Why is Windows 7 update taking so long?

This seems to be an ongoing issue with Windows 7 now.  Download wsus offline updater, check off all the updates you want ex. Windows 7, Office, service packs, etc.  Once you install the updates with the offline updater you won't have this problem going forward when the workstation has to update itself.  

http://download.wsusoffline.net/

tutorial
ref link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXAOvbNJYyE

First make sure SP1 is installed. The upgrade won't work without SP1. After that download and install a newer version of the update agent:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/949104

Then download and install the following KB and reboot after that:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3102810

Now the updates will take much less time, although it will still take long enough as there are many updates.

The initial upgrades even after SP1 can take many hours, even all day.  Once you get it caught up, it doesn't take so long.

if the initial install has not SP1, i install it manually + IE11 + the 2 KB's mentioned above
then i run updates

Agree => before trying ANY updates you should install SP1 and IE11.    But the first round after that will still take a VERY long time.

My experience is that with the 2 patches I mentioned earlier, the first search for updates normally takes less than hour, while on the same PC in the same environment, but without those patches, it takes several hours (it depends also on factors like hardware and speed of the PC, your internet speed etc, hence my mentioning same PC and environment).

The rest of the update process, the download and installation part will of course take the same time with either setup after that.

Rindi,
I found lots of patches on that page you recommended.  Which specific patches are you talking about?
capreol

it's strange that this happens - when the free upgrade to win10 appears...

"... it's strange that this happens - when the free upgrade to win10 appears...  "  ==>  It's not a function of that.   I DO think it happened around the time the Win 10 nag's starting appearing; but even on systems that don't have the "nag" updates it's been a problem for a long time.    I think it's more likely associated with some changes that were made to the Windows Update site around the time Windows 10 became available (the early preview editions even).

Note that it still happens with a new installation of Windows 7 -- and there are no more "nags" generated for '10 since the free update period has passed.

In any event, it's indeed made it a real PITA to install Windows 7 for the past year or so -- what used to be a few hours to finish the install and get it completely up-to-date can now be a couple of days ... primarily just waiting for the update checks to finish (the actual download and install of the updates is still reasonably quick).

which is screaming to MS for making an SP2 with everything in it
but no $ - so n sp2

There is a windows 7 SP1 convenience update rollup which m$ released earlier this year, and it is supposed to act like an SP2. The problem is that I have tried it several times, and it only worked properly once. All other times it either failed and then automatically rolled back the rollup, or new updates that were released after the rollup failed to install or took just as long as when hadn't installed the rollup. So the patches I mentioned are still the fastest way to update a windows 7 SP1 system.

Thanks very much to everyone who participated in my question.  This particular issue is very frustrating to say the least.  In terms of the updating process Microsoft has some work to do.  It should work a lot better than it currently does or does not.  I realize that they are trying their best to get everyone shifted over to Windows 10 but in the interim it would be good public relations to not forget about Windows 7 users.  If I am a satisfied Windows 7 user I will stick with Microsoft and not be inclined to switch to Apple or Android or Linux.  Microsoft needs a wakeup call!
capreol

Definitely agree => Windows 7 is still a VERY nice OS and with one exception is completely useable for a long time to come.    The exception is that IE-11 on Windows 7 doesn't have all of the newest security features that are in the '10 browsers, and some banking/investment sites won't allow some transactions with it.    VERY easy to resolve -- just use Firefox :-)

I don't know what Microsoft did with/to the Windows Update site last year that caused the S..L..O..W  update checks for '7, but it's certainly been very frustrating.     Installing SP1 (if necessary -- it's much better to simply reload '7 with installation media that already has SP1 incorporated); and IE11; together with ensuring you have the most current update agent, can make it a BIT more tolerable -- but it's still WAY too slow for the initial round of checks.    It DOES work eventually -- but you shouldn't have to wait "forever" for that first round of checks.     Fortunately, reloading is a pretty rare event :-)

The good news is that the update process in Windows 10 works VERY well :-)