Reboot Loop - Configuring Updates 3 of 3

[enjay]

We've got a standalone Vista laptop here, which is stuck in a reboot loop. Each time it turns on, it says "Configuring updates: stage 3 of 3 - 0% complete. Do not turn off your computer"; it then shuts down and starts over. I am fairly sure this is caused by the laptop running out of battery mid-way through installing some updates recently.

I've restored it, using the Lenovo Care utility, however the problem remains. Immediately after restoring it, it did boot back into Windows but gave me all sorts of warnings about security settings not being right, Automatic Updates being disabled, telling me I couldn't change this when I tried to enable it and so on, so I restarted it, and it is now sitting in the loop again.

I am really keen not to do a full restore on this, as there are some applications which have been installed separately and all sorts of user files on there.

Any suggestions as to what I can do?

Just to pre-empt some of the comments, this isn't a school computer, but the personal one of one of our Governors.

[LosOjos]

Probably a dumb question as I don't know what Lenovo Care is, but have you tried using System Restore to take it back to a point before the update was installed? You should be able to run system restore from the Vista DVD

[enjay]

Unfortunately, I can't get it into Windows to run a system restore, and don't have the install media since it came OEM pre-installed.

Lenovo Care is basically their own built-in recovery utility. I tried recovering the most recent backup it has, which as I said didn't help; no idea when that was taken though. The most recent full backup (apparently different) it has is July 2009, which is probably the commissioning one so won't have any of their applications, so I don't really want to use that if I can help it.

It's Vista (which is why I put it in this forum!).

[LosOjos]

It's Vista (which is why I put it in this forum!).

Yeah, it's been a looong day lol.

Don't you have any copies of Vista knocking around at all? Or know of any way you can acquire a copy temporarily? It doesn't have to be the DVD that it was originally installed from...

[sparkeh]

I'm guessing its this issue

[chris_uk]

We've got a standalone Vista laptop here, which is stuck in a reboot loop. Each time it turns on, it says "Configuring updates: stage 3 of 3 - 0% complete. Do not turn off your computer"; it then shuts down and starts over. I am fairly sure this is caused by the laptop running out of battery mid-way through installing some updates recently.

I've restored it, using the Lenovo Care utility, however the problem remains. Immediately after restoring it, it did boot back into Windows but gave me all sorts of warnings about security settings not being right, Automatic Updates being disabled, telling me I couldn't change this when I tried to enable it and so on, so I restarted it, and it is now sitting in the loop again.

I am really keen not to do a full restore on this, as there are some applications which have been installed separately and all sorts of user files on there.

Any suggestions as to what I can do?

Just to pre-empt some of the comments, this isn't a school computer, but the personal one of one of our Governors.

Easy fix,
Switch the computer on, start tapping F8 to get to the startup options screen. Select safe mode

Using windows explorer browse to c:\windows
Rename the folder "SoftwareDistribution" to "SoftwareDistribution.old"

Reboot. It should / will go back into windows.

[enjay]

Don't you have any copies of Vista knocking around at all? Or know of any way you can acquire a copy temporarily? It doesn't have to be the DVD that it was originally installed from...

Sadly not - all our PCs are OEM install. The best I'd have is the recovery CD for the laptop (assuming they've kept it)

I'm guessing its this issue

Yeah, that looks like it.

Unfortunately, I can't even boot into Safe Mode, it still reboots.

I did find an option (from the F8 screen) where I could disable an automatic restart with system problems, but it still tries to install the update and then loops.

[chris_uk]

Your other option is to then try booting from a linux live CD and renaming the folder that way.

[pritchardavid]

Right this should work

download the trial copy of windows 7 and burn it to the disco, boot it up from the disc, click repai my computer, then you should be ablle to use system restore at that point

I know it a windows disc but I have used it for a vista computer before

Link to download the disc image Windows 7 Enterprise | Trial, Evaluation, Test, Download

[difinity]

There's also a Vista repair disc available from here, x86 and x64 versions.

Download: Windows Vista x64 Recovery Disc — The NeoSmart Files

[enjay]

I managed to get it into Windows by using the Lenovo recovery, and then run System Restore. Oddly, the only restore image was dated this morning...

[enjay]

Using windows explorer browse to c:\windows
Rename the folder "SoftwareDistribution" to "SoftwareDistribution.old"

I tried that while I had the PC working following the recovery, and it wouldn't let me rename the folder, saying "access denied".

[enjay]

There's also a Vista repair disc available from here, x86 and x64 versions

That looks like basically what this Lenovo function does...