Endless Update Loop

[hawaiian]

I have a Dell with Vista installed. When I turn it on it shows the Dell logo and then the Windows logo and then goes directly to a screen saying "Configuring Updates: Stage 3 of 3 - 0% Complete" and nothing happens until the screen goes blank and then goes back to the configuring updates. Can't get to my sign-in screen, opening in safe mode takes me back to configuring and on and on. Got a new system disk from Dell, but it won't install. Just goes back to configuring again.
Can anyone help???
Thanks.

[Ned Seagoon]

Originally Posted by hawaiian

directly to a screen saying "Configuring Updates: Stage 3 of 3 - 0% Complete" and nothing happens

I suspect that an update failed, perhaps the computer was turned off or failed while installing an update.

Try starting in Safe Mode to see if you can get past that point, I suspect that once it's been started in Safe Mode then properly closed down, it will be able to be started subsequently without problems.

To get into Safe Mode you need to press F8 before the Windows logo appears.

Take a look at this page

[hawaiian]

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately, I've tried that many times and it still just goes to the configuring screen. Only thing I haven't been able to do yet is to boot the system with a Vista System Disk. It won't load, but just goes back to the configuring screen.
Ron

[Ned Seagoon]

So if the Dell splash screen comes up and you press and hold F8 before the windows screen appears, what actually happens, does a menu appear? does an error message appear?

Does something else happen, please provide the specific details

[hawaiian]

On, F8, Advanced Boot Options, Repair your computer, Safe Mode, Loading Windows Files, black screen with arrow, black screen, Windows Logo, momentary Configuring Updates screen, Dell Logo, black screen, lengthy Microsoft loading bar, black screen, arrow on black screen, Microsoft logo, lengthy "Configuring Updates: Stage 3 of 3 - 0% complete. Do not turn off your computer.", arrow on black screen, black screen, Dell Logo, black screen, lengthy Microsoft loading bar, black screen, black screen with arrow, Microsoft Logo, configuring notice, reloop of previous.

[Ned Seagoon]

Sorry, I'm not sure how to get out of that. I hope someone else can come along and point you in the right direction.

Good luck.

[Murf]

You will need to get to Command Prompt, thru "F8"

Once there type the following:

bcdedit | find "osdevice" (press enter) should return

OS device Partition X: (where X: is the drive letter) normally C: though not always, we will assume it's C: (if not change C: to what you see)
At the x:\sources> type:- C: press enter

next type:- cd C:\windows\winsxs press enter
next type:- ren pending.xml pending.old press enter
next type:- regedit press enter
Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, On the File menu, click Load Hive

Locate the following folder: C:\windows\system32\config\components, click on components (you will need to browse for it), then select open.

You will be prompted for a name in the box type:-

offline_components

Next expand the HKLM tree and you will see a new key + Offline Components locate the two following keys:-

HLKM\Offline Components\ AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving
HKLM\Offline Components\ PendingXmlIdentifier

Right click on the two entries in Red and select "delete"

Go back to the + Offline Components Key and highlight it, then go to the registry main menu select "File" and click Unload Hive

Next type exit to leave the registry editor restart computer.

If it boots into Windows then:

Go to start, search and type:- cmd, right click on the returned cmd.exe and select 'run as administrator" at the prompt type:- (pressing enter after each line)

Net stop wuauserv
cd %systemroot%
Ren SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
Net start wuauserv

Now try Windows update.