Home Premium StartUp problems

[Namsnik]

A friend has passed me their Laptop to try to sort out. The problem presented was that on startup, even into safe mode it seemed unable (after hours) to get past

configuring updates stage 3 of 3 - 54% complete
Do not switch off your computer

User had switched off a number of times at this point in the process.
Using F8 I can get into the Repair Your Computer
Tried Start up repair

Start up repair could not detect a problem
If you have recently attached a device to this computer, such as a camera or ... remove it and restart the computer. If you continue to see this message, contact your system administrator...

chkdsk finds no errors
Windows memory diagnostics - no issues detected

Tried to use a restore point (well several different ones actually. Always the message

Did not complete successfully – files and settings not changed
System restore failed due to an unspecified error
The file or directory is corrupted and unreadable (0x80070570)

What next?

 

[Namsnik]

O so I have renamed the windows\softwaredistribution folder as recommended here http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/958046 and also
'ren c:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml pending.bak
'ren c:\windows\winsxs\cleanup.xml cleanup.bak
Still no joy - though it did get me in a little further on one attempt (but took 50 minutes to half load the operating system).

Just giving it one last try - will leave it "configuring updates for the rest of the morning while I am out.

Assuming no success, I want to backup what I can. I can get to command prompt. I can connect to my network or USB drive where I have space (not actually tested more than a thumbdrive. Thinking of simply using xcopy to copy everything* before doing a clean install from Toshiba's hidden partition.

Anyone care to suggest parameters for xcopy that would be a little more selective? I could write a little batch file..

Thanks