Server 2012 R2 Essentials forever "Please wait" screen after latest windows update and also threw the IRQL_not_less_or_equal error - just once but now stuck at "Please wait"

Question

OS: Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials version is installed. Worked perfectly fine for more than three years now.

Latest Windows update that was automatically applied 2 days ago. Server went into installing update 1 of 1 and restarted as normal and the server went thorugh all its configurations as usual after re-start and it froze forever at the "Please wait" screen which generally appears after the Windows Logo appears but before the Sign-in or Login screen comes up.

So after reading all possible articles on this matter for a solution and even after contacting the troubleshooting hardworking and sincere Microsoft Technical Team which worked on my case for almost more than 50-60 hours without success am posting this issue here for some luck.

When the windows update was applied - immediately after that I did see an error message that the computer ran into a related to IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL....that error was seen just once never again, but eventually the server got stuck at "Please Wait' screen.

No one however had a clue as to how to get the server into safe mode when one has no access to Windows. The most ironic thing here is that if I cannot access safe mode when I have no access to windows what purpose would safe mode solve if it did not support the most critical errors like Windows no boot.
I was asked by the MS engineer to download the ISO image file of Windows server 2012R2 and create a bootable drive - which we did and used it to enter into the repair option - and also loaded the HP RAID drivers/ controllers into the Pendrive and used DRV Load command from command prompt) after which I could see my computer drives. DISM command - revertpendingactions didnt work either.

Finally after much searching I found that pressing Shift+F8 in Windows server 2012 R2 - continuously at startup is the key to getting into the safe mode of server 2012R2. however even after getting into safe mode and selecting Safe mode with networking or safe mode using the last known good configuration - the screen came back to "Please Wait"
Mine is a HP Proliant ML10G9 server

How do I get the please wait page to go awayu and th eSign in opttions come
Thanks

Answer 1

Anyway, here is the command sequence to use to restore the backup copy of the registry while at the Command Prompt in Repair Mode:

1. Identify the correct drive letter for your Windows installation. It could be a drive other than C: but it won't be X:. You do it by typing the commands
   dir C:\Win*
   dir D:\Win*
   dir E:\Win*
   until you find the Windows folder.
   I will call that drive "Q:".
2. Type these commands:
   cd /d Q:\windows\System32\config
   xcopy . Q:\MyRegBack\
   cd RegBack
   dir
3. Examine the dates of the Software, System and SAM files. Were the files created before or after your problem became apparent?
4. If they were made before the problem became apparent then you can type these commands:
   copy /y software ..
   copy /y System ..
   copy /y Sam ..
   (the two dots are part of each command)
5. Reboot normally. If things do not work out then you can backtrack by copying the original registry files from Q:\MyRegBack to Q:\Windows\System32\config.

Answer 2

Sounds like the installation may be corrupted or possibly some hardware failure. Might check with HP about hardware diagnostics tools. For the server OS you may need to restore from a recent known good backup.

--please don't forget to Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 3

Thank you @Dave Patrick for your reply

As per your advice I have spoken to HP. After describing the problem to them they said that for OS issue they would also need the Microsoft team to be involved too which I have arranged for. HP Team will get back to me

I will keep posted here until the matter is resolved

Meanwhile, If files are corrupted is it possible that I use foll. procedures for repairs: Link below: (Will it work for windows server 2012 R2 ?)

use-the-system-file-checker-tool-to-repair-missing-or-corrupted-system

or this one

https://www.diskpart.com/server-2012/sfc-scannow-server-2012-r2-7201.html

Thanks

Answer 4

The above solution was found at

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/need-to-restore-registry-with-command-prompt/899a2b6f-d876-4935-af2d-825b79f32da1?page=1

the solution was by a guy named Frederik Long

A solution that the Microsoft team could not give - on research I found this. Posted here so it may help people

Answer 5

The following steps are recomended before following the solution given above

https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/4026030/how-to-use-windows-recovery-environment-winre-to-troubleshoot-common-s