Latest Vista Update stuck in Stage 3/restart loop

Hi DustinNewton,

This troubleshooter works for both Vista and Windows 7 however you should not mix the

OS's. So if you have Vista you only use Vista disks and methods. Same for Windows 7.

---

You can use the solutions in this KB - 4 methods and I listed a little help for them below

The update is not installed successfully, you receive a message, and the computer restarts

when you try to install an update in Windows Vista and Windows 7

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

Method 1: Start Windows Vista/Windows 7 with the Windows installation media, and then

use the Repair feature

How to Do a Startup Repair (Vista)

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/91467-startup-repair.html

How to Run a Startup Repair in Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

You can also do a Startup Repair from Safe Mode accessing the Recovery Options if you

have them available or use the DVD as above.

This tells you how to access the System Recovery Options - Vista

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/326b756b-1601-435e-99d0-1585439470351033.mspx

This tells you how to access the System Recovery Options - Windows 7

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Startup-Repair-frequently-asked-questions

Try StartUp Repair from Recovery Options

How to do a Startup Repair (Vista)

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/91467-startup-repair.html

How to Run a Startup Repair in Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

Method 2: Start the system in safe mode, and then use the System Restore feature

How to Do a System Restore in Vista

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

How to Do a System Restore in Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/700-system-restore.html

You can also do a System Restore by booting up with a Vista or Windows 7 disk.

Method 3: Use the Downloads at the end of this article - note versions for Vista/Windows 7

x86 32 bit and Vista/Windows 7 x64 64 bit.

The update is not installed successfully, you receive a message, and the computer restarts

when you try to install an update in Windows Vista and Windows 7

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

Method 4:

At the Command Prompt or Recovery Options or a Vista/Windows 7 disk boot

Type or copy and paste these in one at a time (not the press ENTER)

c:windows\winsxs\ in the commandprompt      

press ENTER

DIR pending.*

press ENTER  and you should see the pending.xml

ren pending.xml pending.old

press ENTER.

---

This is the older complete Method 4

Use the System Recovery options or Vista/Windows 7 Boot Disk 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.

Restart System

---

Once you are in Windows again I would run the Reset here as a precaution.

How do I reset Windows Update components?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

---

If you can't get into Windows you need a Vista/Windows 7 disk - if you do not have one

you can borrow a friends as the are not copy protected and the system maker will usually

sell you the physical disk cheap (you are only paying for the DVD as you already own

Vista/Windows 7). Or you can make a Repair Disk.

This tells you how to access the System Recovery Options and/or from a Vista DVD

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/326b756b-1601-435e-99d0-1585439470351033.mspx

How to Boot to the System Recovery Options in Windows 7

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html

What are the system recovery options in Windows 7?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/What-are-the-system-recovery-options-in-Windows-7

---

If you need to make repair disks - these help repair Windows not re-install.

NeoSmart now charges $9.75 for their ISO images to make the disks.

How to Create a Vista Recovery Disc - Free methods

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/141820-create-recovery-disc.html

How to Make a Bootable Disk in Vista

http://www.brighthub.com/computing/windows-platform/articles/7050.aspx

Download: Windows Vista 32 bit (x86) Recovery Disc and Windows 7

http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/download-windows-vista-x64-recovery-disc/

Download: Windows Vista x64 Recovery Disc and Windows 7

http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/download-windows-vista-x64-recovery-disc/

How to Make a Windows Vista Repair Disk If You Don’t Have One

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/how-to-make-a-windows-vista-repair-disk-if-you-dont-have-one/ 

Download Windows 7 System Recovery Discs - now charging $9.75 for the ISO

images to make the disks.

http://neosmart.net/blog/2009/windows-7-system-repair-discs/

How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc - Free

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

---

If needed you can get free incident reports however the above should take care of it for you.

For Windows Updates - Free Incident Report

Go Here and Click -> Windows Update fails while scanning for, downloading, or installing updates

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/wusupport#tab3

For Security Updates you can get a Free Support Incident Report

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/resources/support.aspx

Hope this helps sort it out for you.

---

Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

hey what if i cant make it to safe mode with networking because my computer just continues the loop no matter what i have tried everything should i just re-install vista

ok, after reading some more replies, I understood that I should first tap C:

(because root X:), did that and will continue the other steps

Same problem here. Vista is stuck in a update loop (fase 3 0%)

I tried your answer, but its not working for me :( so I have some questions please

1. If I open command prompt (in dutch language, i don't know if that makes a difference), there is already marked "X:\windows\system32> is that normal?

 2. For the first command cd C:\windows\winsxs I don't get any reponse, and for the second command (ren pending etc etc), it says that the system can't find the path' (I translated of cours, it says "het systeem kan het opgegeven pad niet vinden").

3. The command regedit works, but because the first 2 steps failed I didn't dare to go any further.

I hope that one of you experts can help me !!

(living a bit lost in the french alpes with a dutch computer, I am not sure that I can find any help in real person just around the corner here so it is up to me.....)

Thanks,

Mirthe