Mac stuck on checking for updates

Support had me do all those things, too. When we got Monterey installed, that very evening Software Updates worked fine. But overnight, with iMac asleep, something happened. Next morning, back to spinning gear for Updates. Will be interested to hear if yours maintains. Actually, we did not do Terminal commands till after on Monterey. But did all the other steps you mention while still on Catalina. But even with Terminal commands on Monterey, still a no.

Js5wpr wrote: "...and I hope Apple is reading all these posts."

Unlikely: "Apple may respond to questions but does not formally provide technical support on the Site." Source:

Apple Support Communities Use Agreement

Apple will "read all feedback carefully" here:

macOS Feedback

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" I have the same issue on my wife's computer with the added complication that it's very slow.

I wiped the disk, reinstalled the O/S and restore from Time Machine, but did not solve the issue "

IMHO any issues that existed when the Time Machine Backup was performed were re-introduced back into the otherwise Pristine and Clean Installation

Thusly, negated the Clean Installations

So are you saying, that the first time you reinstalled, etc., you used a backup from AFTER the issue started? I'd really like to know that, because....... Engineers or not, I am thinking in the end we may have to do the same thing to fix this. Thankfully, our last backup was right BEFORE the bad Catalina update.

P. Phillips wrote:

This includes AntiVirus, Disk Cleaners, Disk Optimizes, UnInstaller etc.

And Avast Antivirus does not qualify as AntiVirus software ?

There are no known Windows-like Viruses in the wild that self replicate and affect macOS, because of the underling UNIX  Foundation and Permission Limitation. 

The only thing Avast Antivirus software is protecting the Developers Bank Account for a Non Existent Issue Affecting macOS.

That and giving Zero Return to the User ( you ) except a lot of problems and work to remove this Software as per the Developer Specific Instructions.

The The Built in Security  is all that is required to protect the computer.

This is simply not true. There are UNIX/macOS and even Linux viruses in the wild and they can get past the built-in security system. The statement that you don't need an antivirus on a Mac might have been true in the past, but is most certainly not the case anymore.

Even I myself had at one point noticed my mac being unusually slow and displaying weird behaviour sometimes. Since there is no "Scan for Viruses" button available with the built-in security, I downloaded a 3rd party antivirus and would you look at that, it found an adware virus. I removed it and voila my mac was back to normal as usual.

So don't believe Apple when they say that there are no viruses for mac and that you don't need an antivirus. I mean 95% of the time you won't need an antivirus and the built-in system will do just fine, but that doesn't mean you will never ever need them.

Did you ever get this problem solved. I'm having the same issue with Big Sur on 11.6.3 - Checking for updates never stops loading and softwareupdate --list-full-installers never outputs and must be stopped with control+c

I have the same problem except that I have the 2021 M1 model running Monterey. On the one hand, I keep getting a message that it will "update to 12.4 tonight." On the other hand, it never updates. When I click software update from system preferences, I get the long-term spinning cogwheel as it checks ... and checks .... and checks ...

I have the same problem on my iMac running Big Sur 11.6.2.

All these replies seem a bit technical for the likes of me!

Any other simple suggestions?

Cheers

Welcome and Thank you too.

Do come back to the ASC Forums, in the future, if / or when additional question may arise

Thank you! Did not know about the Feedback option.