Are you facing the loop of “Preparing Automatic Repair” in Windows 8 ?

Hello. Recently, we have repaired a Dell Inspiron laptop with the preparing automatic repair loop issue. We thought only Windows 7 has the startup repair loop, but Windows 8 does it too. This is very annoying because it repeats no matter what you do. Shutting down and restarting your computer won’t fix it at this time. That is why we would like to share what you can try to resolve the repair loop when you have it. 🙂 This could not be the 100% solution, but We hope this blog post is helpful for you. 😀 Let’s get started.

 

What you can try when you have “Preparing Automatic Repair Loop”

 

How to access advanced startup options before Windows 8.1

1. SHIFT + RESTART: If you can boot normally to Windows 8.1, restart the computer while pressing SHIFT key. This will give you access to advanced startup options.

2. Windows 8.1 Installation (or recovery) Disk: If you cannot load Windows, you need an installation disk to access advanced startup options. Don’t have it? don’t worry. Here is how to create one! How to create bootable Windows 10 & 8 USB (OR DVD) – https://www.pntbrother.com/how-to-create-windows-10-8-bootable-recovery-usb-dvd-disk/

 

1. Startup Repair

Let’s try the “Startup Repair” first. This is the most simple thing you can try. You are probably facing this blue screen like this after Preparing Automatic Repair. Click “Advanced options.

Click “Troubleshoot” to see all the troubleshooting options, and click “Advanced options”

Click the “Startup Repair“.

 

2. Safe Mode & Restart

If the “Startup Repair” did not work. It is time to boot “Safe Mode” and restart your computer. In some cases, it fixes the automatic repair loop. Let’s try it. In “Troubleshoot“, click “Advanced options“, then click “Startup Settings“.

Once you click the “Startup Settings“, you will need to restart. When you restart, you will see something like picture below. Press F4 or F5 (it does not really matter which key you press)

3. System Restore

If the “Safe Mode” &  “Restart” did not work for you, It is time to try this. It is called “System Restore“. While you are using computer, the Windows creates system images in the background in case the Windows system goes wrong. By performing “System Restore“, you can roll back your Windows to it’s previous saved Windows state. To do it, Click the “Advanced options” when you see the screen below.

Now, you will see the screen below. Click “Troubleshoot“, and click “Advanced options“.

You will see all the troubleshooting options. Do you see the “System Restore” ? Click it.

You can choose “Recommended restore” or you can also “Choose a different restore point“. Choose the second one, and in the next step, you will need to choose which restore point you want to go back. You may see only one restore point (which is the latest restore point), but check the “Show more restore points” to see all restore points.

 

If the restore point that you selected fails, try other restore point. Sometimes, some restore point won’t work with an error code.

 

4. BOOTREC & CHKDSK

If you are still having the issue, let’s try “BOOTREC” and “CHKDSK“. Click “Command Prompt” in “Troubleshoot“.

In “Command Prompt“, type the following:

1. c:
2. bootrec /fixMBR
3. bootrec /fixboot
4. bootrec /rebuildBCD

This is to fix boot section of your hard drive if there are problems with the Windows boot records.

Also, type:

1. chkdsk /f /r
2. Press “y” to proceed.

This CHKDSK utility checks your hard drive for errors, when it finds something, it will try to fix the error automatically. It will take long time depends on your hard drive capacity so, leave it and get some rest until it is done. 😀 When it is done, restart your computer.

5. Disabling Automatic Repair on Startup

If anything did not work, It is time to try this one. Disabling the automatic repair when Windows 8 starts. Go to “Command Prompt” again, and this time type the following:

1. bcdedit /set {current} recoveryenabled No

Or you can try this way: (it is same thing but just a different way)

1. bcdedit
2. Under “default” identifier, there is “resumeobject” value. Enter the value in the bracket.
3. bcdefit /set {enter your “resumeobject” value here} recoveryenabled No
4. Close it, and restart.

 

6. Refresh your PC

Still not working ? Let’s refresh your system. This is one of the easy way to fix the loop, but the reason we try this now is because this will remove all of installed programs. After refreshing, you need to install all programs you need again. (but it keeps all of your personal files such as documents, pictures, and etc) Click “Troubleshoot“, and Click “Refresh your PC“, then follow the refresh instructions.

 

7. Reset your PC

If the “Refresh your PC” did not work, try “Reset your PC“. Please note that it will remove all of your files and settings. (It is a factory default)

Thank you for reading, and if there are more ways to fix it, you can share it here. 🙂 🙂 🙂 We hope you fixed the Preparing Automatic Repair loop!

 

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