# preparing automatic repair loop



## Potatotate (Jun 13, 2016)

When turned on, my pc starts with a hp screen, loads, goes black again, and then has the same screen but with "preparing automatic repair" at the bottom.

It doesn't go through any other steps of the automatic repair process, and just swaps between these two screens.

The only function key i've been able to get to work is f2

On another site, the solution that seemed to work for other people was

So a selective boot up with bios
get cmd to open and check
bootrec /fixMBR
bootrec /Fixboot
bootrec /rebuildBCD
and also
chkdsk /r c:
chkdsk /r d:
chkdsk /r e:
chkdsk /r f:

But i can't/don't know how to get a command prompt open(F8 isn't working)

Or

Using a windows 8.1 installation disc or backup disc. 

I don't have either.


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## Shaagul (Jun 13, 2016)

Bro you need windows 8 cd / bootable usb drive


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

You will need an Windows disc to restore your computer. When you buy your computer, HP recommends that you burn your own Recovery CD. You can contact HP and they may supply you with a Recovery DVD or USB Flash drive. 
You can run the HP Diagnostics. Start the computer and press the *ESC* key. A menu should appear with _Diagnostics _as one of the choices. 
You can also press *F10 *to get into *Setup* (Bios) here on the Main page it should list your drives. Is your HDD listed?
You HDD may have failed, the Diagnostic will tell you. If you want a second opinion, download the ISO image for *Seatools*, Burn the image to CD using *IMGBurn* or burn it to a USB Flash drive with *Seaflash*. All available in my signature. Run the Short and Long Diagnostic tests on the HDD. If either test fails the HDD needs to be replaced.


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## Potatotate (Jun 13, 2016)

using both a windows 8, and a windows 10 bootable usb results in an infinite loading loop. 

i have it configured that it boots removable media before the os boot.

with the drive in, it loops infinitely.

when the efi file in the drive is selected directly from the boot manager, it loops infinitely

with the drive out, it loops two or three times, and gives the error code (0xc0000001) in the windows boot manager, saying i need to insert a windows installation disk and restart

when the drive is in, but i pull it out while looping, i get a blue recovery screen saying "your pc needs repaired, a required device isn't connected/can't be accessed,
error code (0xc0000185), and to use recovery tools"

when anything is selected from the f8 menu, (safemode/windowsrecovery/debugger etc) it either loops or stops depending on whether the flash drive is in or not, and it doesn't seem to have any effect.

after almost 24 hours of looping, letting it loop seems to have no effect either


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

> You can run the HP Diagnostics. Start the computer and press the *ESC* key. A menu should appear with _Diagnostics _as one of the choices... You HDD may have failed, the Diagnostic will tell you. If you want a second opinion, download the ISO image for *Seatools*, Burn the image to CD using *IMGBurn* or burn it to a USB Flash drive with *Seaflash*. All available in my signature. Run the Short and Long Diagnostic tests on the HDD. If either test fails the HDD needs to be replaced.


 Did you run Diagnostics? Did you run Seatools?


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## Potatotate (Jun 13, 2016)

hard drive quick test: passed
hard drive extensive test: (currently running)
hard drive SMART check: passed
hard drive short DST check: passed
hard drive optimized DST check: passed
hard drive long DST check: (will run after extensive test)


(this happened between my first and second post, not now)before i went to sleep, i left it looping. when i woke up, there was a failed repair screen, and from that, i went to the command prompt. after following:

get cmd to open and check
bootrec /fixMBR
bootrec /Fixboot
bootrec /rebuildBCD
and also
chkdsk /r c:
chkdsk /r d:
chkdsk /r e:
chkdsk /r f:

which i found on another help site, and then fiddling with the recovery options, i was able to boot up and log in.

(this was when i disabled automatic repair, and enabled the function keys during startup)

my pc functioned normally, and i only realized i couldn't boot again after it went to sleep/powered off.

if i hadn't disabled automatic repair (which i thought was the problem at the time) i could probably have used it to log in again.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

You didn't say what happened after the Extensive Test? If it failed the HDD needs to be replaced.
If not, Get to the Command Prompt and try this again. 
At command prompt (*x: sources*) type this exactly as written: 
*bcdedit |find “osdevice”* (Must inc *”* and the* |*), the *|* before *Find* is the Upper case *\* key) press enter. This will tell you what drive letter the OS is on.It may not be on the* C:* drive. 
Now use the returned as the drive letter for OS, Run theses commands at that prompt. 


> bootrec /fixMBR
> bootrec /Fixboot
> bootrec /rebuildBCD


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## Potatotate (Jun 13, 2016)

hard drive extensive test passed.

can you elaborate on how to get to the command prompt?

starting in safemode w/ command prompt doesn't work.

so far, it seems like anything on the other side of the hp screen isn't accessible


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

You will need a Windows Disc or USB to boot off of. Create installation media for Windows 8.1 - Windows Help


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## Potatotate (Jun 13, 2016)

Booting with a winodows 8, and windows 10 flash drive doesn't work. 

Even selecting the efi file from boot manager still results in a loop


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Boot into Setup (Bios) look for *Secure Boot*, if it is Enabled, using your Enter and Arrow key *Disable* it, or change it to *Setup Mode*. Go to the *Boot* tab, if it is set to UEFI Bios, change it to *Legacy.* _Save and Exit_. 
Or you can create a UEFI bootable Windows USB Flash drive with* Rufus* in my Signature.


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## Potatotate (Jun 13, 2016)

secure boot changed from enabled to disabled, 

there isn't a boot tab. 

from another tutorial, the tabs i should have are "information, main, security, boot, exit"
what i have is "main, security, system configuration, exit"
(aditionally, the tutorial shows f2 as the key to get to this menu, for me it is f10 (f2 results in the hp pc hardware diagnostics uefi) )

within system configuration, there is a boot options drop down menu, from there i have access to legacy support, and secure boot

when secure boot is disabled, it prompts me to enter a 4 digit code and press enter to complete the change, or ESC to continue without change

("a change to the operating system secure boot mode is pending. please enter the pass code displayed below to complete the change. if you did not initiate this request, press the ESC key to continue without accepting the pending change"

operating system boot mode change (021)
)

even when ESC is used, after looping it seems to revert. 

legacy support seems to revert to being disabled as well. 

none of the other settings in this menu seem to revert, and will all retain changes i make to them ( POST hotkey delay, cd-rom boot, internal network adapter boot, network boot protocol, and the uefi boot order)



downloading and using rufus as of typing this. will update once done


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Then contact HP support and see what they have to say
Or post in their Forum: Solved: BIOS Refuses to Enable Legacy Boot - HP Support Forum - 5491354


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