# WS08 R2 "preparing to configure windows" issue



## deuce

Does anyone know how to solve this issue? WS08 R2 hangs on startup and displays:

"Preparing to configure windows"

"Do not turn off your computer"


This installation had been working fine since Jan of this year. Last night I installed Acronis' new backup platform "Backup and Repair". Ran a backup of a drive. Backup got to about 50% without any issues, then went to bed. In the morning, computer was in an endless loop of displaying this message when booting, and crashing after a few minutes.

I've tried using last known configuration, doesn't work. I've tried booting in safe mode, I get the same issue. I can load the repair utility, but I don't know what commands to use to try and repair.


Thanks!


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## deuce

BUMP


Anyone? I have a feeling it could be related to a windows update, since the computer had been in a restart loop when I woke up, and a required restart from a windows update could have put it there. Or Acronis put it there. Those are pretty much the two possible culprits.

Does anyone know the command line commands I need to use to do startup repair from the WS08R2 repair console? I've only done it for fixing the boot code before, and I didn't really find what I was looking for searching online...


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## centauricw

Try running SFC /SCANNOW from the recovery console. Generally, these reboot loop issues are caused when a Stage 3 of 3 update is interrupted or hangs. This command will try to repair the system file links in the system32 folder from the WinSXS folder.


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## gfne

Try http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/thread/6be50080-d67e-4e17-923c-8cc155f6b893


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## deuce

centauricw said:


> Try running SFC /SCANNOW from the recovery console. Generally, these reboot loop issues are caused when a Stage 3 of 3 update is interrupted or hangs. This command will try to repair the system file links in the system32 folder from the WinSXS folder.


Thanks for the reply.

I just tried running SFC /SCANNOW from the repair console and I get:

"There is a system repair pending which requires reboot to complete. Restart Windows and run sfc again."

Not sure if I'm going to be able to get SFC to work. Any ideas?


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## gfne

Right click my computer, click manage, go to event viewer, expand system and inspect anything that you might think of noting here.


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## deuce

gfne said:


> Right click my computer, click manage, go to event viewer, expand system and inspect anything that you might think of noting here.


Thanks--not sure if it was clear, but the system is not bootable. I can't boot into the WS08 R2 installation normally OR in safe mode. The only thing I can do is boot to the recovery console.


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## deuce

From the repair console, how can I find a list of the installed updates and how I can uninstall them? (As a reminder, I can't boot into windows either normally or in safe mode. This is from a command prompt in the repair console.)


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## bobbydiaz

What about doing a chkdsk /r from repair mode. Not sure if Server 2008 replaced that or not.


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## gfne

Is http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/thread/99a1e8f6-5939-43f4-b884-1b48f85555fa something you can try?


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