Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Help - Registry question - what happened?

Oct 19, 2012 6:44AM PDT

Friend accidently turned off his computer when it was in the middle of
Windows updates.

From then on he could not get into Windows and the screen just kept
presenting the words

" Configuring updates 3 of 3 - 0 complete, Do not turn off your computer."

He rang HP technical helpdesk and by switching the computer back on and at
the same time pressing F11 he was able to check the hard disk. There were no
errors so they advised he take it to a computer shop for repair as it was a
software problem.

PC was duly repaired. He asked the man at the shop how he fixed it and was
told they used a separate software package that bypassed windows, so was
able to fix the registry.

So..friend is wondering what went wrong..presumably corruption of registry
somehow?
..and further, if it should happen again (he did say he will try not to
switch it off during updates!), what could he do do to effect a repair
himself instead of having to pay the pc shop man?
Any ideas/advice welcome.
Thanks.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Sorry
Oct 20, 2012 4:51PM PDT

Not at all sure what you are asking here.

Obvious that one should never force a computer to shut down when running Windows Updates. In fact, a part of the dialog present during this operation states one should not do that. "Do not turn off computer..."

Best way to avoid an expensive visit to the computer man is to not turn off the computer while it is updating.

Are we missing something here?

As to how to fix, after the fact, you should know Windows Updates sometimes makes major changes to Windows operating system files and the registry behind that window "Do not turn off your computer". You cannot see this. You interrupt that process, you will get a broken Windows installation. Fix requires training and knowledge of the Windows environment to repair; that is the provenance of the IT people who know what they are doing.

Such takes years of classes and training to become certified and proficient.

Sorry, there is no quick fix for this. So, with that in mind....

Simply put, don't do this action again. Best advice one could give you.

- Collapse -
Help Registry question
Oct 20, 2012 11:05PM PDT

OK thanks for that.
However the pc is located in an area where power outages are reasonably common so if this occured during an upgrade the only action would be to take it to the pc repair man again?..or anything friend could do?

- Collapse -
Let's say that is true.
Oct 21, 2012 3:21AM PDT

Then they know that this failure will repeat. They could get an UPS or move to a laptop which has its own UPS (the battery.)

Sorry but as it stands, this issue will repeat until they change.
Bob

- Collapse -
Help Registry Question
Oct 21, 2012 4:56AM PDT

OK thanks Bob Happy

- Collapse -
Answer
effect a repair without booting to windows
Dec 14, 2012 10:44PM PST

Picatus,

I believe the answer you seek is this:

1. you want to repair the machine without booting into windows should this problem, or one like it, occur again, SO:

2. you need to obtain and copy to a floppy, or cd, a boot repair disk. Make one from your OS!

3. That not possible, internet research OS independent boot software, there's lots of free reliable stuff out there, you just gotta find it.

4. Once found, and you're comfortable with doing this, download the software onto a boot floppy/cd/dvd, etc..

5. Problem occurs again, boot machine, hit whatever key it is that takes you into the BIOS, configure boot procedure to boot first from wherever your boot disk is, save changes and exit BIOS.

6. Repair away

hope this helps

uhoh

- Collapse -
Answer
" Configuring updates 3 of 3 - 0 complete, Do not turn off y
Dec 16, 2012 3:43PM PST

Same thing happened to a friend. Trying to help her by phone, I told her to go to Safe Mode thinking from there she could do a system restore to an earlier date, however soon as the PC settled in Safe Mode the Widows update took off and finished. That was great but now I don't know if she would have been able to do a system restore to an earlier date or not. Since she could get into Safe Mode I'm thinking she could have.


?