Which Windows system recovery options attempts to automatically fix problems?

Learning how to fix an automatic repair loop in Windows 10 can be a challenging and frustrating task for users.

Automatic repair systems can be run in Windows 8 and above. This system-recovery tool troubleshoots and diagnoses common boot errors you might encounter, and is usually triggered automatically if a system fails to boot for two consecutive attempts.

Once activated, the tool will run several diagnostic tests to self-repair and detect any problems that are preventing your device from successfully booting.

Related Resource

Flexible IT models drive efficiency and innovation

A modern approach to infrastructure management

However, sometimes this automatic repair tool will enter an endless reboot loop instead of fixing your boot issues. Users are left with a blue screen of death or a black screen, in most cases. Since there’s no option to stop or delay this reboot, any unsaved data will be irrevocably lost.

What causes a Windows automatic repair loop?

There are many reasons why the tool gets stuck in the dreaded automatic repair loop. This could be due to missing or corrupted systems files, including problems with Windows Registry, incompatible hard drives, file corruption in Windows Boot Manager, or even a faulty Windows update. 

Here are some obvious signs that you need to look out for which show your Windows automatic repair utility has failed.

Signs you ran into Windows automatic repair loop:

• Your device shows a simple black screen with an error message that says "Diagnosing your PC" or "Preparing automatic repair" 

• The “Preparing automatic repair” message appears on a black screen, but with no indication of progress

• A blue screen shows with the message "Automatic repair couldn't repair your PC" or "Your PC did not start correctly"

How to fix a Windows automatic repair loop

The solutions for fixing the Windows automatic repair loop can vary significantly, depending on if you’re dealing with a black or blue error screen message.

To help you, we’ve put together some solutions on how to bypass the Windows automatic repair loop error quickly and efficiently in each scenario.

Fixing automatic repair loop error on a blue screen

If your screen is showing an error message and is blue, follow these tips to help you solve the problem.

1. Undo changes using System Restore

System Restore rolls your system software back to its previous state by overwriting files on your PC’s local drive. 

Use the following steps to perform System Restore:

1. Click on "Advanced options” in the automatic repair blue screen
2. Navigate to “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced Options” > “System Restore”
3. Choose the restore point created right before the blue screen appeared (Windows 10 creates a system restore point each time it installs an update, driver, or app)
4. Click "Next" 

Wait until the restore process finishes, then restart your computer. 

2. Run built-in system repair tools 

Windows offers built-in System File Checker and CHKDSK (check disk) utility tools to check and repair missing or corrupted system files. 

Access these helpful tools using the steps given below:

1. Restart your PC and press the “F8” key (this will trigger the Windows troubleshooting menu)
2. Select “See advanced repair options” 
3. In the “Choose an option” menu, click “Troubleshoot” 
4. Under the “Troubleshoot” menu, select the “Advanced options” option
5. Select “Command Prompt” in the “Advanced options” 
6. In the command prompt window, type “chkdsk /r c:” and hit Enter. This command will check your drive for errors using the CHKDSK utility and automatically repair them if possible
7. Type “sfc /scannow” and hit Enter. This will check the integrity of Windows system files using the System File Checker tool
8. Type “Exit” to close the Command prompt 

Finally, restart your computer. 

Fixing automatic repair loop error on a black screen 

If you received an error message on a black screen, there are different steps to take. 

These tips will help you fix the issue.

1. Boot into Safe Mode

In Safe Mode, you can uninstall device drivers, roll back Windows 10 updates, remove viruses, and more. 

Here’s how to launch your system in Safe Mode:

1. Turn off your PC
2. Download and install Windows Installation Media
3. Restart your PC
4. Upon rebooting, press “F2,” “F11,” or “Delete” to enter BIOS
5. Boot using “Windows Installation Media” 
6. Under the Windows Setup window, choose "Next"
7. Navigate to "Repair your computer" > "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Startup Settings”
8. Choose the Safe Mode (Enable Safe Mode, Enable Safe Mode with Networking, and Enable Safe Mode with Command Prompt) that meets your needs

Once you enter your desired Safe Mode, run antivirus software to scan and remove viruses. Delete problematic files by uninstalling incompatible software or drivers and update your device driver.

2. Disable automatic repair

When all else fails, disable the automatic repair tool using the following steps:

1. Insert a Windows installation disc/media into your PC
2. Select your language preferences, and click “Next”
3. Click on “Repair your computer”
4. Click on “Troubleshoot”
5. Click on “Advanced Options”
6. Click on “Command Prompt”
7. In the command prompt window, type “bcdedit /set {current} recoveryenabled No” and hit “Enter” (this command deletes problematic system files)
8. Type “exit” and press Enter

Go the extra mile, configure automatic backups on Windows 10

Sudden shutdowns can crush your productivity. Worse yet, it can wipe out unsaved data, leaving you flustered and anxious. With a backup ready, you can access your critical files and folder at all times, regardless of boot errors.  

To configure automatic backups on Windows 10, use the following steps:

1. Open Settings and click on “Update & Security”
2. Click on “Backup”
3. Under the "Looking for an older backup" section, click on “Go to Backup and Restore”
4. Under the "Backup or restore your files" section, select “Set up backup option” option
5. Select a backup destination (removable drive) to store your automatic backups
6. Click “Next”
7. Under the "What do you want to backup?" section, click on “Let me choose”
8. Click “Next”
9. Under the "Computer" section, check “Local Disk (C:)”
10. Check the “Include a system of drives: System Reserved, Windows 10 (C:)” option
11. Click “Next”
12. Under the “Review your backup settings” section, click on “Change schedule” 
13. In the “How often do you want to backup?” prompt, select “Run backup on a schedule” 
14. Set the frequency, date, and time for backup (choose ‘Daily’ for continuous backup)
15. Click “OK”
16. Click “Save settings”
17. Click “Exit” 

To retrieve individual files or entire system data from a backup on Windows 10, use the following steps:

What is Windows recovery option?

What are the different system recovery options?

What are the repair and recovery options available in Windows 10?

Which Windows RE option should you use if a recent update to Windows started causing problems?