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Question

Frozen windows configure update and safemode restart no help

by May 14, 2016 10:09PM PDT

Upon a recent startup, my dell laptop tried to install windows updates. It froze at 35%. I let it sit for awhile, nothing happened. I tried ctrl+alt+delete, nothing happened. I tried the escape button, nothing happened. I held power butting for a few seconds and forced it to turn off. When I turned it on again, the screen popped up saying windows was not properly shut down and asked me how to start windows. I selected normal. It went back to the windows update screen and froze again at 35%. I forced another power off and removed battery. Restarted in safe mode, hoping to avoid the windows config screen but it still brought the windows config screen up and again froze at 35%. I then forced shutdown and restarted in Safe Mode with Command Prompt. It still went back to the windows config screen frozen at 35%.

How do I get around this??? I need to use my laptop for work and this is severely affecting my life!!!!

I'm not a very techy person. I'm capable of following step-by-step instructions but if the solution involves any programming or words beyond basic English, my eyes will glaze over. I've tried Google searching, but so far solutions I've found assume the safe mode bypasses the windows config screen. Also, I'm in the middle of moving and my recovery disks that came with laptop are packed in a box that I can't access right now, so solutions requiring a disk will not help!

Any suggestions out there? Help is much appreciated! Thanks.

Discussion is locked

4 Posts
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Clarification Request
Since you can get into Safe Mode
by itsdigger May 14, 2016 10:29PM PDT

I would go into safe mode and do a system restore to a point before this happened .
I wonder what anti virus you are using? Is it up to date ?

After system restore is finished, I would reboot into Safe Mode with networking , disable the anti virus program and try installing the updates again BUT be careful that you are not installing those KB's that force Windows 10 upgrade.

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Re: Since you can get into safe mode
by Kbradley48 May 15, 2016 10:08AM PDT

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm stuck on how to do a system restore in safe mode. When I start the computer in safe mode it goes right back to the windows config screen and I can't do anything. How do I bypass the windows config screen in safe mode?

Also antivirus is Avast and is scheduled for automatic updates, so as far as I know it's current.

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Let's take a breather
by itsdigger May 15, 2016 5:48PM PDT

You had problems with system restore ?
Here's a YouTube Tutorial ,
skip to the 1:30 mark and see if it can help you out .

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Answer
This is like a car with a flat tire and you have no spare.
by Forum moderator May 15, 2016 10:14AM PDT

This may have to wait till you have your restore media since even safe mode is failing.

If you have a friend with a PC, have them make a bootable Live USB Linux stick. With this you can boot from USB to use your PC with a browser and copy your files out for safety. There is no learning Linux involved. Read http://tips.oncomputers.info/archives2004/0401/2004-Jan-11.htm

Just like a car with no spare and a flat, you end up calling for a tow and to the repair shop.

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