SOLVED Win7 Updates

[lvr181]

Have a laptop with W7 Home Premium that I have not used for a year or two and thought I should update (NOT upgrade) the O/S to the last available updates. Belarc Advisor tells me that there are many updates outstanding!

BUT on going to the Control Panel & Windows Update I get the following message: "Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer."

I restarted (as the computer 'Administrator') but still get the same answer!

HELP. What to do? Any help gratefully accepted.

Tks.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Microsoft has dropped support for Windows 7. They are likely no longer providing updates.

 

[lvr181]

I understand but I thought I would be able to download the updates that were missing. Damn!

Thanks.

 

[Delving]

Please excuse my contradicting the respected member that posted that support for Windows 7 has ended, but my understanding is that Microsoft announced the support would end with the last updates provided in January of next year, 2020.

But possibly I have missed a change in that stated Microsoft management support policy, yes?

In addition, I was of the understanding that, for example with Vista, past updates can still be downloaded from Microsoft's servers. I also seem to recall some sort of private organization, or a non-profit, has archived updates for older operating systems.

Of course, at my age I am easily confused and may also have that wrong. Please excuse me if that proves to be the case.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Of course, at my age I am easily confused and may also have that wrong. Please excuse me if that proves to be the case.

Same here and no offense by the way.

 

[Delving]

But the question is whether the issue raised in this thread by the OP is, in fact, solved. I mean, this is supposed to be a tech helping type of environment and accuracy is the key to having folks return to the site and I was being overly polite with my post above, because the actual fact is that I am quite sure that Microsoft is still providing support for Windows 7 and we should be correcting the error so that folks don't leave this site/forum and spread bad rumors that the advice provided here cannot be trusted.

You know, that basic idea of doing things properly.

My earlier career in the brick-and-mortar world was aviation and if we screwed up we got folks hurt, or worse. So the "doing things properly" style sort of got into my younger-days brain and has never escaped.

And I apologize for now showing my true stripes and being below the too polite bar.

You posted incorrect information, clifford_cooley, and for the sake of the well-being of this site you should go and check and see if my information is more accurate and then inform the OP you have had a change of heart and then we help the owner(s) of this site to bring in more folks. Looks to me like they could use that sort of help.

 

[clifford_cooley]

I mean, this is supposed to be a tech helping type of environment and accuracy is the key to having folks return to the site

Unfortunately help on this site has moved on. In essence help has died down with Microsoft's support. To be fair I wasn't trying to answer the question. I was giving a possible scenario as to why. What part of "likely" makes my comment sound concrete. My statement was not fact.

There is literally only two resident members (other than admin) who still sign in after all these years. I personally do not still operate from a Windows 7 machine. I still sign in to do my best from memory. And non of us were ever paid to know the absolute truth about every topic.

 

[Delving]

I admit that I noticed the low numbers of human folks participating here and I also thought maybe I would stay away because of that, but seeing you post an incorrect piece of information, whether you used the word "likely" or not, had me getting into the "get it right' mood and so here I am.

Sir, the "Help" is being provided by fellow members, not some Microsoft professional that arrives here just for the purpose of helping those that have questions. So I am sorry, but you simply provided incorrect information and I am "simply" trying to set the record straight. Plain and simple. Nothing meant to be mean or bad or insulting or anything like those previous three. Just a forum member trying to do something good.

Oh, that "Solved" thing is what got me to log on. Sorry, that was the key to what has me now pounding the keyboard doing all this typing.

Anyway, I am just trying to do something good here, that's all.

And I suspect there is still some "good" help that can be provided. I suppose I can do that. I've been known to help people from time-to-time on a number of tech sites all over this Net World.

Now that "... service is not running." rings a bell. I am rather sure I have seen that before. I have a strong suspicion that is not a serious problem. I mean, even a Microsoft server can get way too busy and stop folks from accessing it, especially if it is on or soon after that second Tuesday of the month.

But maybe it would be better to see if the OP returns to this discussion and see if maybe the problem was resolved in a manner that is not posted here.

Either way, now we might garner a tad bit more trust from the Net Citizens of the Net World for something posted here on this site. I think that is what a responsible forum member should be striving for, no?