Windows 7 Service Pack 1 – 0xC0000034 Error

Well, by now you have probably had this problem if you are reading this.   Windows 7 SP1 is crashing on bootup on Dell, HP and Acer OEM installs of Windows.

This is a terrible problem, and I am not sure if I blame HP, Dell, Acer or Microsoft.   But I can say this…. Microsoft are the only ones being helpful!   I was working with them last night in America and they are putting some serious effort into helping users with this problem.

The method I was using until yesterday evening was to edit the pending.xml file , but in all cases I have had this has caused the machine to boot back, but it seems to be in a sort of no mans land between SP0 and SP1.   I suggest strongly NOT doing the method mentioned where you edit the Pending.xml file! (here is the method if you REALLY must)

The methods I suggest are documented here, but I will put them below as well…

Note that on all machines I tried, the System restore did not work.

Option 1 (Win7 client only):  Use a system restore point to recover the system

• This one is pretty self explanatory.  Boot your machine into WinRE and pick a restore point before the service pack was installed.  This should get you back up and running. 
• This doesnt work on server

Option 2 (Win7 client and 2008 R2 server):  Delete the poqexec entry

• Boot into WinRE and choose a command prompt then run the following commands and restart the computer:
  • Reg load HKLMBaseSystem C:WindowsSystem32configSYSTEM
  • Reg Delete “HKLMBaseSystemCurrentControlSetControlSession Manager” /v SetupExecute
  • Reg add “HKLMBaseSystemCurrentControlSetControlSession Manager” /v SetupExecute /t REG_MULTI_SZ
  • Reg unload HKLMBaseSystem

This is the method I suggest as the easiest!

• If you’re more graphically inclined, you can use this method:
  • Boot into WinRE
  • Open Registry Editor using regedit.exe 
  • Now you will have the WinRE registry loaded so you need to load the “ System ” hive
  • To do that : Highlight HKLM then  Click on File > Load Hive > Browse to C:windowssystem32config (assuming C: being the system drive )
  • Name the Hive as TEST 
  • Browse to HKLMTESTselect and check the value for “ Current “
  • Assuming the value as (1) browse to HKLMTESTControlSet001ControlSessionManager
  • Locate and double click the key “SetupExecute ” at the right panel 
  • Delete any value inside the key and click OK
  • Highlight TEST and then Click on File > Unload hive
  • Type exit at cmd
  • Reboot the machine