Windows 7 + Deep Freeze – I’m stuck in an endless reboot loop

deep-freezesafe-modewindows 7windows update

I have the following setup:

  • Windows 7 Ultimate
  • Deep Freeze

I "thawed" my machine last night and performed a Windows Update. The update is having issues (it gets stuck at 32%, fails, and restarts my machine). When it reboots it attempts it again, and again, and again, etc. (Endless loop).

I looked online and found some solutions, but none of them seem to be working:

  1. When I run Safe Mode, Safe Mode w/ Network, or Safe Mode w/ Command Prompt it attempts to revert the Windows Update changes. However, the problem is with Deep Freeze on (and now in "Frozen" mode) the reverted changes don't stay, and I'm back into the loop of death. Oh, and side note: "Safe Mode w/ Command Prompt" does not actually take me to a command prompt window? Perhaps because it is attempting to complete the Windows Update changes first?

  2. I have tried to select the option to NOT restart when an windows error occurs, but it still does.

  3. I tried the remainder of all the other options in the F8 screen.

The only other option left is to find my Windows 7 Media Disc (I can't find it right now) and use it to repair windows (because for some reason the repair option does not show up in the F8 screen).

Is there a way to disable Deep Freeze from loading? When I selected "Safe Mode w/ Command Prompt" I noticed that it loads the DpFrz.sys file. I know that when I'm in the Windows Boot Manager if I press F10 instead of F8 (while highlighting Windows 7) it takes me to an "Edit Boot Options" screen:

Edit Windows boot options for: Windows 7

Path: \Windows\system32\winload.exe

Partition: 2 Hard Disk: 8e90e329

[ /NOEXECUTE=OPTIN (I CAN EDIT THIS LINE)
]

Update: I found my Windows 7 Media Disk and it did not help out. The laptop had the "System Restore" as a partition on the HDD. I later received (in the mail) a Windows 7 Upgrade Disc from Sony to upgrade my system from Windows Vista to Windows 7 Ultimate. I placed the disc into the DVD drive and it does not come up as a "bootable" disc. I'm going to try to find an alternative disc to see if I can get into Command Prompt.

Update 2: I got a Windows Repair disc and got into a command prompt window. I got into the registry and disabled Deep Freeze. Also:

  • I renamed the Pending.xml file to Pending.old
  • I cleared out the Windows Temp directory

I still am stuck in the loop (though, it isn't an issue with DeepFreeze anymore because I can make changes to the hard drive and they persist). Not sure what to do at this point?

Update 3: I ran the repair option and it couldn't repair, but it did point me to something. It says the error was due to a driver that was failing. I have a feeling it is my UPEK Fingerprint scanner.

Best Answer

Is it the 3 of 3 reboot loop?

After installing updates from Windows Update, you may get into a Reboot loop where you machines gets to “configuring updates 3 of 3. X% complete” then freezes or reboots.

Solution:

1a. Boot from the Windows 7 System Repair Disc and choose the repair option in the lower left hand corner, choose System Restore, and select a Restore Point predating the attempted installation of the updates.

1b. If you don't have the DVD and Vista/W7 came preinstalled on the machine, use F8 at the bios splash screen to get the Windows Advanced Screen, choose "Repair Your Computer" from the list, let Windows RE load then do a system restore.

.

2 . If restore fails, load the recovery environment "command prompt" enter

Del C:\Windows\winsxs\pending.xml

exit recovery environment and restart the pc, you may get 3 of 3 again but be patient, the desktop should load. Create a restore point and Turn off Automatic updates until you can figure out which update caused the loop.

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