Symptoms
- Laptop was working, then went unresponsive during or right after an update
- Screen shows an update progress screen that's frozen
- Laptop restarts in a loop after the update
- Black screen with no response after the update finished installing
Likely causes
- CommonUpdate process interrupted, corrupting system filesA power loss or forced shutdown during an update is the most common cause.
- CommonDriver incompatibility introduced by the updateA new update can conflict with an existing driver, especially graphics drivers.
- PossibleUpdate genuinely still installing and appears frozenSome updates take much longer than expected, especially on older or slower storage.
- Less commonStorage drive issue exposed or worsened by the updateMore likely if the drive was already showing signs of trouble before the update.
What to do
- Leave it alone for at least 30–60 minutes if it shows an update progress screen, since forcing a shutdown mid-update can make things worse.
- If truly frozen with no progress for over an hour, hold the power button for 15–30 seconds to force a restart.
- Try booting into safe mode or recovery mode (both OSes have documented key combinations for this).
- Use built-in recovery tools to roll back the update if the system can boot into a recovery environment.
- Ensure the charger is connected throughout the entire process so it doesn't run out of battery mid-repair.
- If recovery mode also fails to load, this may require a technician's tools to repair the system files.
Tools and parts
- None required
When to call a pro
If recovery mode won't load or repeated attempts to boot fail, a technician can use professional tools to repair or reinstall the system without losing your files where possible.
Safety
Generally low risk
Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.