After Windows updates, can't start computer!

Solved/Closed
Jianna - Updated on Nov 12, 2018 at 12:41 AM
 matthew cannon - Aug 28, 2017 at 02:12 AM
Hello everyone,

First of all, I want to state I really don't know too much about computers. I know a little but I really don't know all the names/fuctions/etc. and I'm going to try and make this say exactly what my computer is doing but I may have a few of the words jumbled because my computer is at home being stupid and I'm at work trying to earn money to buy a new one. :p

Anyway, last night my computer automatically restarted itself in order for my latest set of Windows updates to take affect. After it restarted, it came up with the usual screen that states it is installing the updates, Step 1 of 3 and then the percentage of it being complete. After completing the first and sometimes the second step, my computer will suddenly restart again and then the screen with state "Loading Files" and then come up with a screen that says Windows could not start and that it is scanning the files to repair. After doing this for several minutes it tells me that it must restart and to click "Finish" to restart. I do so and my computer restarts and then loops right back to the Installing Updates screen and once again, after completing Step 1 or Step 2 it restarts and goes to the Loading Files screen and then to the Windows cannot start and the the repair scan. It looped like this all night long and then again was doing it this morning when I left for work.

Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Opearating System: Windows Vista

Also, I don't really know how to do a System Restore and am concerned I will loose all my files. I also don't have a backup, though most of what is on my hard drive is music (all gotten in the legal way though a complete pain to import).
Related:

113 responses

Had the same problem as everyone else. I hit esc - then chose F11 then ran the System Restore it didn't erase any of my files - and it worked. After it seemed to have worked, as it was rebooting, it threw me back into the screen asking if I wanted to do the System Restore again, but I just hit cancel and it brought up the normal startup screen.
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Same thing - ADVENT AMD Phenom X4 base unit and an ACER Aspire t5590 laptop. within a week of each other got the "configuring updates 3 of 3 0%" infinite reboot loop.

Get the same screen if you try to boot in safe mode

Cant get to desktop so cant use system restore

Both machines are OEM install so dont have vista disc only factory restore discs (takes it back to shop settings pre SP1)

Both have recovery partitions - system restore from here fails - just hangs and does nothing.

Memoery diagnostics say no fault found

Only thin I could do was use an Ubuntu live cd to move my data from the C: partition to the D: partition and then do a destructive reinstallation of the operatins system on C.

Spent two weeks reinstalling updates and applciations on both machines.

Only software they have in common is MS Office 2007 and F-secure 2009 - I suspected f-secure but other people here have other security programs...

event system log shows tons of critical errors with MS updates - some of which point you to t technet articvle about server 2008

Last night on rebuilt laptop wanted to enable telnet so went to turn windows features on of off - enabled telnet client - got error message, went back to turn windows features on or off and the screen was blank - checked MS technet which advised is problem with updates (suprise! suprise!) and advised running SSFC/scannow - did this, was prompted to reboot the machine and instantly got the "configuring updates 3 of 3 0%" screen again = @!@!@$@% This time I was lucky and the system restore point in the recovery partition actuaqlly seems to have worked but It must be a MS issue and they really need to acknowledge and fix it - VISTA sucks so hard right now - If I had the cash id go MAC

all my fun and games are docuemented at www.lazarusgraveyard.co.uk
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Alot of people seem to be suffering from not having the vista install cd and thus they are not able to access the recover tools.
For everyone who has not been able to do this I thought I would provide the repair cd link.
Simply download the file, burn the iso file using nero or alternative burning software. pop the cd in your pc and reboot, please note this cd will not allow you to install vista only repair it
Best of luck and hope this helped
p.s the link is http://www.c4consulting.com.au/downloads/1Vista%20sp1%20repa­irONLY%20disk.iso

Kind regards
Jo-el Huber
C4 Consulting
Email Id removed for security
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computer whiz
Aug 19, 2009 at 09:46 AM
hey.. I had this exact same problem.. I just turned my laptop on one day and it opened up to the light blue screen saying "configuring updates 3 of 3 0%" and then a few seconds later, it would say "shutting down".. the screen would go black and then it would start up by itself again.. I thought that the successive re-boots were just part of the update, but I let it go for hours seeing if it would stop but it didn't.. I tried using my recovery disks.. they did nothing.. I tried starting it in every kind of safe mode and with all the settings at f8 and nothing worked.. but what I finally found worked for me was just when the computer was restarting again I hit f8.. that opened up a black screen with while lettering and ''repair computer'' was the first option on the list, I clicked that then it'll ask you what language and then what you would like to do to repair it.. I chose to restore computer.. it took a few seconds for the restore window to open up.. and then I restored it to open week prior.. when it finished with that it asked to restart, so I hit f8 again and set it to safe mode.. then when it turned on and went to my desktop, I went to control panel/security center and turned off automatic updating. Then I restarted my computer and it just turned on without a glitch..

stupid microsoft!!.. they release updates and operating systems before they fix all the bugs!!!!! :@
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The issue here isn't really Microsoft's updates. It's more related to your antivirus.

Start computer in cleanboot or uninstall the antivirus program (if you have F-secure then you should really uninstall, maybe update to a new version).

Try this and you will be able to install the update.
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My Dell 1525 has just died on me after it updated. Microsoft - I LAUGH bitterly....
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hello, I had the same issues and I JUST put it on safemode and then rebooted and it was fine now idk why but it worked for me, if you restart your omputer or turn off the power and turn it back onthere should be an option for you to put it on safemode then id just reboot it and it got past the update
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I have a very similar problem. Vista decided to do one of its random updates so I just went away and left it as it was taking a while. At some point during the restart or whatever, the power must have died. Whenever I press the on button I get the Toshiba start up screen, then an error message saying that the power reached critical level and the system has to be resumed and make sure the power cord is plugged in, blah, blah, blah. THe onlyoption I am then given is 'continue with system resume'. It goes to a page that says windows is resuming, then goes black and nothing happens.

I cannot get into safe mode by pressing f8 or anything else- no matter when I try it. I am given no other options and I don't know how to get out of this loop- and I really don't want to lose all my data.
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If your running Vista with a dell computer, press F8 and access the command screen, select the option to acess system tools. Once on this you will have to log on via your username. Select the System restore and restore the system to before the update was run. Once this has been done windows should start and enable you to log on.
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Hi guys,

I have a Toshiba laptop running XP. Today windows automatically updated itself and restarted. But it now won't load up windows at all. It just gets to the windows loading screen with the bar and then crashed and restarts again and again.

I've clicked F8 and can't boot up in Safe mode or from 'previous configuration that worked' etc. all of the options in F8 just crash again after it starts loading windows.

I don't have the windows recovery disk or whatever. What can I do?

thanks in advance
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hi all, I have the same problem with u all and I tried this step and it worked (for now at least)

when the booting screen appears quickly press F12, that will open multiboot selection menu
choose the top choice
windows will search any problem that occur on your system, and if there any, it will bring up the startup repair wizard, just follow the step and it will restore your system back to before the updates were installed
hope this will work^^
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QueenJovanii1
Dec 16, 2009 at 03:56 PM
Hey I had the same exact problem and the only thing that worked for me is to go to this website

https://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/­overy-disc/ .

download the recovery disk and you can download it to limewire or utorrent. Follow the directions that are on the website. Make sure to have a blank disk. Once you burn it, go ahead and put it in the laptop when you turn it on. then press F8. then look on the screen that will come up, and look for repair computer. the only thing that worked once I did that was system restore. If you have any questions, email me at Email Id removed for security . I will help you if I can cause I sure had a hard time doing this. If anyone knows email me whether it will hurt my laptop if I cut the automatic update. I do not want this to happen again. thanks
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t16ffs1238 Posts 1 Registration date Friday December 18, 2009 Status Member Last seen December 18, 2009
Dec 18, 2009 at 09:19 PM
i am not a computer wiz kid and you must forgive my spelling this is very simple I solved this on my laptop within one hour your pc shut down and restarts when you turn it on press and hold down f7 until you see the little space bar at the top left hand corner when you see the space bar take your finger of f7 your pc will now load
then go to windows update then click on update history then click on delete updates if your pc say mess up in december 2009 you can delte the update one by one a box will come up click restart later do this until you have deleted all the microsoft updates of december 2009 or the mounth your pc got the problem this is a microsoft problem but they are not at fault the main reason for this problem is that updates where downloding if you turn your pc off as I did while downloding thats the cause
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Hi,
I had the same problem, I took the RAM out for a few minutes then reinstalled them. I switched on and it booted up into a Windows repair page; everything worked as it should after that.

Many thanks for the help
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Finaly found a sulotion was rely hard work :-(

http://unsharptech.com/2008/12/18/fix-vista-update-loop/

Good luck :-)
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ok this is what u do go to control panel install/uninstall a program then click "view installed updates" from there u can delete updates from service pack 1.. easiest way is (right click "sort by then installed on") check the date u installed service pack then uninstall all the updates from there.. I uninstalled mine then when I restarted it it says "uninstalling updates 1of 3" then after that 100% my comp is back to normal... hope I helped you guys
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One of the first posts in this discussion suggested unplugging the computer and removing the battery. I did this and it appears to have allowed me to finally boot my computer.
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Hi there,

I'm sorry if someones already answered this...but I too had the same problem "configuring updates 1 of 3 0%, 2 of 3 0% 3 of 3 0%"...restart...loop. I solved it this way:

f8 and tab on start up

"repair computer"

"system restore"

then it showed the windows update that had recently been downloaded, so I selected just before that.

It then repaired the problem. After that I disabled automatic windows update.

I hope this helps

Lucy x
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Hi there! I can't seem to start my laptop.. here's what happened before that.. I was installing updates but I forgot that my laptop's settings will be put on sleep after few minutes.. so my laptop went on sleep mode.. after that I opened my laptop then it went off.. so it was unusual.. I tried restarting it.. but still it's shutting down.. I tried opening it on "SAFE MODE" and tried the system restore.. but while the restore is initializing.. it shuts off.. so I google-d and found this thread.. I tried the msconfig thingy.. it worked.. but am still not satisfied.. =/ I still want to fix it like really FIX IT.. so I downloaded the recovery disk here.. I pushed the ON button and pressed f8.. something showed up in my screen like "Press any key to boot from CD/DVD" something like that.. so I did.. then it turned off again.. =/

What should I do now? My laptop is Sony VGN-CS16G

help me.. Thanks!
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Hey,
I Have The Same Problem But My Computer Says: Updated Were Not Configured Correctly.Reverting Changes. Do Not Turn Off Your Computer.
Then After That It Says Shutting Down.
After It Shuts Down The Same Page Somes Up Again!
And No Matter How Many Times It Shuts Down It Wont Let The Screen Page With Accounts Come Up,
Can Somebody Please Please Help Me!
Thanks!
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toysareforboys
Feb 10, 2010 at 02:19 PM
To fix the problem with the "configuring updates" loop you need to delete the pending.xml file in the folder c:\Windows\WinSxS

There are many ways to accomplish this. My favourite is booting off ANY Windows Vista CD (borrow one from a friend if you have to, download one from a torrent, etc.).

After booting from the Vista CD, choose "Repair your Computer", pick "Command Prompt".

At the prompt type in the following then HIT ENTER:

del c:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml

It won't say successful or anything. Now just type exit and hit enter and then click restart. Remember to take out the vista CD when it restarts.

BOOM! Should be back to normal :)

-Jamie M.
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I had the same problem---computer was not starting up properly...just kept going to the "Configuring Updates--3 of 3--0% complete" and then after about 2 seconds, restarting. I didn't know what to do and came across this site. Whoever said to take out the battery and put it back in was a GENIUS! Thank you! After I took out the battery and turned the computer back on, it automatically asked if I wanted to run "system's repair" so I did and this fixed my problem and I'm now able to use my computer again...yay! THANK YOU!
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hey everyone!
I had the same problem, I just solved it by pressing F8 after I turned my laptop on and then selected the first thing on the list which was "repair windows" and then restored it to a previous point.
It might help you too.
I'm def getting a ma, I'm so sick of windows!
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