Hello,
I have a relatively new Windows Server 2008 VM (under VMware) that has developed a problem where it is stuck in a loop of trying to revert a failed Windows Update. I've done everything I can think of and I've googled extensively and I cannot for the life of me get this thing to get out of the loop - it even goes to that screen in safe mode. Is there some way to block server 2008 from knowing an update was previously attempted so it will let me in so I can extract my data and rebuild the VM? Whatever it is has to be able ot be done from WinRE because there seems to be no possible way to get past the "Updates were not configured correctly. Reverting changes." screen.

This is Windows Server 2008 64-bit.

Thanks,
-Jeff

Hello,

i would start with stopping automatic update service and delete the c:\windows\softwaredistribution folder and start the service again. Often this solves problem with windowsupdate.com

Hello Jeff,

 

I suggest trying below:

 

1.  Boot the VM from Windows Server 2008 installation DVD.

2.  Select your language settings, and then click Next . 

3.  In the Setup window, click Repair your computer .

4.  In the System Recovery Options window, select the operating system, and then click Next .

5.  In the System Recovery Options window, click Command Prompt . 

6.  Type the following commands and press ENTER after each command:

 

icacls c:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml /grant administrators:F

del c:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml

reg load HKLM\BaseSystem c:\windows\system32\config\system

reg delete HKLM\BaseSystem\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager /v SetupExecute

reg add HKLM\BaseSystem\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager /v SetupExecute /t REG_MULTI_SZ 

 

7.  Type Exit and then press ENTER. 

8.  In the System Recovery Options window, click Restart . 

 

Can you boot into your VM now?

 

If so, please backup your important files and then rebuild the VM.

 

Tim Quan

TechNet Subscriber Support in forum

If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com    

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread. 

 

• Marked as answer by Tim QuanModerator Monday, August 16, 2010 1:50 AM
• Unmarked as answer by Tim QuanModerator Monday, August 16, 2010 1:51 AM
• Marked as answer by Tim QuanModerator Thursday, August 19, 2010 2:06 AM

Hello Jeff,

 

How are things going? I have not heard back from you in a few days and wanted to check on the status of the issue. Please let me know how things turned out.

 

Tim Quan

TechNet Subscriber Support in forum

If you have any feedback on our support, please contact tngfb@microsoft.com  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please remember to click “Mark as Answer” on the post that helps you, and to click “Unmark as Answer” if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.  

I've got a very similar issue.  Installed 2k8x64 clean from the CD/ISO into a VM on a ESX4.0 host.  40gb volume, so there's plenty of space for the OS, etc.  It installs cleanly.  Joins the domain fine.  Then when WSUS pushes out ~70 updates, they seemingly install fine.  But after a reboot I get it reverting changes.  Once it finally finishes, a LONG time later, it restarts, prompts to install updates again, and back into the reversion loop again, after another reboot.

Is there some windows update, that has serious issues w/ an ESX host?

Hi Kent,

 

This could be an update reoffering issue. You can check whether these updates have been installed on your computer. If so, you can ignore the re-offering and hide the updates.

 

Please discuss further in the WSUS forum:

 

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverwsus/threads

 

Tim Quan

 

Hi, 

I also had this issue post installing SP1 in windows 2008 r2.  Steps to troubleshoot followed are

a) read the link and execute the vbscript http://support.microsoft.com/kb/975484

b) reboot the server - i) it will say configuring stage 2 of 2 for some time 

after this, in my network

c) i logged in to the nearest windows 2008 r2 box and accessed the services console of the faulty box 

d) stopped the service "Windows Modules Installer"

e) able to rdp to the faulty box with out any issue.

Hope this helps someone.

Regards,

SANJEEV DEV 

Tim,

After following the steps outlined above, I am getting this BSOD with error:

CONFIG_INITIALIZATION_FAILED

STOP: 0x00000067

Please help!

Thanks

Hello,

this thread is from 2010, so please create your own one with a complete problem description and the used OS version including SP/patch level.

Windows 2008 R2

Had the issue:
stage 3 of 3 failure configuring windows updates reverting changes.

Noted could ping the NIC.

successfully able to connect to the ipc$:
NET USE \\SERVERNAME\IPC$ /USERNAME:ADMINISTRATOR
PASSWORD:

Output: Completed successfully.

From here I cold open up the servers msc or computer management and access the services.

Locate: "Windows Modules Installer" Service
Could not stop the service or restart.
Set the service to DISABLED

From here had to force-ably reboot the server (not ideal).
Hey-Preseto Back to the login screen.

Will address the issue with updates a little later.

One think to note I looked into the pending.xml file located in C:\windows\winsxs\ and renamed in the recovery command prompt but dont think this assisted getting the server back online.

Good Luck