After uninstalling SMTP server feature on windows 2008 R2 Server, asked for restart, so restarted the Server and after long time ( approx 1 Hour wait) server has not restarted.
Ping was working fine, but RDP was not working.
On the server console below text was getting displayed.
Preparing to configure Windows. Do not turn off your computer.
So done below tricks to make server operational.
- Taken remote of another server of which user name and password is same as of SERVER A
- Opened services.msc , connected to server A
-
Come to know WINDOWS MODULES INSTALLER Service is in Stopping mode
And was not allowing to stop or start from services.msc of Server B
- If we hardboot server , there was chance of windows OS crash.
-
Opened properties of WINDOWS MODULES INSTALLER service to check for the command getting executed for this service
-
The executable for the service was
C:\windows\servicing\trustedinstaller.exe
-
Now searched for remote task manager and downloaded from
http://lizardsystems.com/remote-process-explorer/
this tool allows to connect to remote system task manager
- Right click on the above executable and select option kill
- The server was shown below screen
10 ) And restarted the server J
Thanks
Prashant Deshpande
Brilliant! Thank you so much Prashant.
Damn, that’s my exact problem, only thing is I get access denied on trying to kill the trustedinstaller.exe! Logged on as domain admin… Hmm, not sure what I can do now. It’s a SQL box, really don’t wanna just cold reset.
I kept trying to kill the process, used taskkill and pskill also… Everything reported an error but something must have worked as it’s now working normally again, unless it timed out!
Thank you so much! Worked perfectly!
Thanks. Just the post I needed. Server was stuck on update 1 of 3 and process was stopping but hung there. I killed the Windows Module Installer process with the remote process tool and the server rebooted immediately. Upon reboot it came up to the installing 3 of 3 screen which counted up to 100%, rebooted itself then back to the installing 3 of 3 screen again which hit 100% then ended up to a login.
Remote Process tool just went into my library of network tools. Thanks again
Thanks for this tip. Extremely helpful.
Thank youuu!
Also can be done by running taskkill (sysinternals):
taskkill /S hostname /IM trustedinstaller.exe
Thanks for this! Saved the day for me. I’ve linked to it on my blog.
Jack Rose
Worked for me, was waited for almost 3hrs and then got this solution.
Thanks a lot.
It’s worked for me. Thank you so much!
This was a boom !! i was dealing with an Exchange Server hosting 800 mailboxes..This was super awesome and loved it 🙂
thank you this is very useful..I will reblog this..
You’re a legend! This was an extremely helpful post. Thank you.
Thank you so much. This helped a stressful situation be resolved with no problem, and helped me to know that it was time to take action once I saw the service was in “stopping” status. Also, “pslist” and “pskill” are the remote tools I used (PSTOOLS from Sysinternals way back, now MS I believe) to kill off the correct process for TrustedInstaller.
Thank you!! Had the same problem here. From another computer used “taskkill /S hostname /IM trustedinstaller.exe”. When the Windows Modules Installer service stopped, the server shutdown, restarted, and detected the failure and automatically restarted again. Two restarts. But then everything was okay.
Thanks Prashant Deshpande, this was very useful…I killed the Windows Module Installer process with the remote process tool and the server rebooted immediately. Upon reboot it came up to the installing 3 of 3 screen which counted up to 100%, rebooted itself then back to the installing 3 of 3 screen again which hit 100% then ended up to a login !!!!
Great advice
Thank you! That worked for me. I had a remote server that was stuck like this. After checking in services that the Windows Modules Installer was stuck indeed, I applied the command that George mentioned here “taskkill /S hostname /IM trustedinstaller.exe”
Brilliant, Thank you!
I was waiting for over an hour thinking it was legitimately doing something before I figured something was wrong. I googled searched the problem, found your blog post, tried your suggestions and the machine rebooted. Thanks!
[…] https://prashantd.wordpress.com/2011/09/23/solved-preparing-to-configure-windows-do-not-turn-off-your… […]
You just saved me from an onsite support call today! Thank you so much 🙂
SOLVED my problem on a Windows Server 2011 SBS after installing 61 Windows Updates and rebooted the server. Actualy i used the Kaseya portal we have to manage this server, to kill the process……… (C:\windows\servicing\trustedinstaller.exe was not able to kill the process)
Thanks, this saved me from trashing a database server!
great solution, helped me a lot!!! used pskill, other task killers did not work
brilliant!
It looked like it would work and I went to try it, but as soon as I plugged my NIC in to the LAN, it fixed itself.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you…. You ROCK!!!
Thank you very much. MS Updates on an SBS 2011 server was locked up after reboot request.
Nicely Done.. Just did this for a server.. I did not want to have to rebuild it, and this saved my behind.
Thanks for taking the time to write your solution, helped me tonight. Glad there is people like you!
Marc
Thank you! Thought I was going to throw up!
thanks that solution saved me a lot of trouble
Thanks for nice tutorial ~
a big Thanks! Saved my day!
Thank you very much. It saved my weekend!!
Okay. This is apparently the post that keeps on giving. 3 years later, and I’m in with a hearty thank you, too.
Thank you VERY much. This was exactly the information that I needed to resolve my issue.
Just want to say thank you!
You just saved me a ton of work.
Big thanks!
Thank you very much, you saved a lot of my time !
After a full day of research on this issue due to a Windows update, your article saved the day for me!!! In my case, it wasn’t the Windows Modules Installer process that was stuck in the starting state, but a third part database tool (Pervasive SQL 11) that was stuck due to a dot net upgrade from Microsoft on the pile of updates the previous day. I was able to kill the process as you described, completely remove the database tool, and reinstall it with the correct patch.
Thank you really, it was great, but only I want to know if I am starting this service again, what will happened, many updates are failed and I want to know how can I run this service and update my server,
Thanks again
nothing will happen it will update remaining UPDATES
Thanks a lot!
Thanks a lot for the useful solution.
Thank you. Exactly my issue and worked perfectly. I used the sysinternal pslist and pskill tools available from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb545021.aspx
[…] my fist step was turning to my trusty old friend “Google“. A brief search led me to this article which detailed the fix on a box running Exchange. Below I will describe the steps to get […]
Great article!. Thanks.
Fantastic article, that was my exact problem. Followed your instruction and my server restarted and finished installing the updates.
Thank you!!!
I had the same problem and this worked for me. Thanks a lot for posting this, Prashant!
Thanks Man. Worked for me too. In Remote Process Explorer, We were able to right click on the computer and change credentials using the Edit option. which took care of Access Denied Error. Thanks again…
You are my hero! Thank you so much!
Simply perfect. Thanks for the post! I had to turn off the “Check state” of Remote Process Tool on Preferences > General, because my server wasn’t responding to ping anymore and the tool refused to connect. Best regards
Fantastic – thanks so much – saved my bacon!
Came into work in the morning and thought I would reboot the database server since it has needed a few updates for a while. Had about a 20 minute ideal interval to do so, and of course it freezes. After about 40 minutes of watching the console, I decided to look for other options. Had to get it back up before 8am when other people start. Followed the step by step instructions, within about 60 seconds the server reboots and after about 5 minutes the server is back up. This saved me! Thank you for posting this!
Thank you! No one wants to power-cycle a DC!
Yes, agree with others. You are awesome! Thank you for sharing this!
Thank you very much Friend!!!
Thanks a lot for visiting blog page
This can be done without installing external software as well as follows:
sc \\computername queryex TrustedInstaller
taskkill /s computername /pid /f
Thanks for writing this up. I followed the instructions and you saved ma a lot of time.
Great Prasahant, Its worked for me ,stand into the same situation while upgrading integration tools on hyper v 2012.
You same saved my time.
Thanks
Dude, thanks a lot. I soiled my pants several times before finding/trying this! You saved my life!
Exactly my issue and worked perfectly on 2 2008R2 Datacenter servers I was patching tonight. Thanks much!
Thanks a lot….. it worked like a charm!
You save my life
Thank you so much, perfect solution! Seems like a very common problem!
[…] After a few minutes I stumbled an artical describing my issue of the Windows: Prashant Deshpande Solution to kill the WINDOWS MODULES INSTALLER Service […]
Thanks! It is works!!
Thanks for sharing this, worked for me!
GREAT!!! WORK!!
Fantastic tip, saved me a headache with a remote server
Thanks, worked great!
you rock …
Brilliant, thanks! Just saved me a degree of stress at the thought of cold booting a clustered SQL box 🙂
TYVM! worked a treat!
[…] [SOLVED] Preparing to configure Windows. Do not turn off your computer…. | Prashant Deshpande'…. […]
Worked perfectly !! thank you so much …….
This helped me, that’s great. Thank you
Thank you. This helped me
fantastic!
thanks
dude!!!! saved my bacon. You are a GENIUS!!!!!
Brilliant. I ended up using Sysinternals PSKill. But just the process got me out of a jam. Thanks man
i love you i love you i love you i love you i love you
Cool 🙂 That’s great…
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Thanks for sharing link
Thanks, that did the trick.
Thank you! helped me too.
This post is still saving people 🙂 This time it was my main file server, looks like I’m going to get home in time for supper thanks to you!
Thanks it works…
Thanks Prashant!!! This worked perfectly. 🙂
Thank you, worked flawlessly.
Thank u prasant……👍👍👍👍👍
I like this website so much, saved to my bookmarks. “American soldiers must be turned into lambs and eating them is tolerated.” by Muammar Qaddafi.
thank you so much!! you’re a lifesaver!
This definitely helped out a lot! Thank you!
Thank you very much for this perfekt guid!!!!
Thank a lot You save my …..
You are my Hero today, you saved my day so much.
Thanks! Great Post!
fine article,it is useful to me and others
Thanks!!! My production server was getting crazy because of this!
Saved , ! Would have had to drive 1 hour to reboot the server, instead did it remotely with your instructions Prashant.
You can also try to kill a TrustedInstaller process on a remote machine with taskkill or pskill: http://www.sysadmit.com/2016/10/windows-preparando-no-apague-el-equipo.html
Big Thank You …..
Brilliant!!! Worked from a domain connected workstation. For those getting access denied errors either logon that workstation as a domain admin or run the the program as another (shift + right click – Run as another user)
Thanks it works
Ronnie Glavin
Another thanks
Excellent, Greak Work, Thank you!
Bro, Thanks so much for the article it saved my day…
Awesome. Hard to believe your article was posted in 2011 and that this issue is still biting people. You saved me from a 2 hour drive and not having to hard reset a Windows Server 2016. I was able to use sysinternals pskill to stop the offending task. Thank you!
This is super, crazy brilliant!!! Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!!! You saved me from a possible chaos!
THis was a life saver!
[…] [SOLVED] Preparing to configure Windows. Do not turn off … […]
[…] [SOLVED] Preparing to configure Windows. Do not turn off … […]
Thank you very much! Saved me a boatload of downtime!