# Windows 10 - automatic repair after memtest session - memory faulty or not?



## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Hello.
Eh getting weird problem with Windows 10 Pro.

So few days ago when i ran memtest few hours without error, but after finished test i reboot pc and Automatiic repair started before windows. Is this something with memory ? Memory trigger that error? Or it is software issue?

When starting Windows 10 boot loader starts by "preparing automatic repair" and diagnosing pc.
Interesting is that if I restart Windows (after procedure mentioned earlier) it will boot normally. This startup problem occurs only when starting system again after shutdown.

My disk is Samsung Evo 250 GB SSD. I run HD TUNE but no errors and CrystalDiskInfo Smart is fine 100% GOOD. Rams are 2x8gb DDR3 Kingston Hyperx 1600mhhz.

Memtest86 not showing errors.

Somebody said to me:"had similar issues, replaced RAM and I have been error free since."


So its a memory related or not? What you think about it ? Thx for answer.


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi sew33

Not sure that HD Tune is the right tool to test your SSD with. Have they come out with an SSD compatible version? Last time I looked, they were still for testing traditional "spinners" only.

Try:
1) Run MemTest 86+ overnight.... if no errors, it's not the memory.
2) If you already have the Samsung Magician software (PC version 4.9.5), check the health status of your drive with that. If you don't already have Magician, here's the link at the Samsung site:
Samsung SSD Downloads | Samsung SSD
3) Why not run a checkdisk on the system drive - right click the Windows Start menu icon, select Command Prompt (Admin), type CHKDSK X: /F ...*replacing X with the drive letter or your system drive*

See if that helps


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## _nobody_ (Jan 1, 2016)

sew333 said:


> So few days ago when i ran memtest few hours without error, but after finished test i reboot pc and Automatiic repair started before windows. *Is this something with memory ? Memory trigger that error? Or it is software issue?*


Hello SEW,

I would say,* this is a BIOS issue*. Please, default your CMOS. Please, do the following: shut down platform (G3 state), wait one minute, take out power cord, then wait good minute as well, then remove cell-coin battery for more then a minute. Then do all reverse. :whistling:

My best bet is, this condition will cease to exist! Please, report your results here. :thumb:

_nobody_


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Hi again, sew.

I see you're still looking for problems and cross-posting about them on multiple fora. The current issue first happened ~14th, several days ago, right?

As you might recall, I've bumped into you in several other places, based on those experiences, I'd say that the automatic repair is triggered by SIH (Service Initiated Healing client): - something you've done during the previous session has caused Windows to go into repair mode to undo it.

*Stop it with all the utilities, run W10 as close to stock as you can, limit any utilities that auto-start to the basics. Don't start up any utilities during your next Windows gaming session - just play games - after you've finished gaming, reboot and see what happens.*

*Don't* look for problems where none exist.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

So i formatted disk , install again Windows 10 , now Windows booting fine without automatic repair. But i tried to reproduce issue by running memtest86 again. So i run test for 5 hours, stop test and booted Windows 10. This time it booted fine without automatic repair. So i guess its fine. But i want to know why it happened earlier? That was still hardware issue? Thx for opinion. Somebody said that can be caused by bad ram.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Did you *read* this?


satrow said:


> ... the automatic repair is triggered by SIH (Service Initiated Healing client): - something you've done during the previous session has caused Windows to go into repair mode to undo it.
> 
> *Stop it with all the utilities, run W10 as close to stock as you can, limit any utilities that auto-start to the basics. Don't start up any utilities during your next Windows gaming session - just play games - after you've finished gaming, reboot and see what happens.*
> 
> *Don't* look for problems where none exist.


Yes or no?


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Yes but i cant reproduce issue , i am after format so i cant check this satrow. Running few times memtest86 but windows 10 after this booting fine.

Somebody said:" "The problem sounds definitely like a software issue, in that evidently some critical Windows systems files had a problem, but.....
That issue is generally produced by problematic hardware so the two might go hand in hand.""


So i am worry that can be hardware even if it happened before format somehow and now is ok.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

It's not hardware.

Don't over think it, don't load/use 'utilities', one (or more than one) of the utilities/tweaks you used with the last install caused it.

Just go gaming and relax. Games and bugs go hand in hand, nothing unusual, it's just the way games are - a bug or two in a game does not mean you have a hardware problem.


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## _nobody_ (Jan 1, 2016)

sew333 said:


> But i want to know why it happened earlier? That was still hardware issue? Thx for opinion. Somebody said that can be caused by bad ram.


You removed the result (by unknown cause) by re-installing WIN10, so there is no way to say/do additional tests what really happened. I had some theories, which surfaced as tip of iceberg in my previous post... :grin:

So, until (if ever?!) happens again, enjoy your PC! :thumb:

Good Luck, SEW!
_nobody_


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Yes after format is fine . But i am worried to run again memtest86. What if this trigger again Automatic Repair error?

So i have a question . So that Automatic Repair just before format,was caused by hardware or it can be software issue?

Somebody said to me that is caused by hardware some part.

"Somebody said:" "The problem sounds definitely like a software issue, in that evidently some critical Windows systems files had a problem, but.....
That issue is generally produced by problematic hardware so the two might go hand in hand."""


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Stop repeating yourself.

It's not hardware.

It's _probably_ not Memtest (btw, Memtest86*+* is usually more accurate) but something else you install/use regularly. Don't run Memtest again until you really find something causing freezes/BSODs.

So, software (Windows modification/changes/tweaks/new file badly placed on the drive, etc.) is very likely to have been the cause.

Your original reason for running Memtest, from what I recall from the other topics elsewhere about the same subject, was some little bug in one of the Arkham games. As I said earlier, "Games and bugs go hand in hand, nothing unusual... ".


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

ok  Thanks satrow for explain. I am really greatful. 

So if somebody said to was ram issue or hardware problem propabbly is wrong?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Yes, *probably wrong* considering the history/details of your problem, maybe they didn't have all the details to read or they missed something.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

satrow last question and thats all. What you think about that? Somebody said to me: |had similar issues, replaced RAM and I have been error free since."

But in my situation it cannot be ram because now its fine?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

'similar' means 'like' not 'same as' or 'identical'. It's probable that he didn't have the full details to study, or that he missed something that was different to his own case.

Memory problems are relatively easy to reproduce and test for (though it can take a long time to test). You ran Memtest, had no other signs/symptoms except one game bug.

The Windows repair was down to software (3rd party 'utility' drivers and/or software), _possibly_ something Memtest wrote to the drive.

W10 does not like 'interference', it will run startup repairs and 'break' software/tweaks that it considers 'bad'. Did you not also say somewhere that some of your software no longer worked?


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

So in my case was software issue not hardware related?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

That's my interpretation after taking account of your description from several different topics. Yes, I think it was software.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Last question if i can of course SO is this possible that maybe like you said Memtest wrote to the drive something? ( even if it is bootable from USB and no system used )


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Possible but unlikely, why would a memory test software booted from USB write data to a HDD/SSD?!


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

So this is not possible? But somehow automatic repair shows after memtest session. 
*coincidence?


satrow you said:"*W10 does not like 'interference', it will run startup repairs and 'break' software/tweaks that it considers 'bad'. Did you not also say somewhere that some of your software no longer worked?"

So yes in this day ( just before memtest86 ) i left running Batman Arkham Knight in background. I shut off only monitor. When i back to home after 8 hours i saw that game crashed with exception 0xc0000005. So i was worry a little. Then i reboot pc , change in bios boot from USB and run memtest86 bootable from USB for 5 hours. No errors, so i restart pc go to bios change to SDD boot and then Automatic repair everytime on first boot of windows. Coincidence ? What you think?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Problems after memtest might be a coincidence, yes. Possibly due to W10 taking control over UEFI?

0xc0000005 in a game that's paused/doing nothing but burning 250+W is something like a No Permission message, possibly a bad game file, maybe some interference from Steam/Origin/W10/Defender/AV/firewall... or some 3rd party utility running in the background.

So, which software was broken/no longer worked?


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

When starting Windows 10 boot loader was starting by "preparing automatic repair" and diagnosing pc.
Interesting is that if when i was restarting Windows (after procedure mentioned earlier) it will boot normally. This startup problem was occurs only when starting system again after shutdown.

So when on second boot i succesfully boot to Windows ........

To your question now. So, which software was broken/no longer worked?

So event viewer was not working, task manager was not working. When i was clicking nothing happened. And some of the applications not working too.

What you think about this?


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Last question satrow to you. 


Somebody said to me : "I recently upgraded to 128GB memory myself two days ago just because. The Kit of GSkill was listed as Quad Channel on both Gskill and at my local shop. *After installing it and setting XMP I ended up with Windows Repair*. Tried setting timings manually but it would not run at 3200MHz ( its default speed ) no matter how much voltage or what I did to try and get it working. Turns out even though it states Quad Channel and X99 support it is actually not listed in the QVL as a Quad Channel kit. But dual Channel." 

He said:"*After installing it and setting XMP I ended up with Windows Repair"


*So maybe that is memory issue because on hes situation Windows Repair shows because of memory? What you thinking? So maybe its something with my memory or not?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Perhaps the broken Event Viewer and Task Manager were the reason for the repair.

His XMP/RAM problem was different to yours and you have 112GB less, ignore it.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Yes but he telling that hes AUTOMATIC REPAIR was because of he's rams. So in my situation was not rams?


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## OldGrayGary (Jun 29, 2006)

Hi all


sew33 - next time Batman crashes, and you need to restart - don't run MemTest86 or MemTest86+ - then, if you experience the Automatic Repair, you'll know it wasn't MemTest's fault.

It seems like a fairly strong case that it's not your system memory at fault by now ... since you've never produced an error in all that testing.

Might want to scan that USB stick, though - to make sure no malware is lurking on it and reinfecting your PC when you use it.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

I tried to reproduce this issue by booting few times memtest86 ,but i cant reproduce issue. Windows 10 booting fine after that. Like i said after format is fine. But i just create topic to know issue why that happened. 

USB is fine, and i think it is not interfering to system because it is booting from USB without OS.

Like i said issue before format was that i was cant boot to windows 10 after first boot because it showed Automatic Repair. Interesting is that if I restart Windows (after procedure mentioned earlier) it will boot normally. This startup problem occurs only when starting system again after shutdown or clicking restart from Windows.
So i was need two boots to boot properly to system.

When on second boot i succesfully boot to Windows.

Somebody said to me: " Memory that is going bad, or just not perfectly configured in the bios can have good days where everything goes ok"

What you think about this?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Sew, there is zero evidence that what you've described has anything to do with hardware or memory.

The person who had memory problems had maxed out all 4 slots with memory that was QVL'ed for only 2 slots, issues with memory after maxing out all slots is incredibly common, it has been for many years, it's nothing to do with what you describe on your PC.

Just play games and turn off the PC before you go out, you'll save *someone* money on the power bill and that might help you buy another game.

Keep Windows clean of unnecessary software, especially of the 'utility' kind.

Relax, don't look for problems that don't exist.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

I also meet some guy on other forum that he getting AUTOMATIC REPAIR after memtest sessions. Weird. So it something with our memory or usb messing this? Or memtest86 somehow corrupting something? I am suprised that somebody get the same issue. What you think about this?

Of course in my pc it happened once. But he getting this regularly from what i read.

He said this:"This is strange as it happened to my pc. When I upgraded my RAM I ran memtest without error, after reboot Automatiic repair started. I then ran memtest again a few days later after changing to XMP setting and after reboot Automatiic repair started?"


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Sew, it happened to you one time, you cannot reproduce it - therefore it must be a different problem from that of this other person.

Stop looking for problems that don't exist, please.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Hey satrow. Can you tell me why you thinking that is software issue, i mean arguments? I seen opinions that issue was maybe caused by rams or ssd.

This:
"Automatic repair starts because Windows has failed successive boots and that can be caused by numerous issues with the hardware or because you've changed things you have no idea about in the BIOS. "


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Sew, we've ruled out hardware through lack of any evidence whatsoever, there has been zero data to support it.

What's left? Software and human error.



satrow said:


> Hi again, sew.
> 
> I see you're still looking for problems and cross-posting about them on multiple fora. The current issue first happened ~14th, several days ago, right?
> 
> ...


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Satrow that problem which was after memtest might be a coincidence or memtest86 interrupted something?
Because after format i run few boots of memtest86 and no automatic repair during boot windows.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Already answered, post #21.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

So something get corrupted due to Automatic Repair. And i have a question. Is that corrupted can be caused by faulty hardware or it is just a software problem?
Because somebody told me that corrupt can be caused by hardware. Thank you for your time and patient. If you can answer me, thanks

2.
Somebody said to me :"Try running Prime95 for a while" Is any sense to run Prime95 then?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Sew, how can Windows fix bad hardware?


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

So it is possible that data corruption was caused by software not neccesary by hardware?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Software or human error is most likely, hardware, no.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

satrow last thing . Somebody said to me :"I'm guessing that it's a boot problem - but it's also possible that it's a memory or hard drive issue."

So why he thinking that can be memory or ssd issue?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

He was guessing?


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

I am wondering only, why it get corrupted to Automatic Repair even one single time,even once. We know that after memtest was propably coincidence. But why it happened even once. I think if all is stable or running properly shouldnt happen even one single time. What you think?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

We'll never know the answer to that, in your haste to do *something* you removed any evidence that we might have needed to investigate it further.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

satrow so for your thinking that was a software issue ?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Software or human error, yes.

Hardware, no.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

I run memtest86 for 19 hours without errors. So its fine i guess?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Sew, if you start a Topic in a forum looking for help, please do us all a favour and carefully read all replies. Thank you.

You can mark this topic as [Solved] any time you want.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Excelguru Help Site - A message to forum cross posters

Too many cooks spoil the broth.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Satrow last question to you and we can close topic. What you think about it.

Somebody said to me this : "that if the system is stable, and all is well, this should never happen even once. What you're describing makes sense if the file system on the SSD isn't getting properly closed, or a critical file is corrupted on shutdown."

So what you think about this? It happened once. He thinking that this should never happen if system is stable. 

So my system is not stable even it happened once? What you think about it?
Please answer last time and we can close topic


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Ok if you can answer if you are not tired


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

> What you're describing makes sense if the file system on the SSD isn't getting properly closed, or a critical file is corrupted on shutdown.


It could also have been a critical file or Windows setting that was modified long before shutdown, anytime during that session.

But we'll never know because the data is long gone.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Also last thing. Somebody said this : "You should get zero auto repair attempts, otherwise it implies that there is something hardware related with the system/pc, if it happens very early after a clean OS install: you can't get rid of hardware issues with a clean OS install.

"Automatic Repair" should engage after a failed attempt to start windows."


So i dont know what to think about it, he stated that is hardware related for sure. What is your statement then satrow?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

My statement is pretty much as it was in my first reply here. "I'd say that the automatic repair is triggered by SIH (Service Initiated Healing client): - something you've done during the previous session has caused Windows to go into repair mode to undo it."

The problem is, we really don't know yet what SIH and any other W10 autorepair software is actually looking for.

Whatever it is, for sure it can't fix bad hardware.

Can you please stop trying to play the volunteer helpers, who are trying hard to help you, against one another, please?


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

So propably he stated was wrong and this can be caused by software?

Especially when after format problem is not reproducable.

Satrow?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Probably you're not giving him the whole story, neither are you giving any of us links to the other conversations you're having over this same subject even though you refer and quote from them.

Situation unchanged: no evidence for hardware being at fault for this.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

satrow i am greatful for help and answers. I am really greatful to you .


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Go play some games and chill out ...


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Yeaaah i made the same experiment on my laptop with WIndows 10. I change to boot from USB . Then again to BOOT from HDD and boom. Automatic repair during first boot on windows !!  So this is not hardware issue on my pc. Its something with bios\windows10. Damned you have right , its not hardware.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Good work!

_Before_ you ask, I'm with Scott on this, W10 likes to take over the UEFI when using a GPT disk... (I did mention W10 and the UEFI in post #21 here).

Can you mark this as [Solved] now, from the Thread Tools dropdown near the top?


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Also when i am pushing hard reset during loading Windows there are always Automatic Repair during next boot. This is normal?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Yes, when boot is interrupted, W10 will try to 'fix' at the next boot.

*Why* are you hard resetting it... ? Just STOP looking for problems where none exist!


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Ok last question needed answer from you dear Satrow. Thats all.One thing left and i check topic as resolved.

I cant understand only why on laptop is not reproducable. It happened once and thats all . I cant reproduce this. I am trying again changing boot order, restarting laptop but windows booting still properly no matter what. So why it happened once ?


When i was change in bios boot order from USB to HDD , automatic repair showned at 1 boot. Weirdly that on laptop it happened once and is not reproducable.

On pc problem was every restart of pc, automatic repair was showing every restart of pc. Any ideas ?


( Of course at current time is fine , because i formatted disk on pc )


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## jenae (Jun 17, 2008)

Hi, time to move on, do not worry about Memtest it is a software util that has usefulness as an indicator of memory problems, it is not used in forensic computer science because it is well .. really quite basic, and as you have discovered prone to errors.

Your computer is running well as you indicate get on and enjoy it, to properly test memory you need far more sophisticated software and equipment.. and you would need years of study to master them, most users should not look to diagnose computer functions, it is well beyond them, and simply causes stress and often leads to unintended issues.

After 40+ years of computer experience including many advanced qualifications I have learned the truth to the old addage "if it ain't broke don't fix it"


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

But after format is ok, and is not reproducable.

But you said about something BIOS issue.

On laptop i made the same operation, change boot from USB to HDD and on first boot Windows 10 shows Automatic Repair. But it happened once and i cant reproduce. No format was needed.


But on pc automatic repair was always during 1 boot. 
When starting Windows 10 boot loader starts by "preparing automatic repair" and diagnosing pc.
Interesting is that if I restart Windows (after procedure mentioned earlier) it will boot normally. This startup problem was occured only when starting system again after shutdown or restarted pc from windows.So i was needed 2 boots to boot properly to windows. But on pc format was needed.


What is your opinion GU3? Why on pc format was needed when on laptop not?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

sew333 said:


> What is your opinion GU3? Why on pc format was needed when on laptop not?


GU3 (Scott) isn't here, please stop copy/paste cross posting everything.

You don't have a PC problem, go play games on it, eh?


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

ok i just only ask Can you explain this satrow.


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

I'm not wasting any more time on a problem that doesn't exist.

Read the topic again and also read Scott's comments again.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Yes problem is not reproducable after format.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Listen last thing. I dont mention about this.

So after Automatic repair i was getting that screen:









But after when i click restart it booted fine to windows 10 without automatic repair. So anyway it not caused by hardware?

This: Automatic Repair couldnt repair your pc only at 1 boot . At second boot was fine


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

Nope, it couldn't repair something that wasn't broken.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Automatic Repair couldnt repair your pc is not mean that is hardware fault, hard disk failure or other hardware part?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

It might mean that the attempted Windows Repair was in error - a false positive, so really, there might not have been any error, or real reason, Windows made a mistake...


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

So why on second boot he didnt show this screen with Automatic Repair couldnt repair your pc ? I click restart and always boot fine to windows 10.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

Automatic Repair is limited to the conditions it's produced to fix. If it could fix everything we wouldn't be here at TSF.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

Corday said:


> Automatic Repair is limited to the conditions it's produced to fix. If it could fix everything we wouldn't be here at TSF.


So after this screen ( Automatic Repair couldnt repair your pc ) when i click reboot windows 10 booted fine without automatic repair.










So its not something with hardware then?


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## satrow (Feb 4, 2012)

No, MS/Windows made a mistake, they forgot to put in a screenshot to display "Ooops, we made a mistake, there's nothing wrong.".


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

QUOTE:So its not something with hardware then? QUOTE You're repeating yourself. Answer already given.


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## sew333 (Oct 12, 2012)

I ask because i was little worried because i read here that reasons can be :

https://neosmart.net/wiki/startup-repair-infinite-loop/


Causes of this error

This error has been known to occur as a result of one or more of the following:

Cause #1: Damaged or corrupted BCD settings

Bootsector viruses and other malware that targets the bootloader or the booting chain can cause errors in the bootloader settings and state that result in an infinite loop of Startup Repair.

The virus may then block Startup Repair from either launching or carrying out its repairs successfully. A failed Windows Update or Automatic Update can also sometimes leave the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) in an inconsistent or non-working state.

Cause #2: Corrupted boot partition

On Windows 7 and above, Windows by default creates a separate 100 MiB NTFS partition at the start of the drive, reserved for core bootloader files and BCD configuration.

An unsafe shutdown, sudden power loss, hard disk failure, or a blue screen of death during writes to the boot partition can leave your system in an inconsistent state, unable to boot and infinitely cycling into the Startup Repair.


I was worried when i read this:"An unsafe shutdown, sudden power loss, hard disk failure"



What you think then ? You said about non hardware related.


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## macropod (Apr 11, 2008)

sew333: You've wasted too much of everyone else's time on this topic (your own time is of apparently little value), chasing non-existent problems. Just look at how many supposedly 'one last question' posts you've made, only to drag the issue ever onwards, digging over the entrails of anything previously posted in this thread or by someone else who had some vaguely-related issue.

Thread closed.


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