The message “preparing to configure windows” appears on the screen and gets stuck for hours. This happens due to corrupt update files or when the integrity of files has been modified.

Here at Bobcares, we have seen several such Windows-related errors as part of our Server Management Services for web hosts and online service providers.

Today we’ll take a look at the causes for this error and see the fix.

What causes Windows to get stuck with the message “preparing to configure windows”

Sometimes, the server prompts that it needs to be restarted after updating some software/components. Then you come across a message “Preparing to configure Windows. Do not turn off your computer” and then the server gets stuck for hours.

This issue is usually caused by corrupt update files or when the integrity of files has been modified.

There are different causes for this error to occur.

1. Missing File

Sometimes, a few files might go missing from the update or they might have been corrupted during the installation process. There is also a possibility that during the Windows installation, it might have skipped some files. Or else, the installation was interrupted due to a power surge which as a result prevented all the files from being installed properly.

2. Disk error

Some disk errors can also prevent the setup from being able to set up Windows correctly and the installation process could not be completed effectively. These disk errors can occur due to unarranged disk resources or due to the presence of corrupt log files.

3. Glitch

In some cases, during the Windows installation, the setting up part might get glitched as a result, it can get stuck in between.

How to fix the “preparing to configure windows” stuck error message

Here are the different solutions our Support Engineers provide to our customers to get rid of this problem.

1. Running an SFC Scan

An SFC scan will help in checking and detecting any issue with the drivers, signature or any other important computer files. So, we can run an SFC run to check if there is an issue with the Windows Files. Here are the steps for it.

• First, press Windows + R to open the Run prompt.
• Then type “cmd” and press Shift + Ctrl + Enter to provide administrative privileges.
• After that, type the below command and press Enter
  sfc /scannow
• Finally, check if the issue still persists after the scan.

2. Running ChkDisk Scan

In a few cases, the computers will be associated with some disk errors. So it will prevent the installation of software. Therefore, we can run a ChkDisk Scan to detect and eliminate any disk errors. For that, follow the below steps.

• First, press Windows + R to open the Run prompt.
• Then type “cmd” and press Shift + Ctrl + Enter to provide administrative privileges.
• After that, type the below command and press Enter
  chkdsk
• Wait for some time for the scan to complete and check if the issue persists.

3. Updating Windows in Safe Mode

In case, if the above scans won’t help you then we suggest you to perform a clean boot and disable any third-party Antivirus entirely. After that, follow the below steps.

• Press the “Windows” + “I” button to open the settings after you clean boot the computer.
• Then click on the “Update & Security” option and click on the “Windows Update” option on the left side.
• After that, click on Update and Security in Windows Settings.
• Now select the “Check for Updates” option and wait for the computer to scan for new updates.
• Once the scan finishes, click on the “Install” option.
• Finally, check to see if the updates are successfully applied.

However, if the update fails to install then check if you are facing issues while installing a particular update and try to uninstall it. You wait for a more stable version to push out and then continue with the updating process.

4. Performing a Hard Reset

In case, if you are unable to log into Windows then you can perform a System Restore to check if it helps. Follow the below steps to do it.

• First, restart the computer and repeatedly press the “F11” key at startup.
• It must open up the advanced recovery options, click on the “Troubleshoot” option, and select “Advanced”.
• Then in the Advanced options, select “System Restore” and click on a restore that you wish to select.
• Now follow the on-screen prompts to initiate the restore. Then wait for it to complete.

5. Performing a Soft Reset

From another computer connect to the stuck server remotely using the Services snap-in (services.msc). From the list of services of the server, you can find the Windows Modules Installer in the Stopping state. This service will prevent the server from performing the correct reboot.

At the same time, the service control buttons are inactive. In the properties of the service, you can find the name of the executable: C:\Windows\servicing\TrustedInstaller.exe

Now we should force to stop this process. Open the command prompt on any computer and run the below command for the server called lon-man02 to stop the TrustedInstaller.exe process.

taskkill.exe /s lon-man01 /u corp\admin_name /p P@ssw0rd! /im TrustedInstaller.exe

You can do the same using the Pskill from PSTools:

pskill.exe \\lon-man01 TrustedInstaller.exe

Or PsExec:

psexec \\lon-man01 taskkill /IM TrustedInstaller.exe /F

After that, the message shutting down will appear on the screen. Then after some time, it should reboot correctly.

[Need any further assistance in fixing Windows errors? – We are here to help you]

Conclusion

In short, this error occurs due to corrupt update files or when the integrity of files has been modified. Today, we saw the solution provided by our Support Engineers.