How to Fix Startup Repair Stuck in Infinite Loop on Windows
Windows Startup Repair running in an infinite loop? PC keeps restarting into Automatic Repair? Startup Repair fails and loops endlessly? Computer stuck diagnosing your PC? Preparing Automatic Repair loop on every boot? Fix the Startup Repair infinite loop.
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Main Troubleshooting Guide
How to Fix Windows Boot Loop →Complete symptoms, causes, and step-by-step solutions
Symptoms
You might be experiencing this problem if you notice:
- •PC boots into Automatic Repair on every restart
- •"Diagnosing your PC" screen appears on every boot
- •Startup Repair completes but loops back to repair again
- •"Preparing Automatic Repair" loop that never ends
- •Blue screen followed by Automatic Repair each time
- •Cannot reach Windows desktop — always enters repair mode
Common Causes
- ⚠Boot Configuration Data (BCD) corrupted beyond auto-repair
- ⚠Critical system files damaged preventing normal boot
- ⚠Recent Windows Update broke boot components
- ⚠Hard drive failing causing repeated boot failures
- ⚠Registry hive corruption preventing Windows from loading
- ⚠Driver conflict causing crash before login screen
Solutions
Solution 1: Disable Automatic Repair and Boot Manually
- 1Break out of the repair loop:
- 2On the Automatic Repair screen:
- 3Click "Advanced options" → Command Prompt
- 4Disable automatic repair temporarily:
- 5bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No
- 6Restart and see if Windows boots normally
- 7If it boots: the issue may have been transient
- 8Re-enable later: bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled Yes
Solution 2: Rebuild BCD and Repair Boot Files
- 1From Advanced options → Command Prompt:
- 2bootrec /fixmbr
- 3bootrec /fixboot
- 4If "Access is denied": bootsect /nt60 sys
- 5bootrec /rebuildbcd
- 6Press Y to add Windows installation
- 7sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows
- 8DISM /Image:C:\ /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- 9Drive letter may differ in recovery — check with dir C:\Windows
- 10Restart PC after repairs
Solution 3: System Restore or Reset
- 1Advanced options → System Restore
- 2Choose restore point from before the problem
- 3If no restore points:
- 4Advanced options → Startup Settings → Safe Mode
- 5In Safe Mode: uninstall recent updates/drivers
- 6Run sfc /scannow and DISM from Safe Mode
- 7If nothing works:
- 8Advanced options → Reset this PC → Keep my files
- 9Last resort: clean install from USB media
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