Windows

  • Windows 7
  • Windows
  • All forums
Question

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

Applies To:
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.
    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation
106 People had
this question

Monkeydodo3

Monkeydodo3

Was this helpful?

8

Votes

Answer
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...

12. login if required
13 Disable Virus Scanner before moving on
14. Run windows update
15. now it should run without any problems

16. 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

    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

Michael_mscomputing

Michael_mscomputing

Was this helpful?

25

Votes

Most Helpful Reply

I had the same issue, and left it running for an hour or so.

The FIX: Hit Ctrl + Alt + Delete as you normally would and you should be able to log on- problem solved.

Cheers,

JC NZ

    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

jc_Newzealand

jc_Newzealand

Was this helpful?

In reply to deleted message

Download time and internet speed don't sound convincing.  For me this problem occured AFTER downloading the available updates.  That took long enough, and now I have had the "Preparing to configure Windows Do not turn off your computer" message up for some hours.  This is on a brand-new laptop which came with Windows7 and all I'm trying to do is get it up to date to start with.  I don't want to turn it off, but I've got this feeling that if I go to sleep now and wake up in the morning everything will look the same!!  I did notice that, although I haven't installed Office yet - I was going to do that after updating Windows - the Windows update that was downloaded contained updates for some Office programmes.  Perhaps this has made the laptop somewhat puzzled.  Should I have bought a Mac?
    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

DavidinNZ

DavidinNZ

Was this helpful?

Well,  that's amazing.  It really did take all night!  Just woke up on Monday morning and the updates had installed successfully - a warning that it's an all-night job might be in order.
    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

DavidinNZ

DavidinNZ

Was this helpful?

In reply to deleted message

The problem is that it is a new laptop and we can't get to desktop because we have to wait for the configuration to finish.
    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

donkeyx2in

donkeyx2in

Was this helpful?

1

Vote

In reply to deleted message

It is not required to create a System Restore point manually, before Windows Update.

Windows Update automatically creates a System Restore point, each time its starts installing a batch of updates.

VSingh - MSFT
------- this information is provided as-is without any warranties, implicit or explicit.
    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

Vikram Singh [MSFT]

Vikram Singh [MSFT]
------- this information is provided as-is without any warranties, implicit or explicit.

Was this helpful?

Hey Monkeydodo3,

What model Toshiba laptop do you have and was it purchased directly from Toshiba or through a reseller/retailer?

Thanks,

Keith
Keith Combs - Microsoft Senior PM - http://blogs.technet.com/keithcombs
    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

KeithCombs

KeithCombs Microsoft
Keith Combs - Microsoft US IT Pro Evangelist - http://blogs.technet.com/keithcombs

Was this helpful?

1

Vote

We are having the same problem. We bought two brand new laptops this afternoon, identical, and one of them had 34 updates to install when we shut it down the first time. When we turned it back on, it wouldn't go past the "Preparing to configure windows" screen. We've been waiting for 2 hours, and have tried shutting it down, removing the battery, etc. but as soon as we try to reboot, it does it again. What can we do??
    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

carissalee

carissalee

Was this helpful?

It's the same over here. Im my first attempt to solve the problem, i tried to make a recovery disk (since i couldnt boot it in safe-mode as well). You can find a disk over here: http://maximumpcguides.com/windows-7/create-a-windows-7-system-repair-disc/ or make one yourself. All well, i thought. Just a couple of hours later windows asked me again to install some updates, 15 this time. With the same ending as written above. Im just waiting now for a couple of hours, i dont know if it makes any sense... Let me know if one of you has fixed it properly like Davidinnz, otherwise i just keep waiting for this train that might even not arrive! i'll update here if anything happens over here.

Tia, pbrekel
    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

Pbrekel

Pbrekel

Was this helpful?

It's simply just a matter of waiting indeed. It took me 4 hours in total in the end, i hope its worth it. Good luck to you all!


    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

Pbrekel

Pbrekel

Was this helpful?

2

Votes

i waited 7 houres and the updates didn't install.
do i have to wait longer??
    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

The real slimshady

The real slimshady

Was this helpful?

So happy to have found this forum. I was loving my new laptop, until this morning when it started this update process that is taking hours. So what is the final word? Is there any way to stop it or speed it up? Thank God I have other computers at my disposal, or I'd be up the proverbial creek. Any report of computers staying stuck forever? It sure feels like it will be ....
    • Child exploitation or abuse
    • Harassment or threats
    • Inappropriate/Adult content
    • Nudity
    • Profanity
    • Software piracy
    • SPAM/Advertising
    • Virus/Spyware/Malware danger
    • Other Term of Use or Code of Conduct violation

Head RN

Head RN
<< PreviousPage of 14 Next >>

Message marked as answers cannot be deleted

To delete this message, first unmark this message as an answer, then delete it.

Reason to remove escalation


Merge

Enter the thread ID of the thread you are merging into


Reply will be posted to a public thread

You are replying to a public portion of this thread. To reply privately, click Cancel, click the Private Messages tab, and Reply on that private message.

Don't show this message again

To report abuse, sign in or continue without signing in

Thank you.

Report abuse

Abuse type:

Details (optional):

Report abuse

Abuse type:

Details (required):
Enter the characters you see (required):
Type the numbers that you see in the picture.
Play audio and type the numbers that you hear.
Show a different picture.

Sign in

Hotmail, Xbox Live, Messenger, or msn accounts will also work.

Don't have one of the above accounts?

Signing in...
This page will automatically update after you are signed in.
If you are having problems, you can close this message and try to connect again.