# Stuck on preparing automatic repair screen



## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

After having a new fan installed two weeks ago, my computer has randomly become unresponsive at times with only the mouse cursor being able to move. Until now powering the computer back up again has "fixed" the problem. The fan had been required, on top of a full reinstall of Windows, which had cost enough to make me feel content with this method for now.

Tonight, however, I had the same problem but, after powering it on and off (since restarting it always just got me stuck in the BIOS screen) I find myself stuck on a black screen that follows Windows telling me that it is preparing an automatic repair.

I've tried restarting it but nothing stops it continually ending up on that screen. Even if I can get back onto the desktop, I expect I'll end up having to call someone to see what's causing everything to become unresponsive. 

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i7 Quad Core Processor i7-3770K (3.5GHz) 8MB Cache Motherboard ASUS® P8Z77-M: MICRO-ATX, USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs, ATI®CrossFireX Memory (RAM) 8GB KINGSTON HYPER-X GENESIS DUAL-DDR3 1600MHz, X.M.P (2 x 4GB KIT) Graphics


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

I may have written too soon, now it says that it is diagnosing your PC. That said, the fact it becomes randomly unresponsive is worrying. I'll see if it gets to the desktop.


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

The end result is that i get a message saying automatic repair couldn't repair your PC. I have tried going on to troubleshoot, but system restore says that there are no restore points and that system protection is available only in an online operating system.

I next tried resetting the PC, but after a few minutes it presented a message saying that "there was a problem resetting your PC. No changes were made".

I'm unsure of what options are left for me to try at this point.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

> After having a new fan installed two weeks ago


When you replaced the fan, did you clean off the processor and apply fresh thermal paste between the processor and the fan? 
Take the side off the case and start the computer, look at the fan. Is it spinning freely, not stopped by any wires? Boot into Setup (Bios) go to *PC Health* or some such. Look at the temperatures. If the temps are high, then reapply Thermal Paste between the processor and Fan. 
If you have Windows install media, boot off of that and choose your language, then *Repair Your Computer*. If all fails, try a_ clean install_ of Windows.


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

I didn't install the fan myself, so I can't speak for whether the processor was cleaned and fresh thermal paste was applied, but it all looks fine inside; the fan isn't blocked in any way and the wires aren't in the way.

CPU temperature is 33C / 89 F
MB temperature is 24C / 75 F
CPU Fan speed is 2089 RPM
Chassis Fan 1 speed is 796 RPM

I assume those are normal? 

Windows came pre-installed with the PC, so presumably I would have to buy a copy of Windows 10 to boot of it or do a clean install? If so then okay.


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## tristar (Aug 12, 2008)

There seems to be a little misdirection, the paste is applied between the heatsink and CPU and NOT between the Fan and CPU as stated by spunk earlier.
@Sky999 those values seem to be normal, and nothing alarming there.

What happens when you start your computer after the BIOS screen passes, if you get the advanced boot options, choose normal mode and continue.

If the Boot sequence is interrupted with a hard shutdown, Windows provides the advanced boot menu the next time as a fail safe method for troubleshooting issues.

I would be more inclined to look at the Hard drive to see how it performs, if your computer starts up, do give us a screenshot of the Task Manager sorted in descending of the CPU utilization.


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

To get on to the BIOS screen I have to press F2 a few times, so to get past it I have to click "discard changes and exit" or "save changes and reset", but either option simply brings up the Preparing Automatic Repair screen again instead of showing any advanced boot options. 

I tried doing a hard shutdown after exiting the BIOS screen, but it simply presents the Preparing Automatic Repair screen again and begins to diagnose the PC, so I unfortunately can't seem to get onto the desktop to show the Task Manager.

I don't suppose the option to change Window's start up settings might enableme to choose normal mode somehow? I haven't tried that option on the Advanced options screenplay yet.


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## tristar (Aug 12, 2008)

Turn off the PC, turn it back on and press F8 twice every second and see if it brings up the Windows advanced boot menu and start using the normal mode, let us know if this works.


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

Okay, doing that and pressing F8 brings up a "please select boot device" screen with the options of either "Windows Boot Manager (P1: Kingston SV300S37A120G)" or "Enter Setup". 

I can press enter to select one of the two, or I can press ESC to boot using defaults.

Selecting Windows Boot Manager takes me to the Preparing Automatic Repair screen. Selecting "Enter Setup" takes me to the BIOS screen, as does clicking ESC to boot defaults.

I can't see anything referring to starting it in normal mode though.


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## tristar (Aug 12, 2008)

To access the advanced startup menu, *after* you choose the Boot Manager you need to immediately press the F8 key.

What happens after the Auto repair runs ?


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

I tried immediately pressing F8 after choosing the Boot Manager, but it simply goes to the Preparing Automatic Repair screen again.

After the Auto repair runs it displays a black screen with a message saying "Diagnosing your PC". Afterwards, it shows a blue screen with a message saying "Your PC did not start correctly" and gives me the options to restart or to go to "Advanced options". 

Clicking Advanced options gives me the options to continue, which just brings up the Preparing Automatic Repair screen again; the option to turn off the PC; and the option to Troubleshoot which gives me the option to reset the PC (which as stated in an earlier comment doesn't work), then I can go to advanced options, most of the options there proving unsuccessful.


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## tristar (Aug 12, 2008)

Yep, that works, choose Advanced Options, Startup settings and then choose Safe Mode with Networking, are you able to get there ?


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

When I click on Startup settings I'm shown "Restart to change Windows options such as:

Enable low-resolution video mode
Enable debugging mode
Enable boot logging
Enable Safe Mode
Disable driver signature enforcement
Disable early-launch anti-malware protection
Disable automatic restart on system failure

The only option is to press "Restart", I clicked it and it takes me to the Automatic Repair Screen again, then I can go back to Troubleshoot.


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## tristar (Aug 12, 2008)

Ok, choose the Last option disable auto restart on system failure, and then restart and see what happens ?

If it doesn't work, choose Command prompt and once the CMD prompt launches, type C: and hit enter, are you seeing a C: prompt ?


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

I am unable to choose the options individually, I can only click restart next to them which takes me back to the Automatic Repair Screen.

I've clicked on the command prompt and, after typing C: and hitting enter, I can see a C: prompt, yes.


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## tristar (Aug 12, 2008)

Run this from that prompt:


```
chkdsk C: /scan
```
Then


```
chkdsk C: /spotfix
```
Let us know how it goes.


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

The first prompt gives me the message:

"The type of the file system is NTFS.
The specified object was not found.

A snapshot error occurred while scanning this drive. Run an offline scan and fix. Failed to transfer logged messages to the event log with status 50."

I tried the other command just in case, but it says:

"The type of the file system is NTFS.
Cannot lock current drive.

Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Chkdsk may run if this volume is dismounted first. ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID. Would you like to force a dismount on this volume? (Y/N)"


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

At the *C:\> *prompt type
*DIR* and press enter. It should list a bunch of Files, at the end if their is a_ Windows _Directory, you are in the right drive letter. (ie) Drive letters change in the *RE *(*R*ecovery* E*nvironment). If not, type the next drive letter and type *DIR*. 
Once you are in the right drive letter, type 
*chkdsk /R* and press enter. It will show the same message you got before, but will ask you if you want to Restart to run Check Disk, type a* Y* for Yes to _Unmount_ the drive, then Reboot the computer. Check Disk will start and go thru 5 stages, and it will take a while.


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## jenae (Jun 17, 2008)

Hi, sorry, I have just read this thread and I would not be surprised if you were confused.

It appears you can access the command prompt in the RE. You will know this by the header which should read "Administrator X:\windows\system32\cmd.exe"

The prompt will be x\windows\system32>

At the prompt type (exactly as you see here):-

bcdedit | find "osdevice" (the | is called a pipe and is found above the \ key) Press enter

It will return:- osdevice........partition X: (where X: is a drive letter)

Use this drive letter, in the following cmd, and type:- ( in most cases in win 10 this letter will be D

D: (press enter)

You will now be at the D:\> prompt

At this type:- chkdsk /scan (press enter)

Next type:- chkdsk /spotfix (press enter)

Both cmds should work, this should fix your problem

NOTE:- you have a ssd drive, it is not recommended to run a chkdsk /r on an ssd


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

jenae said:


> Hi, sorry, I have just read this thread and I would not be surprised if you were confused.
> 
> It appears you can access the command prompt in the RE. You will know this by the header which should read "Administrator X:\windows\system32\cmd.exe"
> 
> ...


I can get to the stage where I need to type in chkdsk /scan, however doing so brings up the following message:

This type of the file system is NTFS.
The shadow copy provider had an unexpected error while trying to process the specified operation.

A snapshot error occurred while scanning this drive. You can try again, but if this problem persists, run an offline scan and fix. Failed to transfer logged messages to the event log with status 50.

Typing in "chkdsk /spotfix brings up the following:

Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Chkdsk may run if this volume is dismounted first. All opened handles to this volume would then be invalid. Would you like to force a dismount of this volume? (Y/N).

(Also, if it's worth noting, the find OS device command brings up the C drive for me, which is correct for where Windows is installed.)


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## jenae (Jun 17, 2008)

Hi, can you please confirm, are you in command prompt within the RE? You will see the details I described in post 19, what drive is the windows OS on?


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

jenae said:


> Hi, can you please confirm, are you in command prompt within the RE? You will see the details I described in post 19, what drive is the windows OS on?


Hi, yes I am in the command prompt within the RE. Windows is on the C drive.


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## tristar (Aug 12, 2008)

Ok, can you restart go to Command prompt again, and this time run the 2 commands from the X: sources prompt and press Y when it asks for a force dismount of the Volume ?


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## Sky999 (Feb 4, 2009)

tristar said:


> Ok, can you restart go to Command prompt again, and this time run the 2 commands from the X: sources prompt and press Y when it asks for a force dismount of the Volume ?


Well I can do that, but I don't want to risk doing something that isn't recommended for ssd drives, as Jenae says is the case.

What exactly is the risk to the ssd if I unmount the drive?


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## jenae (Jun 17, 2008)

If you are in the RE and the cmd:- bcdedit |find "osdevice" returns partition c: then the chkdsk /scan and chkdsk /spotfix cmd's should run.You can safely unmount the drive it will be mounted when you restart. Are you sure the OS is on C:. This would be most unusual. The chkdsk cmds are fine on an ssd it is only using the /r parameter that you were warned against using. The cmds from post 19 are fine, you do not need to reference c: if this is the drive returned by the bcdedit | find cmd.


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## tristar (Aug 12, 2008)

Jenae was talking about /R which should not be run for SSDs, which is the reason I've suggested the /spotfix earlier.

There is no risk in unmounting a volume which is not actively being used. If you're worried about Data loss, there will be none, provided you follow the instructions correctly & assuming your Disk is Not having hardware issues.


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