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Does your computer keep restarting with an error message, saying “Preparing Automatic Repair” or “Automatic Repair couldn’t repair your PC”? You are at the right place! By following our step-by-step guide, you can effectively resolve the “Preparing Automatic Repair” loop on your own and restore your computer to normal functionality.
An automatic repair loop occurs when Windows 10 attempts to boot but it fails and afterwards it tries again in an attempt to fix the issue. But, If Windows fails again to fix itself, it reboots again and continues this cycle endlessly.
TL;DR: Quick ways to fix the Windows 10 Automatic Repair Loop Issue
- Perform a Hard Reboot-Restart your computer by holding down the power button.
- Disconnect or Remove any recently added devices or peripherals.
- Run Fixboot and Chkdsk Commands to fix boot issues and check disk errors.
- Perform a System Scan in Safe Mode.
- Turn off Early Launch Anti-Malware during startup.
In the next sections, we’ll try to understand the error in detail and learn effective solutions to fix it.
Identifying the exact cause of a Windows 10 automatic repair loop can be challenging, as there isn’t a single root cause. A common issue is missing or corrupted system files and outdated, missing, or incompatible device drivers.
Those mentioned issues can also result in other errors like ‘black screen’ during Windows boot-up or your PC getting stuck on ‘getting Windows ready’.
Other potential causes include faulty hardware components, malware infections, corrupted system registries, and damaged installation files.
This error usually appears in two ways:
- Your device displays a black screen with an error message such as “Diagnosing your PC” or “Preparing automatic repair” without any progress indication.
- A blue screen appears with the message “Automatic repair couldn’t repair your PC” or “Your PC did not start correctly”.
Fortunately, our solutions will be effective for most of the causes and both sorts of errors. Now, let’s get into solutions, and begin with some user-friendly ways:
5 Easy-to-do Solutions to Fix Automatic Repair Loop
Solution 1: Perform a Hard Reboot
A hard reboot involves completely powering off the computer and restarting it. This can help clear temporary glitches, refresh system settings, and potentially break the loop caused by persistent startup errors.
- Press and hold the power button until your PC turns off completely.
- Disconnect all the external peripherals, and wait for 1 minute.
- Restart your device to complete the hard reboot.
Solution 2: Disconnect or Remove Recently Installed or Connected Devices
Newly added devices or peripherals can sometimes lead to conflicts and trigger the “Automatic Repair Loop”. Disconnecting or removing them would help you identify if any of these components were responsible for the issue.
Solution 3. Run Fixboot and Chkdsk Commands
“Fixboot” and “Chkdsk” are commands designed to address issues with the boot sector and check for disk errors. Running these commands can correct boot-related problems and resolve errors that might be causing the Automatic Repair Loop.
- Restart your PC and press the ‘F8’ key before the Windows completely starts. A Windows boot troubleshooting menu will open, choose “See advanced repair options” to start.
- On the screen that says “Choose an option”, pick “Troubleshoot”, then go to “Advanced options”.
- Finally, select “Command Prompt”.
- Type the below command in the “Command Prompt” and press the ‘Enter’ key.
chkdsk /r c:
- If the first command doesn’t work, type the following command in the same “Command Prompt”, and press ‘Enter’:
fixboot c: - After you’ve done that, close the “Command Prompt” and restart computer.
Solution 4. Perform a System Scan in Safe Mode
Running a system scan in “Safe Mode” allows Windows to identify and fix potential issues without interference from third-party applications. This can help in detecting and repairing any corrupted system files or configurations contributing to the Automatic Repair Loop.
- Restart your computer and press ‘F8’ while it’s starting to open the Windows troubleshooting menu.
- Choose “See advanced repair options” > “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced options” > “Startup Settings”.
- From the list of restart options, select “Enable Safe Mode with Networking” by pressing ‘F5’.
- After Windows starts in “Safe Mode”, right-click the Start menu and choose “Windows PowerShell (Admin)”.
- In the PowerShell window, type the below command and press ‘Enter’:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for the DISM tool to finish, then restart your computer.
- Repeat the above steps to open “PowerShell” in “Safe Mode” again and now type the following command: sfc /scannow. This command checks if Windows system files are okay and helps confirm if Windows is fully repaired.
Solution 5: Disable Early Launch Anti-Malware
Early Launch Anti-Malware is designed to detect and prevent malware during the system startup process. Disabling it can help determine if the Automatic Repair Loop is caused by conflicts with security software, enabling you to address the issue accordingly.
- Open the Windows troubleshooting menu.
- Go to “Advanced options” > “Startup Settings”.
- Choose “Disable early launch anti-malware protection”.
- Restart your PC.
If the issue was caused by Early Launch Anti-malware, disabling it should resolve the problem for you.
5 Advanced Ways to Fix Automatic Repair Loop in Windows
Now let’s see some more advanced ways you can try to fix the error. These should be used when and if the easy ones provided above didn’t quite work.
Adv. Solution 1: Undo Changes Using System Restore
System Restore rolls back the system to its previous state when it was functioning correctly. This can be effective in resolving issues caused by recent changes, updates, or installations that may be triggering the Automatic Repair Loop.
- You’ll need a Windows drive or disc with the installation files. Plug it into your device, start it, and use the relevant key like F8 or Fn to enter Windows Installation.
- Set the date, time, and keyboard, then click “Next”.
- On the next screen, click on “Repair your computer” at the bottom left.
- Go to “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced Options” > “System Restore”.
- Choose the restore point from just before the blue screen (Windows 10 makes one with each update, driver, or app). Click “Next”.
- Wait for the restore to finish, then restart your computer.
Adv. Solution 2: Restore the Windows Registry
Restoring the “Windows Registry” involves reverting to a previous state where the registry was functioning correctly. This can address issues caused by recent changes or corruption in the registry, potentially resolving the “Automatic Repair Loop”.
- Open the Windows troubleshooting menu following the steps used in previous solutions.
- Choose “See advanced repair options” > “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced options” > “Command Prompt”.
- In the “Command Prompt”, type the below command and press ‘Enter’:
copy C:\Windows\System32\config\regback\* C:\Windows\System32\config
- If the “Command Prompt” asks you about which files to overwrite, type “All” and press ‘Enter’.
- Restart your computer once you’re done.
Adv. Solution 3: Disable the Automatic Repair Tool
Disabling the Automatic Repair Tool prevents Windows from automatically entering the repair cycle. This can be useful if the tool itself is causing conflicts or if you prefer to manually troubleshoot the system without it.
- Open the Windows Boot Troubleshooting menu.
- Choose “See advanced repair options” > “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced options” > “Command Prompt”.
- In the “Command Prompt”, type the below command:
bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled no
- or if the above doesn’t work:
bcdedit /set {current} recoveryenabled no - Restart your PC once done.
Adv. Solution 4: Reset Your Windows 10 Device
Resetting the device removes installed applications and resets system settings to default, addressing issues that may be causing the “Automatic Repair Loop”. It’s a comprehensive solution for cases where multiple system components are affected.
For a full Windows repair, see this guide.
- Open the Windows troubleshooting menu.
- Choose “Troubleshoot” > “Reset this PC”.
- Follow the on-screen steps to reset your PC.
- Decide whether to keep or delete your files during the reset.
- Let the reset process finish and then restart your PC.
Adv. Solution 5: Rebuild BCD with the Command Prompt
If your computer can’t start because the Master Boot Record (MBR) or Boot Configuration Data (BCD) is messed up, you can fix it manually. Rebuilding the BCD through the Command Prompt helps recreate the configuration, potentially fixing the Automatic Repair Loop.
- Plug in your “Windows installation media” or disc.
- Start your PC using the Windows installation media or DVD.
- On the “Windows Setup window”, click “Next”, then select “Repair your computer”.
- Choose “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced Options”.
- Finally, select “Command Prompt”.
- In the “Command Prompt”, type these commands one by one (Press Enter after each command):
bootrec /fixmbrbootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd
exit
- Restart your PC and see if it starts normally.
Final Words
And that’s all! We are truly hopeful that our guide helped you to resolve the Automatic Repair Loop and regain control of your system.
Dealing with the Windows Auto Repair Loop can be frustrating but we are confident that with the solutions mentioned above, you can effectively resolve the issue.
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