Solved Vista x64 update loop at startup

steveodaniel

New Member
My laptop, Toshiba model M305D, has been down about 6 days. I went to microsoft technical, put in a request but got no reply. This is the first problem I've had since buying the laptop new August, 2008. It has an AMD 64 bit processor and runs Vista home premium 64 bit. It has been kept up-to-date with windows update.
THE PROBLEM: The last time it was receiving updates it became stuck in a loop. It was processing update stage 3 of 3 at the 96% complete point when it restarted the computer to complete installation. Only, it keeps restarting and going through this update install process. It does this over and over.
I used the F8 on startup method to get to a help screen hoping to get into the safe mode. I got to the help screen.
The computer will not go into the "safe mode" using any of the choices presented on this screen, but instead goes right back to update screens described above when one of the choices is selected. I had hoped to get access to restore but could not.
How can I get past this to get back up and running?:(
 
Last edited by a moderator:

My Computer

My laptop, Toshiba model M305D, has been down about 6 days. I went to microsoft technical, put in a request but got no reply. This is the first problem I've had since buying the laptop new August, 2008. It has an AMD 64 bit processor and runs Vista home premium 64 bit. It has been kept up-to-date with windows update.
THE PROBLEM: The last time it was receiving updates it became stuck in a loop. It was processing update stage 3 of 3 at the 96% complete point when it restarted the computer to complete installation. Only, it keeps restarting and going through this update install process. It does this over and over.
I used the F8 on startup method to get to a help screen hoping to get into the safe mode. I got to the help screen.
The computer will not go into the "safe mode" using any of the choices presented on this screen, but instead goes right back to update screens described above when one of the choices is selected. I had hoped to get access to restore but could not.
How can I get past this to get back up and running?:(
Hi Steve,

Welcome to the forum.

Go back to the screen where you tried to start in safe mode and choose safe mode with command prompt. Then when the Command prompt is open copy and paste;
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

This will start the system restore

I hope this helps

Pooch
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Self build
    CPU
    Phenom II x4 Black Edition 940-Arctic-Cooling Freezer Xtreme
    Motherboard
    Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe
    Memory
    8 gig Samsung PC800 RAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia 9600gt
    Sound Card
    AD1988b
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" TFT-MONITOR WIDESCREEN mit VGA/DVI 17" Video7 TFT
    Screen Resolution
    1680 : 1050 1280 : 1024
    Hard Drives
    Drive #1 - SAMSUNG HD252HJ (250 GB)
    Drive #2 - Hitachi HDT721010SLA360 (1000 GB)
    Drive #3 - SAMSUNG HD250HJ (250 GB)
    Drive #4 - SAMSUNG HD103UJ (1000 GB) External eSATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower Cable Management 750W
    Case
    Enermax Chakra
    Cooling
    2x 120mm Front and Back 1x 250mm Side
    Keyboard
    Standard
    Mouse
    Easy Line Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    16000
    Other Info
    I have also used Fedora, Suse, Ubuntu Linux
    And all other Windows from 95 to date except ME
Hi Pooch,
Thanks for your reply. Did you mean to type "%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe" at the command prompt and then "ENTER"?
Yes, selecting enter helps as well ;)
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Self build
    CPU
    Phenom II x4 Black Edition 940-Arctic-Cooling Freezer Xtreme
    Motherboard
    Asus M3A32-MVP Deluxe
    Memory
    8 gig Samsung PC800 RAM
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia 9600gt
    Sound Card
    AD1988b
    Monitor(s) Displays
    22" TFT-MONITOR WIDESCREEN mit VGA/DVI 17" Video7 TFT
    Screen Resolution
    1680 : 1050 1280 : 1024
    Hard Drives
    Drive #1 - SAMSUNG HD252HJ (250 GB)
    Drive #2 - Hitachi HDT721010SLA360 (1000 GB)
    Drive #3 - SAMSUNG HD250HJ (250 GB)
    Drive #4 - SAMSUNG HD103UJ (1000 GB) External eSATA
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower Cable Management 750W
    Case
    Enermax Chakra
    Cooling
    2x 120mm Front and Back 1x 250mm Side
    Keyboard
    Standard
    Mouse
    Easy Line Laser Mouse
    Internet Speed
    16000
    Other Info
    I have also used Fedora, Suse, Ubuntu Linux
    And all other Windows from 95 to date except ME
Interesting...

I could never get into safe mode when any of the computers I've worked on have looped during updating. I always had to access system restore from a Vista disc.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Custom mATX
    CPU
    AMD Athlon X2 5600+ Brisbane 2.9Ghz (dual core)
    Motherboard
    Asus M3N78-VM Green
    Memory
    Kingston 8 GB DDR2 PC-6400
    Graphics Card(s)
    PNY NVIDIA GeForce 9400GT 512MB PCIe
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 22", Samsung 24"
    Hard Drives
    WD RE3 320GB (WD3202ABYS), Samsung SPINPOINT F1 640GB (HD642JJ)
    External Drives: WD MyBook Essentials 500GB, WD 120GB, an old Maxtor 80GB. Portables: Simpletech 160GB, WD Passport 250GB.
    PSU
    Corsair 620W modular
    Case
    CoolerMaster Elite 341 mATX
    Cooling
    Thermaltake TR2-R1
    Keyboard
    HP Elite Keyboard
    Mouse
    Microsoft Laser & Logitech Marble
    Internet Speed
    Cable
    Other Info
    Printers: HP Photosmart C7280, Oki-Data 3400n, HP Officejet 4300
Back
Top