Server stuck on "Installing update 1 of 3...Please do not power off"

Out of hours last night I chose to install the latest Windows updates
(from Tuesday 8th September) on our SBS 2008 server.

The server hadn't been rebooted for a month so I chose to shut down
and restart. This in turn began installing the updates.

For 12 hours now it's been on the shutdown type screen that says
"Installing update 1 of 3..Please do not power off".

It doesn't look like it's frozen - the activity circle thing is
spinning round. Obviously the update has got stuck somehow.

The server itself is functioning fine - users are all connected (it's
the DC and also has Exchange).


I don't see any alternative other than to do a power off (again out of
hours). What I'm concerned about is the message telling me not to
power off.


Is it likely to cause any problems by killing the power and rebooting?

i've just checked the event logs of the domain controller (via our
member server) and it's reporting the following warning:

"Windows servicing identified that package KB967723 (security update)
is not applicable for this system"


It sounds to me like this may be the cause of the server failing to
install the updates properly as mentioned above.

Why would the server be wanting to install an update that's not
applicable?

SO, you did NOT choose to 'restart', you chose to 'install updates and
shutdown'.

If my mate Jan sees this he will smile. A clean restart, and inspection of
logs/services, is required before performing further work.

SO, let's get out of this hole. Though MS give dire warning about doing
nothing until the updates have completed installation _most_ times it will
not break things. The most important files are those in use by the OS and if
the update process does not complete the instruction to the OS to replace
these files during startup is not _normally_ completed.

Before you do the reset button please sit in front of the server and use
alt-tab to switch between windows, there _may_ be a hidden dialogue box
waiting for input.

It's blatantly obvious but yes, if you cannot in some way complete the
update process a forced restart is your only option. Something that may be
worth considering is to restart in DSRM (Directory Services Restore Mode),
pls do NOT try 'safe mode', to see whether the server comes up, then restart
again in normal mode and it is _possible_ that things will repair
themselves.

You are treading the edge. Forced restart _may_ (but in my experience is
unlikely) cause further problems. How's your backup status? and if you are
unsure of that is it possible for you to perform a backup NOW? Though such a
backup may also contain 'version conflicts' due to lack of completion of the
update process I expect the system restored from such would be usable.

"BadBoy House" <mrchrishouse@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:7865513b-2e1c-40a3-b1f8-53699750f656@s6g2000vbp.googlegroups.com...
> Out of hours last night I chose to install the latest Windows updates
> (from Tuesday 8th September) on our SBS 2008 server.
>
> The server hadn't been rebooted for a month so I chose to shut down
> and restart. This in turn began installing the updates.
>
> For 12 hours now it's been on the shutdown type screen that says
> "Installing update 1 of 3..Please do not power off".
>
> It doesn't look like it's frozen - the activity circle thing is
> spinning round. Obviously the update has got stuck somehow.
>
> The server itself is functioning fine - users are all connected (it's
> the DC and also has Exchange).
>
>
> I don't see any alternative other than to do a power off (again out of
> hours). What I'm concerned about is the message telling me not to
> power off.
>
>
> Is it likely to cause any problems by killing the power and rebooting?
>
>

No - I chose to restart. Then the updates begain installing.

It does sound to me that KB967723 which the event log tells me is not
applicable to sbs 2008 what's caused the process to fail.

I'm still concerned that it had an update in the critical list that
wasn't applicable to our server's o/s?

BadBoy House wrote:
> No - I chose to restart. Then the updates begain installing.
>
> It does sound to me that KB967723 which the event log tells me is not
> applicable to sbs 2008 what's caused the process to fail.
>
> I'm still concerned that it had an update in the critical list that
> wasn't applicable to our server's o/s?
>
>
You still stuck? If so you have to reboot in safe mode , get under the
OS and remove the pending.xml file