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

Anonymous

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.

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Anonymous

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:

Hold down the power button and switch of your machine
Restart your computer and just before windows boots hit the F8 button
Boot into safe mode
login (if nessecary)
Make sure that any virus scanners at this point are disabled before continuing
Click "Start" > "Accessories" > "System Restore"
Click "Next"
Pick an earlier restore point and then click next, (its best to pick the 1 just before you had problems)
Click next and follow the prompts and it will start a system restore
wait till your computer does this System Restore process
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...

13 Disable Virus Scanner before moving on

Run windows update
now it should run without any problems
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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142 additional answers

Anonymous

2011-11-12T21:27:21+00:00

Hi everyone, After more than 6hours in searching heres how to fix this:

First Step

through command prompt type:

del C:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml

Second Step

also through command prompt type:

del c:\windows\softwaredistribution

Final Step

Shutdown your PC then Switch on It and the problem is fixed inchaalah

May this will help everyone
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Anonymous

2011-10-27T10:53:41+00:00

I had to wait for 16 hours, before I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and in that time it had updated 84 files. They were all there though ,but a few minutes later, after restarting it plunged into

a fresh frenzy while it loaded SP 1 for Win 7 Pro x 64. The only thing you can do is to wait patiently

since Microsoft is updating the whole world simultaneously.

It actually stops in time !
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Anonymous

2011-10-26T13:08:58+00:00
That didnt work for me. I have waited all night and all morning. I have tried :

Safe More then system Restore - didnt work. I couldnt even see the screen of the system restore - it was all white.

to repair windows with the windows restore cd - didnt work

re-started, shut down like 20 times - didnt work.

In the end I have kept pressing Alt Ctrl + Del many times. At the beginning it said it was trying to configure windows - kept pressing Alt Ctrl + Del then it told me - faiture to install updates - and i kept pressing Alt Ctrl + Del until i have seen the login in screen.

"Now. I will never ever ever ever allow windows to do uploads. It is the 4th time it has been doing this in the last 6 months. Im starting to HATE windows."
Well said. This is exactly what I feel. The only question I have is that I am not sure what do you mean by "..allow windows to do uploads". This issue happened to me even if I don't do uploads.
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Anonymous

2011-10-26T12:13:57+00:00
That didnt work for me. I have waited all night and all morning. I have tried :
1. Safe More then system Restore - didnt work. I couldnt even see the screen of the system restore - it was all white.
2. to repair windows with the windows restore cd - didnt work
3. re-started, shut down like 20 times - didnt work.
In the end I have kept pressing Alt Ctrl + Del many times. At the beginning it said it was trying to configure windows - kept pressing Alt Ctrl + Del then it told me - faiture to install updates - and i kept pressing Alt Ctrl + Del until i have seen the login in screen.

Now. I will never ever ever ever allow windows to do uploads. It is the 4th time it has been doing this in the last 6 months. Im starting to HATE windows.
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