Monday, September 10, 2012

Get Out of a Windows 7 Update Loop

If you've just installed Windows Updates and Windows is stuck in a loop of applying updates and then rebooting, try this method (adapted from an answer in this forum):
  1. Insert the Recovery/Install DVD into the computer.
  2. Boot off of the DVD. When you first start your computer, the first screen you see should give you the key combination to press to enter a 'multi-boot' menu. On an HP, hit Esc then F9 for the boot menu (or F11 for recovery if you don't have a DVD). On a Dell, hit F12 for the boot menu. It varies by each manufacturer. Once you find it and are at the multi-boot menu, choose to boot from CD/DVD.
  3. When prompted (after it has booted to the DVD) choose "repair my computer" and enter the command prompt.
  4. Type C: (with colon) and press enter.
  5. Then type cd c:\windows\winsxs and press enter.
  6. Then type del pending.xml and press enter.
  7. Restart your computer.