Windows Defender or enabled antivirus scanners can slow down the process of the update installation, resulting with it being stuck at the Writing system registry values page, Windsurfer. No worries, I have some troubleshooting steps to help you get past this matter.
Solution 1: Cancel the update and Add Defender Exclusion from the QuickBooks Tool Hub:
Choose Add Defender Exclusion. Then, restart your computer to apply the changes.
Reopen QuickBooks and start the update.
Option 2: Disable Windows Defender temporarily:
Cancel the update and close QuickBooks.
Press the Windows icon on your keyboard.
Search and select Privacy settings.
Look for and click Privacy & security, then Windows Security.
Choose Virus & threat protection.
Scroll down and click the Microsoft Defender Antivirus options dropdown.
Toggle the function Off.
Reopen QuickBooks and start the update.
Once you restart your device, the Windows Defender will automatically be enabled again.
Option 3: Uninstall and reinstall QuickBooks using the latest release of QuickBooks installer. For complete guidance, kindly check this link: Clean Install - QuickBooks Desktop.
It's also best to seek assistance from an IT professional so you can accurately handle the technicalities of the resolutions I've shared above. For additional reference on fixing this situation, access this resource: QuickBooks Update slows at writing system registry values.
I'm also attaching these articles that can help you once you need to save a copy of your company file or transfer it to another device:
@Ivan_G "The reason why the update installation is stuck at the Writing system registry values page is due to compatibility issues of QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT) 11 and your Windows version, Windsurfer."
Oh, is that why I, and a ridiculous number of other users on Windows 10 also experienced problems with the registry values in a recent update, despite having QB 2023 and 2024?
@Windsurfer While old software can definitely have compatibility issues, don't let Ivan over there fool you; everybody and their stepmother have been having that issues with recent updates and Window Defender not allowing the update to do what it wants.