How to Fix Windows 10 Stuck at Getting Files Ready for Installation

Windows stuck at getting files ready for installation is one of the common issues that may occur while installing Windows, be it Windows 10, Windows 8 or Windows 7. To help you out of this annoying problem, we will not only show you how to fix "Windows 10 stuck at getting files ready for installation" but also present you how to recover data when Windows cannot boot with EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard.

Getting Files Ready for Installation Stuck When Installing Windows

Some users complained that Windows 10 got stuck at getting files ready for installation. They said that the installation was fine until it reached the "Getting files ready for installation" screen. This has happened regularly. It always gets stuck in different percentages (8%, 49%, 17%, etc.). When Windows gets stuck at getting files ready for installation, you can't continue installing Windows or boot your computer as you wish. How to fix this Windows stuck issue? The steps below might help you.

IMPORTANT: Restore Vital Files Before Fixing "Getting Files Ready" Error

As fixing Windows stuck with "Getting Files Ready" error may cause file loss during the process. So, it's important that you restore those vital files in advance.

It's suggested that you recover and export your data to an external device.

To restore and export your data for the stuck computer with "Getting file ready" message, reliable data recovery software - EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard is able to help.

It enables you to recover and export data when PC won't boot or get stuck at getting files ready for installation in Windows 10/8/7/Vista. Here are the steps:

Step 1. Create a bootable disk

Launch EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard, choose "Crashed PC" and click "Go to Recover".

Select an empty USB to create the bootable drive and click "Create".

⚠️Warning: When you create a bootable disk, EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard will erase all data saved in the USB drive. Back up important data beforehand. 

Step 2. Boot your computer from the bootable USB

Connect the bootable disk to the PC that won't boot and change your computer boot sequence in BIOS. For most users, it works well when they restart their computer and press F2 simultaneously to enter BIOS.

Set to boot the PC from "Removable Devices" (bootable USB disk) beyond Hard Drive. Press "F10" to save and exit.

Step 3. Recover data from a crashed system/PC

After booting from EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard bootable disk, select the drive you want to scan to find all your lost files. Preview and recover the files you need to a safe location.

💡Tip: You can restore data on the local disks, external hard drives, and also the cloud storage.

After you scan and recover all the data, remember to save them on an external device. 

Fix Windows 10 Stuck at Getting Files Ready for Installation

After you export your data, you can follow the methods below to fix "Windows 10 gets stuck at getting files ready for installation" issue.

Method 1. Reset the BIOS

Step 1. Enter your BIOS, go to the Boot section and check your boot priority list.

Step 2. If your boot drive (SSD/HDD) is not at the top, make it your number one priority rather than Windows Boot Manager or USB HDD or DVD Rom for example.

Step 3. Save and exit the BIOS.

Step 4. Reboot your computer.

Method 2. Try Booting Your Computer in Safe Mode

Safe Mode starts your computer with only necessary drives and services. By doing so, it limits your Windows operations to basic functions, which can serve as a troubleshooting function.

Step 1. Hold the power button down for five seconds or until the computer shuts down.

Step 2. Press the power button again to turn it on.

Step 3. The PD should say Windows failed to start or something along those lines.

Step 4. Choose "Advanced Repair Options" > "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced Options" > "Start up Settings".

Step 5. Click "Restart" and choose "Safe Mode" to enter the safe mode.

Step 6. Log in and then reboot your computer.

Method 3. Delete Problematic Files

Restart your PC and you will see the Windows Boot Options page:

Step 1. In Windows Boot Options menu, choose "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced Options" > "Command Prompt".

Step 2. In the command line, type C: cd Windows\System32\LogFiles\Srt. SrtTrail.txt and press "Enter". 

Here, if you see something like this: Boot critical file c:\windows\system32\drivers\vsock.sys is corrupt, navigate to the specified location using the Command Prompt and enter the Del command to delete the problematic file. 

Method 4. Fix Windows 10 Stuck Issue with Windows Repair Services

The final way to fix Windows 10 Stuck at Getting Files Ready for Installation issue is using manual data recovery services from EaseUS. Our professional technical team can help you solve any system startup errors, including system failure, system blue screen, system black screen, and so on.

Conclusion & FAQs

If all the solutions above all fail, do not worry. You still have a chance to solve it - try to perform a clean install. To do so, you can refer to the tips for clean install Windows 10 without losing data. Then you will know how to perform a clean install again without difficulty. If you think it's time-consuming and worry about misoperations of yourself, you can also ask help from professional support center nearby.

Moreover, if you're experiencing other similar update issues in the following examples while installing the latest Windows 10 update, check the quick answers and try to fix it by yourself.

1. How long does it take for Windows 10 to install?

In a nutshell, it would take around 2-3 hours for Windows 10 to be installed on your system. This is the estimated duration for doing a clean install. Though, if you have an outdated machine or are trying to install the Enterprise version of Windows 10, then it can take up to 4 hours to complete the process.

2. How to restart Windows 10 installation?

There are several ways for you to restart a Windows 10 installer, and we chose the most direct way for you to follow.

1. Press Windows + R, type services. msc and hit Enter.
2. Scroll down and find the Windows Installer.
3. On the General tab, make sure the service is started under Service status.
4. If the service is not already running, under Service status, click Start, and then click OK.

3. How do you fix Windows cannot install required files?

To fix Windows cannot install required files while installing Windows, try to fix it step by step:

1. Make sure that your DVD drive is clean.
2. Remove overclock settings.
3. Attach your hard drive to a different SATA port.
4. Make sure that you're installing the correct version of Windows.
5. Disable Execute Disable Bit option in BIOS.
6. Make sure that you’re not installing Windows on a large partition.
7. Change the hard drive type to IDE.
8. Check your hardware.

4. What to do if the computer gets stuck installing updates?

To fix a stuck Windows update, here are some suggestions that might help you.

• Make sure the updates really are stuck.
• Turn it off and on again.
• Check the Windows Update utility.
• Run Microsoft's troubleshooter program.
• Launch Windows in Safe Mode.
• Go back in time with System Restore.
• Delete the Windows Update file cache yourself.
• Launch a thorough virus scan.