I'm seeing a similar problem to some others. I have a clean install of Windows 7 installed in Parallels 11.2.2. I just installed it in the fall of 2016 (I use Windows infrequently - maybe once a month - through Parallels), so I don't believe Windows has ever been successfully updated. Therefore, Windows wants to run "Windows Update." The heart of my problem is that the update program displays "Checking for updates..." endlessly. (I let it run over night to ensure that it wasn't simply trying to put order in a massive list of updates or something. No dice.)
I followed
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/gp/windows-update-issues/en-us. If there ever was simply a software tool at that page, it appears not to be there now. Now it's an FAQ. The last question in the FAQ, as of 1/13/2017 anyway, is "What can I do if I'm having problems installing updates?" The answer to that question provides a link to download "Windows Update Troubleshooter." I downloaded and ran it and got a message that "Troubleshooting couldn't identify the problem."
I also went to the Paralells KM link provided by Dhana on Sept. 20, 2016. (
http://kb.parallels.com/122613). That link addresses this general category of update problems and provides two solutions: one automatic, and one involving typing long lists of commands into a command prompt. I tried the automatic solution first, but as of 1/13/2017, it simply linked to a generic Microsoft support page ("What can we help you with?"), not a dedicated tool for Windows 7.
Can Parallels update this KB link to point to the correct tool again?
Then I tried the command-prompt incantations, following the Parallels KB article's instructions. (Again,
http://kb.parallels.com/122613.) I ran aground almost immediately. The very first step says "Click State, Click Run, type cmd." There is no "Run" option in my Start menu. (Perhaps time to update this instruction?). I searched for "Run" instead, found it, and typed "Cmd" as instructed. But the first three commands produced various kinds of error messages: entering "net stop bits" told me "The Background Intelligent Transfer Services service [sic] is not started. More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 3521." [Typing the help code just gets the command prompt to repeat the error message.] Typing the second command - "net stop wuauserv" - produces the result "System error 5 has occurred. Access is denied." Typing the third command - to delete a particular qmgr*.dat file - produces an error telling me that the system "could not find" the file.
Do I need to change directories or something before entering these various commands to ensure they're effective?
From the Microsoft FAQ pages I've seen, it sounds like errors with Windows Update is a problem well known to Microsoft and one that they've put some resources toward solving. However, the generic troubleshooter they provided didn't work for me. Parallels has a knowledge base article on the problem, too, but its automatic solution points to an apparently-outdated link, and its manual solution produced nothing but error messages for me. Not sure what to do next. I feel very unsafe using Windows without security patches - it goes against all of what I know about using Windows in the age of the internet. I hope some of the Parallels staff can provide some up-to-date help here?
Perhaps relatedly, Windows Defender (whatever that is? It was new to me in Windows 7.) also checks for updates for a very long time (nearly 2 hours) and eventually gives me an error message saying it "can't check for definition updates." I've been through that cycle twice now.
Could there be some kind of Parallels-Windows firewall issue that's preventing these programs from reaching the internet?
Help appreciated. Thank you!
