Sometimes when you turn on your system or laptop, you are familiar with a message “preparing to configure Windows”, please do not turn off your computer. This message is nothing but your system is running its normal necessary updates and it will take more than half an hour. However, in some of the cases the update installation gets stuck, Windows update is facing a problem, and you need to fix the issue. Before moving to the solutions let us see what is Stuck on Preparing to Configure Windows?
Common Error Messages of Stuck on Preparing to Configure Windows
The installation of one or more Windows updates is probably stuck or hangs. If you see one of the following messages persists for a long time.
- Preparing to configure Windows / Do not turn off your computer
- Configuring Windows updates / x % complete / Do not turn off your computer (x is number from 1 to 100)
- Please do not turn off or unplug your machine / Installing updating x of y (x is number of the update out of y number)
- Working on updates / x % complete / do not turn off your computer
- Keep your PC on until this is done / Installing update x of y
- Getting Windows ready / don’t turn off your computer
There are several reasons for the occurrence of the installation of one or more Windows updates can hang. Most of the times, stuck happens due to software conflict or a pre-existing issue. That wasn’t in–light until the Windows updates started installing. Any of Microsoft’s operating system will experience freezing issues during Windows updates. As a result including Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP and others will get stuck.
How to avoid Windows Update from Getting Stuck?
Maintain your system by checking through Windows Update in the control panel and install updates as recommended. Install updates as soon as you receive a notification to avoid stack upon each other and less likely to face errors or incompatibilities.
Install trustworthy third-party antivirus software to remove malware, virus, and bad files that will interfere with updates.
Reasons behind “Stuck on Preparing to Configure Windows” Error
This error can be occurred due to various reasons. However, the probable causes behind this error are listed below:
Missing/Corrupted Files: In most of the cases, some files missed or got corrupted during the installation due to which the error is being occurred. It is also a probability that during installing Windows, some files might have been skipped or corrupted due to power surge resulting in the improper installation of those files.
Disk Error: Certain disk errors can prevent the setup from being able to set up Windows correctly resulting in improper Windows installation. These Disk Errors can be originated due to unarranged disk resources or due to the corrupt log files.
Bugs: Sometimes, while we proceed for the Windows installation, the setting up part might get bugs due to which it can get stuck at a certain point. These bugs might be caused due to the ‘N’ number of reasons and can be resolved easily.
Check “Preparing to Configure Windows” Error
Most of the times Windows updates will take several minutes or more to configure or install updates. Before trying to fix the issue make sure that the updates are truly stuck. If you try to fix the problem that doesn’t really exist might create a problem.
You can confirm that the Windows updates are stuck if nothing happens on screen for 3 hours or more. Take a look at your hard drive activity light, if you see no activity at all (stuck) or very regular but very short flashes of light (not stuck).
NOTE: Chances are there that the installing updates are hung before 3 hours of time. But some updates take 3 hours to finish and this is a reasonable amount of time to wait.
Hard drive activity light will locate at various places according to the company of your system or laptop. The cylinder shape with an arrow symbol is the hard drive activity under which light will blink.
Troubleshooting Tips to Fix “Preparing to Configure Windows” Error
If you find that the Windows installation is getting stuck actually then it is always recommended to try this troubleshooting tip before proceeding for the error fixing. Here you should go:
- Press and hold the power button of your computer to turn off your system during the “Preparing to Configure” error.
- Otherwise, you can press “Ctrl+Alt+Del” to move towards the emergency settings and then click on the “Power” button and select the “Restart” option.
- Once your system shuts down, press the power button again to start the computer.
- Select “Start Windows Normally” option to get Windows to start up normally and continue with the login process.
- You might encounter the “Preparing to Configure” error screen again but it will disappear eventually and follow the on-screen instructions to ensure Windows has been installed correctly without any errors.
How to Fix “Stuck on Preparing to Configure Windows” Error?
Most of the times Windows updates will take several minutes or more to configure or install updates. Before trying to fix the issue make sure that the updates are truly stuck. Some of the most effective solutions for the error Stuck on Preparing to Configure Windows are as follows:
Restart Computer
Using either the reset button or power it off and then back on using the power button. Most of the times, Windows will start normally and finish installing updates.
However, you are probably should not do this by the message on the screen. But if the Windows updates installation is truly stuck, you have no choice but have to hard–reboot.
** Depending on the Windows BIOS configuration, you have to hold down the power button for several seconds to turn off your computer.
** On the tablet or laptop removing the battery will work to switch off and use the power button to turn on it.
Run SFC scan
It is the common and simplest solution to fix Windows error. It is the built-in facility by Microsoft to scan and repair the corrupted files automatically.
- Press “Windows+R” key simultaneously to open the Run window.
- Type “cmd” and press “Ctrl+Shift+Enter” to provide administrative privileges.
- Type sfc/scannow command and press “Enter”.
- Once the scan process is completed, check for the error.
Run chkDsk scan
If the error occurred due to Disk Errors then it can be fixed easily by running the chkDsk scan. This will detect and eliminate the Disk error if any. To do so follow these steps:
- Press “Windows+R” key simultaneously to open the Run window.
- Type “cmd” and press “Ctrl+Shift+Enter” to provide administrative privileges.
- Type chkdsk command and press “Enter”.
- Once the scan process is completed, check for the error.
Start Windows in Safe Mode
Safe Mode will only load minimum drivers and services that Windows absolutely needs. If any of the program or service conflicting with one of the Windows updates in normal mode can fix on running the updates in Safe Mode.
If you want to update Windows under Safe Mode after stuck up, follow above two steps to restart the computer. After sign–in, follow the below steps and start your system in Safe Mode.
- Go to the start button, type msconfig in the search bar.
- Select msconfig and a new window open, navigate to boot from the menu tab and under the boot tab, uptick Safe boot.
- Next click on apply and later on the OK button to apply changes.
- On clicking the OK button a new pop – up window opens, where you have to choose between restart and exit without restart. Choose restart to immediate restart of the system.
- Now the system restarts in Safe Mode.
- As you are running Safe Mode after stuck up of Windows. Initially get back to restore point to successfully uninstall all the updates.
System Restore
- Go to start menu and navigate to control panel or type control panel or settings in the search box.
- Navigate to system and security option.
- Next, select backup and restore from the list.
- On the next screen, select recover system settings or your computer.
- You will redirect to the next screen, select system restore.
- Select Choose a different restore point on the screen and click on next button.
- On the next screen, uptick show more restore points and then select one of the restore points before installing updates and click on next button.
- Finally, click on the finish button.
- Wait a while till your system restores to the point you have selected.
Update Windows
- Go to the control panel.
- Under system and security option and go to with the Windows update option.
- On the next screen click on Windows updates to check for updates for Windows.
- After completing checking of updates, install the updates.
- In Safe Mode, you will not face any stuck–up.
After completion of installing updates, your system will again restart in Safe Mode.
- To make your system to open in normal mode, again open Msconfig > boot > unselect safe mode > click apply > click ok > on the pop–up window select restart.
- Now, your system will successfully open in the normal mode of Windows.
** Try a system restore from a system restore options from Windows 7 and Vista. You will find system restore from advanced startup options in Windows 10 and 8.
Conclusion
Hope this article helped you to fix the issue preparing to configure Windows. If you are still facing any issue related to the solutions or not able to fix the issue write to us with your queries. Please comment with your queries, if you have any other issues with your electronic devices and we will help you out as soon as possible. If you feel this article helpful please like, share and follow our Facebook page and keep visiting our website for such guides and tutorials.
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