Latest Vista Update stuck in Stage 3/restart loop

Anonymous
2009-07-26T19:43:12+00:00

I have Vista Business system on a Toshiba notebook, latest Service Pack and with all updates.  It was fully functional when i last shut it down.  I just booted it up to find the Stage 3 page of a Windows update.  0% progress shown, then it restarts, and opens at the same page again.  Stuck in this loop.  Have tried using F8 to get last good installation, and to stop auto restart, without success, it just keeps returning to the Stage 3 page and reboots.  Tried Systems Repair which offered a System Restore, but that wouldn't start.  System Repair now just keeps showing progress (for 3/4 hour) without any HD activity.  I shut it down and it still restarts at same Stage 3 page.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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Anonymous
2009-07-29T01:37:10+00:00

Configuring updates stage 3 of 3. 0% complete

Road Map:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949358

Use the System Recovery options to rename the Pending.xml file and edit

the registry:

On the System Recovery Options page, click Command Prompt.

Type cd C:\windows\winsxs, and then press ENTER.

Type ren pending.xml pending.old, and then press ENTER.

Type regedit, and then press ENTER.

Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

On the File menu, click Load Hive.

Locate the following folder:

C:\windows\system32\config\components

When you are prompted for a name, type Offline_Components.

In Registry Editor, locate and then delete the following registry

subkey:

HLKM\Offline Components\AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving

HKLM\Offline Components\PendingXmlIdentifier

Exit Registry Editor:

At the command prompt, type exit to exit Registry Editor.

Press ENTER.

Click Restart.

Kindly reply to me if the steps worked.

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-08-18T04:22:42+00:00

    @Allisonnn - install fixit file from Microsoft.then i think you can turn on updates.i have updates up to today, no problems.but for the safety i guess you should set the update mode to - "check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them" so you can choose which updates, when to install. (to change update mode - start --> control panel--->windows update--->choose @ drop down menu "check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them")

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-08-18T02:31:22+00:00

    I know this is an old post, but this worked well and fixed the issue. I think I had to restart the computer and go back into the regedit before the last 2 entries that needed to be deleted showed up. "Weird" but worked. Thanx again.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-07-30T05:16:23+00:00

    I unfortunately just had an update do this to me yesterday (almost a year later than your posting)  I googled and found your suggestion to go to the DOS prompt, follow your instructions, and restart.  And it worked! (I was about to go buy a new computer....) Anyways, my question is, since that was so long ago, have you found a way to prevent this from happening again?  I took off the automatic update, so now it downloads updates and I have to tell it whether to install or not....How do I know which to install and which not to??!!  THANKS!!

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  4. Anonymous
    2010-06-29T06:47:20+00:00

    Glad to have helped. Good Work!

    Rob Brown - MS MVP - Windows Desktop Experience : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

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