

prikker said:

I always use the first option. Can't recall having any troubles with the updates. I will test it when the next monthly updates arrive.

I'm wondering if it has anything to do with a computer being a laptop using the new UEFI or a desktop using the old school BIOS setup during the "in place upgrade" of the OS that changed my settings.

Could be, but i'm not an expert. I get all my knowlegde from users like you, this forum and the internet.