Windows Server 2012 Essentials: Cannot connect this computer to the server

The following post is more a documentation article for myself than a troubleshooting article, but if this post helps you, that is great! Here goes:

When I run the client connection program to join a client computer to Windows Server 2012 Essenstials domain sometimes I get this error:

Cannot Connect Computer

“Cannot connect the computer to the server because either another software installation is in progress, or, the computer has a restart pending. Either complete the installation process, or, restart the computer and try to connect it again. If you still get this error after the computer restart, see Troubleshoot connecting computers to the server for more information.”

Here is the solution to this problem.

  1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
  2. Locate and then click to select the following registry subkey:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager
  3. After you select the subkey that is specified in step 2, right-click PendingFileRenameOperations, and then click Delete.
  4. Locate and then click to select the following registry subkey:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update
  5. After you select the key that is specified in step 4, right-click RebootRequired, and then click Delete.
  6. On the File menu, click Exit to exit Registry Editor.

Most times you can then run the connect program without any issues. If you still have issues reboot the computer and run the connection program again.

This troubleshooting article was taken from this Microsoft Article. You can find a Microsoft fix-it here.

This was posted by techspeeder.

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