BleepingComputer.com: Vista hangs after sp2 update

Hi Guys,

I tried searching the site for any similar problems but with no luck so here goes;

I have a Toshiba satellite pro with Vista home 32bit. I looked at the windows updates section today and there was an update listed as recommended so I clicked on it. Vista then began updating to sp2. All went well with the download then the install till the system then prompted that it needed to restart to finish the update, which I did. However on restarting, the system sits for a long time with the blue screen and 'please wait' screen. The words 'please wait' eventually disappear (45mins?) but the screen remains the same pale blue (not BSOD). This then hangs for hours. I shut it down and tried to do a system recovery but there are no recover points listed older than todays update. I can boot to 'safe mode' but don't know what to do there to try make it work.

Hope someone can help,

Thanks,
Haviland

In Safe Mode open Control Panel/Windows Update/on the left side click View Update History and click Installed Updates.

Right-click the Service Pack and Uninstall.

Hi Coolcatbad,

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately in safe mode there is no 'Windows Update' in the control panel. Under system there is however a 'windows update' link but when I try it nothing happens, no window opens or option appears.

I did notice that in safe mode across the top that the system is listed as running service pack 1. Would this mean that when it is hanging it is still trying to install sp2?

Haviland

OK, sorry about that. In Safe Mode you should still get Programs & Features in Control Panel.

Click that and you will see Installed Updates on the left, click that and uninstall SP2 from there.

Hi Again,

Ok found the installed updates. Listed them by date installed. There is no SP2 listed and no update listed from the day when the problem occured, 14th. The most recent updates are from the 13th. The machine was working fine after they installed. It seems the SP2 never correctly installed and is continuing to try and do so but failing each time. Wonder what else I could try?

Thanks for the quick reply!
(Love the Hendrix pic! 40 years this week since Woodstock!!!)

No other posts? Anybody have any ideas? I am going to try going through my services and start ups while in safe mode and see if by disabling anything I can get it to boot. Would appreciate any ideas from here,

Thanks,

H