Windows update stuck on “Searching for updates”

Windows 7 update stuck on Searching for updates and it sits like that for hours.

Below script will stop all windows update services, create backup of existing Windows Update Folders then restart services to re-create the folder structure.

“Run as Administrator” required!

@ECHO OFF
echo Windows Update Service Reset Script
Echo Cleaning read only, setting up hidden and system file attributes 
attrib -h -r -s %windir%\system32\catroot2
attrib -h -r -s %windir%\system32\catroot2\*.*
Echo Stopping Windows Update Service
net stop wuauserv
Echo Stopping Cryptographic Service
net stop CryptSvc
Echo Stopping Background Inteligent Transfer Service 
net stop BITS
Echo Renaming Windows Update Folder to create Backup
ren %windir%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.old
Echo Renaming Software Distribution Folder
ren %windir%\SoftwareDistribution sold.old
Echo Renaming Update Downloader Folder
ren "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\application data\Microsoft\Network\downloader" downloader.old
Echo starting services
net Start BITS
net start CryptSvc
net start wuauserv
echo.
echo All good to go. Please restart.
echo.
PAUSE

If still no joy for whatever reason, download and install below update
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3172605