Windows 7: Windows not Loading after update, hangs on "Loading operating system."

During a recent windows update my pc froze, (mid-update) and I restarted my machine. Now windows gets stuck at the black" Loading operating system..."screen. After a long wait it will eventually display .........boot from cd/. When I boot from my windows dvd my os is not shown in system recovery. I Have also tried running start up repair from recovery with no luck. ANY IDEAS?????

Hello deralickt and welcome to Seven Forums.

Are you receiving any error codes? Are you able to boot your machine in Safe Mode? If yes, see if you can access System Restore and go back to a date/time prior to the update. If you don't have a restore point you could also see if that update is showing in Windows Update History. If it is, try uninstalling it.

Safe Mode

System Restore

Windows Update - Uninstall an Update

The failed update may have damaged or corrupted some system files. From Safe Mode you could try running a System File Checker scan from an elevated command prompt (option two.) If problems are noted run the scan 3 times rebooting in between each scan.

SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

Since you have an install DVD you could also try a Repair Install to fix your currently installed Windows 7 and preserve your user accounts, data, programs, system drivers, etc.

Repair Install

A repair install may require that you reinstall a bunch of Windows Updates. I found it's safer (but more time consuming) to install just a few at a time rather than all at once. If you install a few at a time you can reboot, see if there are any issues, and if there are, you'll know exactly which 3 or 5 or 10 updates you need to remove. Reinstall them one at a time. They'll either all install correctly or you'll know exactly which one(s) are problematic. (If you install all at once and later find out there's a problem it's almost impossible to know which update is involved.)

Sorry to jump in here...

Had the same problem, and this worked for me. Perhaps this might help you...

1. Boot from your DVD
2. Got to a command prompt
3. Goto C: drive if you are not already there, and then cd \windows\winsxs
4. type del pending.xml. DO NOT DELETE anything else.
5. reboot your computer.

You really shouldn't need to do a repair install, but do let us know if the above works for you.

No need to be sorry, Tanya. All help gratefully accepted!

Running startup repair several times(4 i think) finally allowed me to boot windows- I then used system restore to set to before windows updates-everything seems to be ok now. Thanks-

That's good to hear. Thanks for posting back to let us know.

My question is: Have you tried to update since the disaster?

Have you used Win 7's Backup and Restore to make a system image backup so that you will easily be able to recover from any future disasters?

It's likely Startup Repair when run enough times actually System Restored your Windows 7 to before the Updates. Did it prompt you to ask if you would allow it to Restore?

I would run Windows Update again and then install each update singly with a Restore Point (always preset anyway) to find which one is problematic then System Restore if necessary from System Recovery Options.

Once you isolate the problem update if it doesn't install OK by itself, post up the Update information here in our Updates forum or at Windows Update website using their free email tech support.