How to fix Windows 10 Windows Update updates not downloading

[dbminter]

I encountered a problem updating Windows 8.1 Update 1 to Windows 10.  So, I'm passing along how I fixed it in case you encounter it.

 

 

What happened to me was Windows Update detected Service Release 1 but never downloaded it!    It was always stuck at 0%.  Seems downloads getting stuck at X% was common on the Preview Builds of Windows 10.  So, here's how I fixed it.

 

 

CTRL+ALT+DEL and select Task Manager.  Select More details if you don't see a Services tab.  Under Services, sort the Services names in alphabetical order because it's defaulted to some kind of random order.  Idiots!    Find BITS, highlight it, right click it, and select Stop.  Repeat for wuauserv, the Windows Update Service.  Open C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution in File Explorer.  Delete all files and folders found there.  You may be prompted for permissions to delete them.  Just select them.  If you can't delete certain items, restart Windows, repeat the stopping of the 2 services from before, and try deleting the files again.  After the files and folders are deleted, restart Windows.  When Windows restarts, you may get a message saying Windows is preparing updates.  Wait for about 5 minutes and if nothing else happens, just power off the PC.  When powered back on, it will probably say again that Windows is preparing updates, but this message shouldn't last infinitely like it was before.  When Windows restarts, reopen Windows Update and you should see the updates start downloading now.

 

 

That's how I fixed it, anyway.    Running System File Checker, which worked to fix all Windows Update problems under Windows 8.1 Update 1, did nothing to fix this issue.

[Cynthia]

I've used the instructions in this page under the section "Fix Windows Update by Deleting Its Cache Manually" a lot of times and as the OP posted, it's the only way I can get it to get it to start the Windows Update once it's stuck.

 

https://www.howtogeek.com/247380/how-to-fix-windows-update-when-it-gets-stuck/