Windows 7 Problem with 'System Preparation Tool 3.14

[kataraina]

Recently purchased a new laptop with windows 7 already installed.
Everytime I start it up however, it always tells me that it is preparing for 1st time use, besides the fact that I did all the setup stuff when I 1st opened it.
When I do eventually get through, after a few 'illegal' (for lack of a better word) shutdowns, the System Preparation 3.14 Tool box pops up, when I click OK for it to run, after a few seconds it tells me it cannot run due to a fatal error.
Please help, must warn I am in no way an advanced computer user and if you are able to answer this problem, please do so in layman's terms! Thanks, hope someone out there can help!

 

[busydog]

Recently purchased a new laptop with windows 7 already installed.
Everytime I start it up however, it always tells me that it is preparing for 1st time use, besides the fact that I did all the setup stuff when I 1st opened it.
When I do eventually get through, after a few 'illegal' (for lack of a better word) shutdowns, the System Preparation 3.14 Tool box pops up, when I click OK for it to run, after a few seconds it tells me it cannot run due to a fatal error.
Please help, must warn I am in no way an advanced computer user and if you are able to answer this problem, please do so in layman's terms! Thanks, hope someone out there can help!

This thread should help you fix at least part of your problem...

Gateway Support - System Preparation Tool Message Displays Every Time the Computer Starts

 

[dglenday]

I have the very same problem with a PC running Windows 7 but the thread above is for Vista not Windows 7

 

[zvit]

It worked for Windows 7 users too.
[ubuntu] HELP! Windows 7 issues - Page 2 - Ubuntu Forums

 

[jm7480]

I was not ab le to use the vista instructions for win 7 . does anyone have the procedure for fixing this error in win 7 specifically , thanks in advance

 

[Joe S]

If it's new and in warranty I'd contact the maker if it's been like that from the beginning .
Joe

 

[jm7480]

no longer under warranty...

procedure as described does not work for win 7

Note: Do not close the "System preparation tool 3.14" dialog box when stopping the service and going through the resolution.
1. From the Windows Vista default Start menu, in the Start search field, type: Services. Press ENTER.
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2. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue. NOT IN WIN7
3. In the Services window, right-click Intel Viiv™ Media Server, and then select Stop. NOT IN WIN7
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4. The service stops.
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5. In the Services window, from the File menu, click Exit.
6. In the System Preparation Tool 3.14 dialog box, choose Enter System Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) as the System Cleanup Action, and Reboot as the Shutdown Options, and then click OK.
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7. The computer restarts and launches the Out Of Box Experience (OOBE). This requires you to follow the on-screen instructions to configure the computer as it was prior to the first startup.

 

[Trouble]

jim7480:
Hello and welcome to the forums. The only thing that I can see that may be an issue with the instructions is that in the example they instruct you to type services. If you do that then the Component service console launches. I think what they actually want you to do is type services.msc which will launch the services management console and from there you should be able to follow along.
Let us know if that was the issue or not.

 

[TorrentG]

If this is happening, the user profile is corrupt.

Create a new user profile and use that instead.

 

[CyphuricErodoll]

I have the same error- except I have had my laptop for quite some time, and I had reformatted it with the recovery CDs given. Each time I'd start my computer it would say "preparing for first time use" or something similar to that. When I started it it would be running some sort of configuration, but it went through a boot loop and after the configuration it would restart, then configure, then restart, so I held down the power button and started it up again and then I get SysConfig 3.14 with a Fatal Error.

I tried the Gateway steps but I run into one problem- I have no Intel Viiv™ Media Server in the list under Services. Could it possibly be due to my laptop type, a Toshiba L505-S5990, or is it that Vista only has the Intel Viiv™ Media Server?

I saw that the person above who posted the steps in the forum said "Not in Win7" for those two steps (one which includes Intel Viiv™ Media Server)- so then if I do have Win7, which steps do I take to officially have my computer be set up?

 

[jalalmight]

Hi every body
I found a very good page that describe our problem. If you don't have time just do this:
"You just need to stop the WMP networking service, and run sysprep with generalize option again. You can stop the service in question by typing net stop WMPNetworkSvc to command prompt, and hitting Enter:"
If you have time please check the following:
Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer - Windows 7 Forums

 

[Lord Far Sky]

"You just need to stop the WMP networking service, and run sysprep with generalize option again. You can stop the service in question by typing net stop WMPNetworkSvc to command prompt, and hitting Enter:"

Hi, I hate to revive dead threads but this is this solution/fix.

1. Turn on the computer and let Windows load.
2. Open CMD and type "net stop WMPNetworkSvc" and let it complete.
3. Click "Generalize" in SysPrep and then "OK".

Worked a treat, thank you!