Windows keeps restarting after IE 8 Windows Update
I accidentally agreed to upgrade to Windows IE 8 and now Windows Vista loads to the startup screen "Configuring Update Step 3 of 3" hangs there and restarts itself. It keeps cycling through this process. I have tried running the startup fixer and also have tried restoring to an earlier restore point to no avail. It won't load in safe mode, either.
Any help would be appreciated...even if it is just how I can recover my files so I can do a complete system restore.
For recovering you files you can use this Linux program (Computer First Aid Using Knoppix ). If you cannot even get into safe mode, then there is very little you can do. You could try "repair" from the BIOS - if you have a Vista installation disk.
so you have tried everything, try the following steps if startup repair, system restore, safe mode or anything else won't work.
1.Insert the Windows Vista installation disc in the DVD drive, and then restart the computer.
2.Press any key when you are prompted to restart from the disc.
3.When you are prompted, configure the Language to install, Time and currency format, and Keyboard or input method options that you want, and then click Next.
4.On the Install Windows page, click Repair your computer.
5.On the System Recovery Options page, click the version of the Windows Vista operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
6.On the System Recovery Options page, click Command Prompt.
7.Type cd C:\windows\winsxs, and then press ENTER.
8.Type ren pending.xml pending.old, and then press ENTER.
Note: If pending.xml alone doesn’t work to resolve problem, try to rename also cleanup.xml.
9.Type regedit, and then press ENTER.
10.Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
11.On the File menu, click Load Hive.
12.Locate the following folder:
C:\windows\system32\config\components
13.When you are prompted for a name, type Offline_Components.
14.In Registry Editor, locate and then delete the following registry subkey:
HLKM\Offline Components\AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving
15.In Registry Editor, locate and then delete the following registry subkey:
HKLM\Offline Components\PendingXmlIdentifier
16.Exit Registry Editor, type exit at the command prompt, and then press ENTER.
17.Click Restart, Windows should boot into the same “Configuring updates” screen, but the screen will disappear in a short while, and system will be able to boot into desktop.
Note: Failure to delete the registry keys will cause unable to check for latest updates in Windows Update with error code 8000ffff.