Hi, I have a strange problem. Yesterday I got my laptop back from a long awaited repair job (it's been away for over 2 months...) I eagerly switched it straight on to have a peek at some recent holiday photographs that I haven't yet seen and after half hour or so it started auto downloading updates via windows update. An hour or so later I was prompted to restart so I did, and was shown the 'windows is installing update 1 of 29' screen, and left it to it. I came back about 15 mins later and it was only on update 11 of 29 so as it was late and i needed to get up early I shut the laptop lid down turning the computer off (ignoring the 'do not switch your computer off' advice) Note that my computer was working fine until this time. Now, when i get into windows i cannot open anything, the computer seems to be functioning but if i try and open a file or click on anything i just get a sand timer forever. I ve left it for up to half hour and nothing. I've gone into safe mode and everything seems ok, so i deleted the newer updates from inside the Control Panel>Programs and Features>Installed Updates menu, however, the most recent update won't delete, the uninstall button just disappears. I can only guess that this is something to do with me switching off. I need help! I can only get into safe mode! Many thanks for any advice Jamie

Why do people do things like this and then wonder why their system doesn't work anymore? When the warning said not to turn your computer off, then why did you ignore it? You now have corrupted system files and you may have to reinstall Windows. You can try booting into the Safe mode and see if you can do a System Repair. If that doesn't work, then you need to contact the Technical Support of your laptop manufacturer for assistance. See info @ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help/contact-supportPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

Jamie, Is System Restore available when the system starts in Safe Mode ? Start orb > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore If yes, then pick a restore point that was created before this issue started occurring. NOTE that when the System Restore is used in Safe Mode the restore can not be undone. However, you can run SR again and choose another restore point. If System Restore is not available or there are no restore points available that were created before this issue started to occur, suggest that you rename the SoftwareDistribution subfolder located at Windows\SoftwareDistribution to SoftwareDistribution.old Restart to normal Windows mode and see if the system functions now. If it does, open the Services console by clicking the Start orb > in the Search field type in ser > under Programs, right click on Services and choose 'Run as administrator'. Agree to the UAC prompt. Scroll down to the Windows Update (WU) service. Double left click on it to open it's Properties window or right click it and choose Properties. Set it's Startup type to Disabled for now. Now scroll back up and locate the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS); open it's Properties window. Make sure it's Startup type is set to Manual. Leave the Services console open. Click the Start orb > type in up > under Programs, open Windows Update. Click the Change settings link in the left frame. Under Important updates, set the drop down window to " Download updates but let me choose whether to install them ". Agree to the UAC prompt. Close Windows Update. Back in the Services console, scroll back to the Windows Update (WU) service. Open it's Properties window. Set the Startup type to Automatic ( Delayed Start ) Close the Services console. The SoftwareDistribution subfolder will be recreated when the WU service starts up. When the Windows Update icon appears again on the right hand side of the Taskbar, click on it. Select 10 updates to install giving precedence to Security updates but, DO NOT CHOOSE TO INSTALL any updates that are offered for the .NET Frameworks yet. When you've allowed the installation of updates in groups of 10 and restarted the system afterwards when prompted to, then install all of the offered updates that apply to the .NET Frameworks. Restart the system. If none of the above methods are possible, then you will have to do as Rick posted, try a Startup Repair from Safe Mode. If that doesn't fix the issue, see if there is an option to reset the system back to it's original state. That option, which should have been provided by the maker of the laptop, may not be available now due to the replacement of the Hard Drive. Otherwise, if you have the Windows 7 installation DVD, you're only other options are to attempt a Repair Install (aka, "in-place upgrade" ) of Windows 7, which will retain your pictures and other personal data, or a clean installation of Windows 7, which will lose all of your pictures/personal data. MowGreen Windows Expert IT Pro - Consumer Security *-343-* FDNY NEVER FORGOTTEN

Hi, I have a strange problem. Yesterday I got my laptop back from a long awaited repair job (it's been away for over 2 months...) I eagerly switched it straight on to have a peek at some recent holiday photographs that I haven't yet seen and after half hour or so it started auto downloading updates via windows update. An hour or so later I was prompted to restart so I did, and was shown the 'windows is installing update 1 of 29' screen, and left it to it. I came back about 15 mins later and it was only on update 11 of 29 so as it was late and i needed to get up early I shut the laptop lid down turning the computer off (ignoring the 'do not switch your computer off' advice) Note that my computer was working fine until this time. Now, when i get into windows i cannot open anything, the computer seems to be functioning but if i try and open a file or click on anything i just get a sand timer forever. I ve left it for up to half hour and nothing. I've gone into safe mode and everything seems ok, so i deleted the newer updates from inside the Control Panel>Programs and Features>Installed Updates menu, however, the most recent update won't delete, the uninstall button just disappears. I can only guess that this is something to do with me switching off. I need help! I can only get into safe mode! Many thanks for any advice Jamie Which update can't you uninstall? Some updates are not uninstallable on purpose. -Z