Windows Update cannot currently check for updates because the service is not running was the error message that I was getting whenever I started up Windows Update. This is how I got it to work:
On a HP dv6 or dv7 when getting this message when attempting to do a Windows Update you should make sure that you have the latest HP Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver. For this fix I used the HP file sp47845.exe (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?cc=us&lc=en&softwareitem=ob-82337-2) to install the 9.5.6.1001 version.
After installing this file; Windows Update started to work correctly.
If your computer does not use the Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver type the following lines into an Administrative Command Prompt:
net stop wuauserv
del c:\windows\SoftwareDistribution
net start wuauserv
Close the command prompt, then run Windows Update.