Windows stuck on update for 3 hours after reinstalling windows 11,

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Windows stuck on update for 3 hours after reinstalling windows 11,

Stuart Andrew 0

Had a promblem with GPU, initially as is wasn't even working, my cpu you was doing all the work, so went to system restore which failed. turned on pc to find errors and end up back were I started, so system restored again it worked got back in to windows to find a defaultuser0 could not log in as i had no password for it, restarted while holding shift to get the options for reset this pC but none were there, this morning I downloaded media creation tool and everything seemed OK untill a couple of updates bounced back saying failed, I installed the graphics card driver and a few other bits, then checked for updates, then all them were at pending restart, I have a top tier pc, so updates are usually pretty fast, they have been running now for over 2 and a half hours, there is no percentage just the dial spinning. I don't want to power off in fear of corrutping my system, please help.

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Answer 1

Norah-L 11,530 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello Stuart Andrew,

I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with this. The earlier failed restore may have left Windows setup or update components incomplete. defaultuser0 is a temporary setup account, not an account with a usable password.

Here are some suggestions you can try:

Since the updates have shown Pending restart for hours, save anything open and select Start > Power > Restart. Do not hold the power button unless the whole PC is completely frozen. Keep it plugged in and allow the restart to finish, even if the update screen takes a while.
Once Windows loads, open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, then run Windows Update.
Right-click Start, open Terminal (Admin), and run these commands separately:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

sfc /scannow

Restart afterward and check for updates again.

Also install the GPU driver directly from the graphics card manufacturer’s website. If Windows returns to defaultuser0 or cannot start, try Startup Repair.

Please let me know how it goes after trying these steps, and I'll be glad to continue looking into it with you.

Stuart Andrew 0 Reputation points

2026-10-05T14:47:00.62+00:00

Thanks it is solved, I used a USB ti do a fresh install of windows 11, with the media creation tool. Thank you for taking the time to come to my aid😀
Stuart Andrew 0 Reputation points

2026-10-05T14:52:58.0666667+00:00

Problem was I could not get past defaultuser0, and cwhen I got to advanced options, there was nothing no options to restore, reset, or command prompt, just kept looping back round to a locked windows screen with defaultuser0. thanks for coming to my aid.
Norah-L 11,530 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-06T08:24:45.71+00:00

Hi Stuart Andrew,

Please try restarting the PC a few times to check whether Windows resumes the setup process and allows you to create a proper account.
Norah-L 11,530 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-08T07:06:16.9966667+00:00

Stuart, I have not heard from you for a couple of days.

Please do keep me updated.
Stuart Andrew 0 Reputation points

2026-10-08T10:59:31.48+00:00

I already posted above that i fixed the pc by uploading a media creation tool from another pc to a USB, then managesd to fix the issue by installing the new copy of windows, thanks for responding to my initial request for help