Windows Vista locks on "Configuring Updates"

It appears Patch Tuesday for January 2008 has given some users an unexpected New Year's gift.

For those with custom machines with the ASUS P5N-E SLI motherboards, or some Dell models an update causes the machine to lock on shutdown with the "Configuring Updates" screen.

If you hard reset the machine, it will also lock on startup with the same message.

There does appear to be a solution, which I have tried successfully.

You need your Windows Vista installation media, and have your motherboard set to boot from the optical drive first.

Boot from the Windows DVD and select your language on the first screen.

Next choose the "Repair" option, this should be on the bottom left hand corner of the second screen.

Setup will present you some options. Select the option to open a command line window.

Enter the following: ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.old and reboot.

You will be presented again with the configuring updates message on startup, but this should clear within five minutes and allow you log on to your machine.

You could also try the System Restore option, from the same recovery console.

I would suggest turning off Automatic Updates completely until Microsoft resolve this issue.

I shall be re-installing Vista tomorrow, as this is far from a healthy installation and shall try a couple of work arounds.

For the time being keep an eye on this TechNet forum thread, located here. Hopefully an MVP or Microsoft spokesbot will respond.