[GUIDE] How to fix Automatic Repair / Scanning and repairing drive loop - Win8/8.1

[Alvie]

This is my first guide so there may be problems with it, and also it is not guaranteed to work. I have included more than one method suggested from various sources. I may have missed a step here or there so please notify me if there are any errors.

 

Solution 1: Check that your hard drive is your boot drive

1. Enter your BIOS - Start up and press the button that will enter you into your BIOS. (It varies depending on the motherboard)
2. Go to the BOOT section and check your boot priority list.
3. If your boot drive (SSD/HDD) is not at the top, make it your number one priority rather than Windows Boot Manager or USB HDD or DVD ROM for example.
4. Save and exit the BIOS.
5. Reboot.

Solution 2: Safe Mode Boot Fix

1. Hold the Power button down for five seconds or until the computer shuts down.
2. Press the Power button again to turn it on.
3. The PC should say 'Windows failed to start' or something along those lines.
4. Choose 'Advanced Repair Options'
5. Choose 'Troubleshoot'
6. Choose 'Advanced Options'
7. Choose 'Start up Settings'
8. Click 'Restart'
9. Choose Safe Mode (4) to enter safe mode.
10. Log in (if you can) and then reboot.

Solution 3: CMD CHKDSK

1. Hold the Power button down for five seconds or until the computer shuts down.
2. Press the Power button again to turn it on.
3. The PC should say 'Windows failed to start' or something along those lines.
4. Choose 'Advanced Repair Options'
5. Choose 'Troubleshoot'
6. Choose 'Advanced Options'
7. Choose 'Command Prompt'
8. Type : "fsutil dirty query c:" (Replace c:with boot drive label if necessary - Queries the drive to see if it is dirty or not)
9. Type :"chkntfs /x c:" (Replace c:with boot drive label if necessary - Excludes the drive C: from being checked)
10. Type: "exit"
11. Reboot

Solution 4: Disable Automatic Repair (You need the Windows 8(.1) DVD/USB Installation Media)

1. Insert your Installation Media (you may need to change boot priority)
2. Choose correct region and language and click next.
3. On the bottom left it should say: 'Repair your computer' so click that.
4. Choose 'Troubleshoot'
5. Choose 'Advanced Options'
6. Choose 'Command Prompt'
7. Type : "bcdedit"
8. A list should appear,  somewhere, it should say resumeobject (under default).
9. Next to resumeobject, there is a long number. Highlight that long number {INCLUDING THE BRACKETS} and press Enter to copy.
10. Type: "bcdedit /set {long number you copied} recoveryenabled No"
11. You should see the message telling you "The operation completed successfully"
12. Type: "exit"
13. Reboot

​Solution 5: System Restore

 

1. Hold the Power button down for five seconds or until the computer shuts down.
2. Press the Power button again to turn it on.
3. The PC should say 'Windows failed to start' or something along those lines.
4. Choose 'Advanced Repair Options'
5. Choose 'Troubleshoot'
6. Choose 'Advanced Options'
7. Choose 'System Restore'
8. Choose a date/time before the problem occurred
9. Click Next
10. Click Finish
11. When asked 'Once started, System Restore cannot be interrupted. Do you want to continue?', choose 'Yes'
12. It can take a few minutes on : 'Please wait while your Windows files and settings are being restored' but should eventually take you to the login screen of Windows.
13. Reboot

​Solution 6: System Refresh (You need the Windows 8(.1) DVD/USB Installation Media)

 

WARNING: Unless you have created custom installation media (backup):

Applications you’ve installed from websites and DVDs will be removed. Applications that came with your PC and apps you've installed from the Windows Store will be reinstalled. Windows puts a list of removed applications on your desktop after refreshing your PC.

1. Hold the Power button down for five seconds or until the computer shuts down.
2. Press the Power button again to turn it on.
3. The PC should say 'Windows failed to start' or something along those lines.
4. Choose 'Advanced Repair Options'
5. Choose 'Troubleshoot'
6. Choose 'Refresh Your PC'
7. Insert Installation Media or Custom Installation Media
8. Choose 'Next' and Windows should start refreshing your PC (this can take some time)
9. Eventually it should take you to the login screen and then set up your files and apps again before you're in your desktop.
10. In your desktop there should be a list of removed applications in a HTML file.
11. Reboot.

[Blake]

Solution 4: Disable Automatic Repair (You need the Windows 8(.1) DVD/USB Installation Media)

1. Insert your Installation Media (you may need to change boot priority)
2. Choose correct region and language and click next.
3. On the bottom left it should say: 'Repair your computer' so click that.
4. Choose 'Troubleshoot'
5. Choose 'Advanced Options'
6. Choose 'Command Prompt'
7. Type : "bcdedit"
8. A list should appear,  somewhere, it should say resumeobject (under default).
9. Next to resumeobject, there is a long number. Highlight that long number {INCLUDING THE BRACKETS} and press Enter to copy.
10. Type: "bcdedit /set {long number you copied} recoveryenabled No"
11. You should see the message telling you "The operation completed successfully"
12. Type: "exit"
13. Reboot​

 

OR, just run:

%windir%\system32\bcdedit.exe /set {default} recoveryenabled No

%windir%\system32\bcdedit.exe /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures

 

 

This will disable it from within windows, however I would not be recommending this unless you run actual maintenance on your system and actually report on it (i.e. logs get forwarded to another system, so when it does fail to turn on your can check the logs and go from there)