"Preparing To Configure Windows. Please Do Not Turn Off Your Computer"

Anonymous
2009-12-03T01:02:16+00:00

Hi. I just got my new laptop yesterday with Windows 7 Home Premium. When I left for school this morning, I shut down my computer and saw that it had 22 Windows Updates to download. When I turned it back on this afternoon, it was stuck at a screen that said "Preparing To Configure Windows. Please Do Not Turn Off Your Computer." I decided to wait but it stayed the same for as long as I waited. Finally, I powered it off by holding on the power button, and just normally booted the system. Will there be any damage done to my new laptop? Is there any way I can prevent this update glitch from happening again? Thanks.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2010-04-23T05:50:01+00:00

Hi. I just got my new laptop yesterday with Windows 7 Home Premium. When I left for school this morning, I shut down my computer and saw that it had 22 Windows Updates to download. When I turned it back on this afternoon, it was stuck at a screen that said "Preparing To Configure Windows. Please Do Not Turn Off Your Computer." I decided to wait but it stayed the same for as long as I waited. Finally, I powered it off by holding on the power button, and just normally booted the system. Will there be any damage done to my new laptop? Is there any way I can prevent this update glitch from happening again? Thanks.

I just bought a Toshiba Laptop for a Client with windows 7 home,

As a favour for my clients I usually run windows update for them so they get it all working and are 100% confident that when they get it as up to date as possible,

I ran into the exact same problem as above, i read this thread and read all different reply's but none of them realy worked for me and i didnt have time to wait...

this is what worked for me:

  1. Hold down the power button and switch of your machine
  2. Restart your computer and just before windows boots hit the F8 button
  3. Boot into safe mode
  4. login (if nessecary)
  5. Make sure that any virus scanners at this point are disabled before continuing
  6. Click "Start" > "Accessories" > "System Restore"
  7. Click "Next"
  8. Pick an earlier restore point and then click next, (its best to pick the 1 just before you had problems)
  9. Click next and follow the prompts and it will start a system restore
  10. wait till your computer does this System Restore process
  11. Regardless of whether the system restore process fails or passes it should now get you out being stuck at "Preparing To Configure Windows. Please Do Not Turn Off Your Computer."

Now...

  1. login if required

13 Disable Virus Scanner before moving on

  1. Run windows update
  2. now it should run without any problems
  3. if you do have problems and run into a loop Call your Computer Manufacturer or the company that you purchased it off and see if they can help you,

Thanks

Michael

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-09-11T23:37:20+00:00

    I don't think it is just Toshiba related. Mine did the exact same thing with a Gateway laptop.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-09-11T22:20:52+00:00

    I think the problem is the Toshiba notebook not only windows.  I have same problem whenever do an update even with Toshiba bios update.  I just have to manually turn the computer off after a few hours and everything are fine after turn it on again.

    Hit ctrl-alt-delete didn't bring up the login screen after bios update.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-09-09T22:36:30+00:00

    The same thing happened to me....  This isn't a brand new laptop, but one about 6 months old.  It had to install 35 updates.  I waited 24 hours for that message to go away.  It never did.  I was about to power it off when I looked it up on this forum.

    Taking jc_Newzealand's advice I tried the <Ctl-Alt-Del> approach.  It immediately brought up a login screen and everything seems to be working fine...

    Always take the path of least resistance!

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-08-24T09:39:37+00:00

    Hi,

    Does this really work out in safe mode? I'm facing a similar problem. My updates seem to be never ending. I work in Windows7+Nvidia,

    Thanks,

    Aishwarya.

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