Hold tight we are upgrading your Quickbooks. This could take a few minutes.

Updating QuickBooks Desktop normal process where the software updates to a newer version to improve performance, security, and functionality, Mike308. Since you're encountering issues, I'll provide solutions to help you back on track. 

A positive aspect to consider is that the other computer might have already completed its upgrade successfully, or it may simply be that the upgrade process has yet to begin on that device.

To resolve your issue, I recommend allowing some time for the upgrade process to complete on the computer displaying the upgrade message. Ensure it remains connected to the internet and avoid restarting the computer during the upgrade process.

Second, if the message persists for an unusually long time (more than a couple of hours), try restarting the computer and then, reopen QuickBooks to see if that resolves the issue.

If the problem continues, consider manually checking for updates on QuickBooks Desktop, and then following the prompts to install any available updates.

Here's how:

1. Go to Help and select Update QuickBooks Desktop.
2. Select Update Now, then Get Updates.
3. Close and reopen QuickBooks to install the update again.

I'd recommend doing a clean install in QuickBooks Desktop. This way, we can refresh the system and fix any ongoing issues within the program. 

Here's how:

1. Open the Windows Start menu. Search for Control Panel, then open it.
2. Click Programs and Features or Uninstall a Program.
3. From the list of programs, select the version of QuickBooks Desktop you want to uninstall.
4. Click Uninstall/Change and then Remove.  
5. Select Next.  If you don’t see this option, sign out and sign back into Windows as an admin (or a user with admin rights).

You can then proceed to download the latest version and fresh installation of QuickBooks Desktop. This may help rectify any issues that might have occurred during the initial installation or during subsequent updates. Refer to this page for your guide: Install QuickBooks Desktop.

If you need more guidance resolving this issue, please let me know by adding a comment below. We dedicate our assistance for any concerns you may have in QBDT. Keep safe.

@Mike308 

Which QB Desktop year version?

Resetting updates is what fixes the update issue, but before you can get to the updates screen, Quickbooks has to let you in.  What allowed Quickbooks to load for me so I could actually get to the updates screen was to edit the QBW.INI file (C:\ProgramData\Intuit\QuickBooks 2023\qbw.ini) and change any line that says "QB_CRITICAL_FIXES_UPDATE_NEEDED=1" to 0.

Quickbooks would then open without demanding it go through the failing update process.

I then reset updates and they installed successfully.