"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
    2010-02-03T05:04:22+00:00

    Hey how's it going? Well it looks like I'm in the exact same position as you. I also have a Gateway NV53 that I just bought on Monday and upon turning it on and doing the Windows updates it's been stuck doing those annoying Windows Updates. Currently I'm still doing the updates and am currently writing this post from my iPod touch. How annoying is it to purchase something and not be able to use it right away? P.s as others have mentioned I too have a fast Internet connection and am connected via Ethernet. Well I hope it's all finished overnight otherwise I'll be tempted to do a return...Hope it all goes well with your Gateway :) and everyone elses problems.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-02-04T20:58:58+00:00

    EVERYONE: post how long it took to install your update.

    for me its been 3 hours and the updates are not done. in running an AMD phenom II at 3.4Ghz. does the processor effect the speed of the update?

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-02-06T17:01:44+00:00

    Swathi (and Mike - who deemed Swathi's reply as an Answer),

    With so many of us having this problem, your answer is NOT adequate in any way.  Everyone is talking about the "Preparing to configure Windows " taking so long....this occurs AFTER the downloads and restart.  So, your comment about download time is irrelevant, since the waiting occurs AFTER the download.  And your explanation for creating a restore point is just more FUD.

    I will not do ANY more updates on this Windows 7 computer.  All of these VERY recent comments (February 2010) show there seems to be a universal issue (or at least a very common issue) with your update process, with Windows 7, or both. 

    Please address your answers to all of us with a more reasonable explanation.  In fact, ANY explanation, as the one you gave wasn't an explanation at all about this issue, is needed.  I have been on every version of Windows from 95 to Windows 7. They have all had their deficiencies, but THIS one, comparatively, is actually the worst one of all.  It will discourage people from adding necessary updates.

    Geez, can't you at least put a progress bar, so we know how far along the updates are going??????

    I am so VERY disappointed after living through the bloat of Vista, anticipating Windows 7, and now this...are you trying to GIVE the desktop market to Apple OSX and Linux Ubuntu or Suse?

    And, by the way, I have been a support engineer for decades - your non-answer, which has frustrated so many in this thread - is an explanation I would NEVER have given - and I would have been fired by my manager for giving such an unhelpful answer, and for not following up on the many comments people have made AFTER your non-explanation. 

    Tricia Fish

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