GeezBlog

Update hangs?  Boy howdy!  This has become a real nightmare. Windows Update can spin on “checking for updates…” for hours – or even days.

I (and many, many others) have run into this on new Windows 7 SP1 installs from Microsoft media, newly arrived laptops with Win 7 SP1+ preloads, and laptops and desktops running ‘7 SP1 that were previously fully updated.

The below fix was recommended to me by a wise old IT JOAT.  It has fixed all my machines and will hopefully help others.  OTOH it isn’t likely a universal fix and it takes some patience to apply.

For me Windows Update works almost instantly after this procedure.

Install  .NET update NDP461-KB3102436-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU

In an elevated command window turn off the update service:  net stop wuauserv

rename the folder C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution to …OLD

With the update service still off, install this update to the update client:  KB3138612

turn the update service back on: net start wuauserv

Install the following KBs in order, rebooting after each install.  It may be necessary to turn off the update service while doing this to keep it from hanging on “checking…”.  The update service is typically on a delayed start so it may or may not be necessary to turn it off for each install.

KB3145739
KB3153199
KB3161664
KB3020369
KB3172605

That last KB is the July roll-up.  It may be superseded by later roll-ups, and there should be an indication of that on the KB’s page.

Happy updating 🙂

25 December 2018 Update: long overdue – a Lenovo forum mod suggest the below method to get Win 7 updates running.  Looks simpler – and possibly faster – than the above.

Update servicing stack: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=46817

Then apply this: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53332

Then retry windows update

(Image Lenovo)

The same old boilerplate:  From time to time the nice people at Lenovo send me a gadget.  They’re handy to have around – both for my own use and when trying to help out in the Lenovo forums.  I do some testing and writing as well.  I’m not otherwise compensated, and opinions are my own.  I DO NOT speak for Lenovo

Well, another Lenovo gadget showed up the other day.  This one is a Miix 700  – my first Windows tablet.  It’s a surprisingly capable machine for a tablet.  Maybe too capable – since it encourages trying some things I’d normally attempt on a laptop or desktop.

This isn’t a review; I don’t do reviews.  This is a quick look at the tablet’s specs and features I find interesting.  I’ll also explore some things I do with most computing hardware that I get my hands on: making recovery media, accessing the tablet’s innards, SSD upgrade/replacement/performance, cloning, virtual machines, and Linux, for a start.

Continue reading →

From time to time the nice people at Lenovo send me a gadget.  They’re handy to have around – both for my own use and when trying to help out in the Lenovo forums.  I do some testing and writing as well.  I’m not otherwise compensated, and opinions are my own.  I DO NOT speak for Lenovo.

I’ve had a Yoga 3 Pro 2-in-1 for a while now.  Fascinating piece of engineering.  Thin, light, beautiful display, reasonable performance, and the gymnastic ability to transform from a laptop into a tablet – and several poses in-between.  And that stunning watch-band hinge…

Recently  a Yoga 900 showed up on the porch. Wow!  It’s a refinement of the ‘3 Pro: i7 processor, 6-row keyboard (with function keys!), USB-C port, increased battery run time, similar display, hinge, and flexibility.

I’ll probably do a series of articles including things like SSD upgrades, cloning, backup, etc – but first let’s just start by comparing the specs, appearance, and power supplies:

I’ve done my best to gather accurate specifications, but no guarantees.  Please double check before making a purchase decision based on this information!

Specifications

* Operating system as shipped.  Other options may be available.

** Take battery run time with a grain rock of salt 😉  although I’ve seen the Yoga 900 “gas gauge” indicating over 15 hours just sitting with a web page open.

Hinges and Side Views

The hinges are nearly identical.  And amazing.  The 900’s hinge feels subjectively stouter, but this may be due to the more rigid halves of the clamshell.

The Yoga 3 Pro’s right and left sides:

And the Yoga 900’s:

The port layouts – and many other things  – are detailed in the respective user’s manuals:

User Guide – YOGA 3 Pro

User Guide – Yoga 900

Power Ports and Supplies

One thing that’s immediately obvious is that oddly-shaped USB port on the laptops’ left sides near the hinge.  It’s one of the clever (and perhaps confusing) aspects of these Yogas.  That warped port is a combination USB 2.0 host port – for attaching devices – and a port for charging the laptop.

Here’s the confusing part: even though those ports support attaching USB devices and the charging cables have USB connectors on each end, these laptops cannot be charged by a 5V USB power source.  They require a specific 20V power supply.  More on that below.

To match the laptops’ charging ports, the AC “wall-wart” power supplies have dual-purpose capabilities.  They can supply the 20VDC required by the Yogas via an extra pair of pins added to the standard USB pins.  They can also supply USB-standard 5.2VDC to other USB devices when not being used to charge a laptop.

To further add to the confusion, the two laptops’ wall-warts are similar.  The connectors and cables area physically compatible, and both supply 20V.  However, the Yoga 3 Pro’s supply provides 40 Watts max, and the 900’s provides 65 Watts.  The Y3P’s supply can be plugged into the 900 and may be able to charge it when the laptop is turned off.  When the 900 is running it will likely max out the smaller power supply – leading to overheating and possible over-temp or over-current shut down. Generally speaking, it’s fine to use the larger supply with either laptop, but not a good idea to use the smaller one with the 900.

Another minor difference:  the Y3P’s supply has the AC pins located toward the edge, while the 900’s pins are in the middle.  The 900 supply may block more than one AC socket in a wall outlet or surge strip.

The Yoga 3 Pro wall-wart & cable:

Links

A friend’s video comparison of the two Yogas:  Lenovo Yoga 900 & Yoga 3 Pro Differences

Laptop base specifications:

Yoga 3 Pro

Yoga 900

Hardware Maintenance Manuals:

Hardware Maintenance Manual – Lenovo YOGA 3 Pro-1370

Hardware Maintenance Manual – Yoga 900-13ISK

A quick note about running Windows 10 Pro 64-bit in VMWare Workstation Player 12:  works well, but there is a networking issue.

Even though the virtual network is up and running – the browser can access the internet – Windows Updates and the Windows Store claim they can’t connect:  “We couldn’t get online to download your updates” and “The server stumbled”.

Switching the virtual NIC from NAT to Bridged gets things working.  My WAG is that there’s a protocol that isn’t being passed through, but that’s just a WAG.

The VM client has the same problem running on an i7 Windows 7 whitebox desktop and an i7 Lenovo T450s Windows 10 laptop.  I don’t really want to run in Bridged mode so it would be nice to figure out the root problem.  Input welcome.

David Hill of Lenovo has posted another blog article. He’s asking ThinkPad fans to fill out a survey indicating which features would be most important in the proposed “retro” ThinkPad.  There will be a series of these surveys.

Here’s your chance! Take a minute to speak your mind.

Weigh in on Retro ThinkPad

Retro ThinkPad Survey 2: Displays, Keyboard, and More

Retro ThinkPad Survey 3: What’s Under the Hood?

Retro ThinkPad Survey 4: Miscellaneous

Retro ThinkPad: Time to Think