My Windows 8.1 is stuck in an automatic repair loop, how can I fix this?

Anonymous
2014-01-02T16:49:35+00:00

my laptop will not boot at all, when I turn it on the screen shows 'preparing automatic repair' then 'diagnosing your PC'. After this, the screen shows 'your PC did not start correctly' and it doesn't work when I restart it so I selected advanced options. After this, if I click continue the repair screen appears again and I am redirected back to the same page. I can't access my desktop at all and an administrator hasn't been set on my laptop, so after clicking troubleshoot I can't refresh or reset my PC.After this I clicked on advanced settings and I cannot choose system restore, command prompt, system image recovery or startup repair because they either don't work or need an administrator and I haven't set one as I mentioned before. My last resort was startup settings which requires restarting the PC. 9 options are to choose from and I tried almost all and it won't boot up in safe mode. Help!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2014-04-02T19:25:00+00:00

I've inserted the System Recovery disc 1 that came with the computer. No change.

Usually that means that that device is not higher than the hard drive in the boot device order.  You would probably need to get into your BIOS screen to change that.  See your User Guide or contact HP for more information.  Post your product id (e.g. what details you need to use HP's site to find your particular documentation and downloads but not your serial number) if you need someone to help interpret your user documentation.  In W7 HP had a nice tool that gave me those details.  I never found anything analogous from W8, except in bits and pieces.

HTH

Robert Aldwinckle


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  1. Anonymous
    2015-12-25T05:19:52+00:00

    A word of caution here,  using the "all" command will change the mbr in every drive connected.  So my USB drive that had a backup of all my files can no longer be accessed.  

    Still trying to figure out how to fix my usb drive.  So instead of all, it should say "c:" or "d:" or w/e drive you're trying to fix.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-12-10T19:43:47+00:00

    I am having the same problem. Tried to do a system restore and now I'm stuck in a loop. The screen says the following

    Recovery

    Your PC/Device needs to be repaired

    A component of the operating system has expired

    file: \windows\system32\winlaod.efi

    Error Code : 0xc0000605

    You'll need to use recover tools.. blah blah blah

    Press the Windwos key for UEFI Firmware settings

    There is no option for Advance settings.

    I've tried F8, F12, Escape, Space bar, Space bar and volume up with a bootable USB drive I made from my other Surface and it will not give me a boot menu screen, no command prompt.

    I've shut the machine off, it's not powered at them moment and every restart comes to this screen.

    Surface

    x64

    8.1

    I'm ok with wiping everything out. That's what I want to do, but seriously.. I'm stuck and no answers given in the forums so far have helped.

    Thank you!!

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-11-20T04:03:07+00:00

    Hi Sharaf,

    Thank you for your post.

    In order to go to advanced options in Windows 8/8.1, you need an installation/repair disc for the OS. If you do not have Windows 8.1 installation DVD, you may have to create one, boot the computer from it and then perform an Automatic Repair of Windows 8. To create installation media, you may refer to the article given below:

    ***Create installation media for Windows 8.1***

    After creating the disc, boot the computer from the disc and then try the following steps to reach advanced options.

    a) Contact the computer manufacturer to know on how to change the boot order of the computer. You will have to change the boot device to CD/DVD drive and then boot from the Windows 8.1 installation disk.

    b) In the “Windows Setup” dialog box that appears, set the Time and currency format, Keyboard or input method and the language to install and then click “Next”.

    c) Click on “Repair your computer” from the lower left corner.

    d) From the “Choose an option screen”, click on “Troubleshoot”.

    e) Click “Advanced Options”.

    Hope this information is helpful.

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-11-19T13:16:14+00:00

    how to go advanced option

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