Patrick Domingues

You may have a problem with Windows Server Pending Reboot Status Won’t Clear because you may have installed new windows updates, new drivers or new windows features and windows server is throwing a fit about needing to reboot, even though you have reboot it dozens of times. 

In comprehensive guide on troubleshooting the issue of a pending reboot status that won’t clear on a Windows Server. As a system administrator or IT professional, you might have encountered this frustrating situation where the server continues to show a pending reboot status even after a restart. In this article, we will explore the possible causes behind this issue and provide you with effective solutions to resolve it. So, let’s dive in and get your Windows Server back on track!

Solution 1: Check for Pending Updates

One of the common causes of the pending reboot status is incomplete update installations. To address this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the Windows Update settings.
2. Check for any pending updates.
3. Install all available updates.
4. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 2: Restart the Server Properly

Sometimes, a simple restart can help clear the pending reboot status. Ensure that you restart the server using the proper shutdown or restart option from the Start menu. Avoid using alternative methods like power cycling or forceful shutdowns, as they may not trigger the necessary system processes for clearing the pending reboot status.

Solution 3: Clear Registry Settings

In this tutorial you will be shown how to clear the pending reboot status. 

1. Open up RegEdit as administrator.
2. Path to reg key: HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager
3. Locate “PendingFileRenameOperations”
4. Delete “PendingFileRenameOperations”
5. Reboot Server

Solution 3: Verify Registry Settings

If pending reboot status to persist use the following. To verify and correct the registry settings, perform the following steps:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update\RebootRequired
4. Check the registry value and ensure it is set to 0.
5. If the value is set to 1, double-click on it and change it to 0.
6. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 5: Clear Pending File Rename Operations

Pending file rename operations can cause the pending reboot status to persist. To clear these pending operations, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command *fsutil resource setautoreset true C:* and press Enter.
3. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 6: Resolve Pending System File Renames

Pending system file renames can prevent the clearing of the pending reboot status. To address this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command rmdir /s %windir%\system32\catroot2 and press Enter.
3. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 7: Review Pending Windows Component Updates

Windows component updates can contribute to the pending reboot status. To review and resolve pending Windows component updates, perform the following steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth and press Enter.
3. If any issues are detected, type the command dism.exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth and press Enter to repair them.
4. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 8: Address Pending System Restore Operations

Pending system restore operations can interfere with the clearing of the pending reboot status. To address this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command rstrui.exe /offline:C:\windows and press Enter.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the system restore process.
4. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 9: Check for Software Installation Completion

If a software installation is pending completion, it can cause the pending reboot status to persist. To check for software installation completion, follow these steps:

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Navigate to Programs > Programs and Features.
3. Check for any partially installed or pending software.
4. Complete or remove the pending software installations.
5. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 10: Resolve Pending Driver Installations

Pending driver installations can also contribute to the pending reboot status. To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Press Win + X and select Device Manager from the menu.
2. Expand the categories and look for any devices with a warning icon.
3. Right-click on the device and select Update driver.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the driver installation.
5. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 11: Investigate Pending File Operations

Pending file operations can cause the pending reboot status to persist. To investigate and resolve these pending operations, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command openfiles /query and press Enter to view the list of open files.
3. Identify any files with pending operations.
4. Close the applications or processes associated with those files.
5. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 12: Address Pending pendingComputerRename Operations

Pending pendingComputerRename operations can hinder the clearing of the pending reboot status. To address this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command gpupdate /force and press Enter to update Group Policy.
3. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 13: Resolve Pending Computer Account Changes

Pending computer account changes can also contribute to the pending reboot status. To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command gpupdate /force and press Enter to update Group Policy.
3. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 14: Investigate Pending Reboot Operations in Windows Installer

Pending reboot operations in Windows Installer can cause the pending reboot status to persist. To investigate and resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager
4. Look for any pendingfilerenameoperations or pendingfileoperations values.
5. Delete these values if they exist.
6. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 15: Check Pending Active Directory Operations

Pending Active Directory operations can hinder the clearing of the pending reboot status. To check for pending Active Directory operations, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command repadmin /showrepl and press Enter to view the replication status.
3. Look for any replication errors or pending operations.
4. Resolve the replication issues and complete the pending operations.
5. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 16: Verify Pending Restart Operations in Clustered Environments

In clustered environments, pending restart operations can cause the pending reboot status to persist. To verify and address this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the Failover Cluster Manager.
2. Navigate to Nodes > <YourNodeName> > Services and Applications.
3. Look for any services or applications with a pending restart status.
4. Restart the services or applications.
5. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 17: Resolve Pending pendingFileRenameOperations2

Pending pendingFileRenameOperations2 can contribute to the pending reboot status. To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager
4. Look for the PendingFileRenameOperations2 value.
5. Delete the value if it exists.
6. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 18: Address Pending pendingFileRenameOperations2 in Clustered Environments

In clustered environments, pending pendingFileRenameOperations2 can cause the pending reboot status to persist. To address this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the Failover Cluster Manager.
2. Navigate to Nodes > <YourNodeName> > Services and Applications.
3. Look for any services or applications with a pendingFileRenameOperations2 status.
4. Restart the services or applications.
5. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 19: Investigate Pending Netlogon Operations

Pending Netlogon operations can hinder the clearing of the pending reboot status. To investigate and resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command nltest /query and press Enter to view the Netlogon status.
3. Look for any pending Netlogon operations.
4. Resolve the Netlogon issues and complete the pending operations.
5. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 20: Verify Pending Update Operations in WSUS

Pending update operations in WSUS (Windows Server Update Services) can contribute to the pending reboot status. To verify and address this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the WSUS Administration console.
2. Navigate to Options > Server Cleanup Wizard.
3. Run the Server Cleanup Wizard to remove any pending updates.
4. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 21: Clear Pending Operations in Software Distribution Folder

Pending operations in the software distribution folder can cause the pending reboot status to persist. To clear these pending operations, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command net stop wuauserv and press Enter to stop the Windows Update service.
3. Navigate to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder.
4. Delete all the contents of the folder.
5. Type the command net start wuauserv and press Enter to start the Windows Update service.
6. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 22: Investigate Pending Changes in Group Policy

Pending changes in Group Policy can interfere with the clearing of the pending reboot status. To investigate and resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Type the command gpupdate /force and press Enter to update Group Policy.
3. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 23: Resolve Pending Operations in the PendingXmlIdentifier Registry Key

Pending operations in the PendingXmlIdentifier registry key can contribute to the pending reboot status. To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\UpdateExeVolatile
4. Delete the PendingXmlIdentifier value.
5. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 24: Address Pending Operations in PendingRenameOperations Registry Key

Pending operations in the PendingRenameOperations registry key can hinder the clearing of the pending reboot status. To address this issue, follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager
4. Look for the PendingRenameOperations value.
5. Delete the value if it exists.
6. Restart the server and check if the pending reboot status clears.

Solution 25: Contact Microsoft Support

If none of the above solutions resolve the issue of the pending reboot status not clearing on your Windows Server, it is recommended to contact Microsoft Support for further assistance. They have dedicated professionals who can help diagnose and address complex issues related to Windows Servers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Why does the pending reboot status appear on a Windows Server? A1: The pending reboot status appears when the server completes an installation or update that requires a restart to finalize the changes. It indicates that a restart is necessary for the system to apply the updates or modifications correctly.

Q2: Can I ignore the pending reboot status? A2: Ignoring the pending reboot status is not recommended as it may prevent the server from functioning optimally or cause issues with future updates and installations. It is best to resolve the pending reboot status to ensure system stability and security.

Q3: How long does it usually take for the pending reboot status to clear? A3: The time it takes for the pending reboot status to clear depends on various factors, such as the complexity of the updates or installations and the server’s configuration. In most cases, a proper restart should clear the pending reboot status.

Q4: What should I do if the pending reboot status persists after following the solutions? A4: If the pending reboot status continues to persist after trying the provided solutions, it is recommended to contact Microsoft Support for further assistance. They have the expertise to help diagnose and resolve complex issues related to Windows Servers.

Q5: Can I manually clear the pending reboot status without restarting the server? A5: Restarting the server is the recommended method to clear the pending reboot status as it allows the system to finalize the pending operations and apply the necessary changes. Manually attempting to clear the status without a restart may not be effective or may lead to unexpected issues.

Q6: Are there any risks associated with clearing the pending reboot status? A6: Clearing the pending reboot status does not pose any direct risks. However, it is crucial to ensure that all necessary updates and installations have completed before clearing the status. Failing to do so may leave the system vulnerable to security threats or result in inconsistent system behavior.

Conclusion

Dealing with a pending reboot status that won’t clear on a Windows Server can be frustrating, but with the solutions provided in this guide, you can troubleshoot and resolve the issue effectively. Remember to follow the recommended steps and consult Microsoft Support if needed. By addressing the pending reboot status, you can ensure the optimal performance and stability of your Windows Server.

If you have any questions about the solution or run into any issues please feel free to contact me.