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Get the fix for the <strong>infinite Startup Repair loop</strong> error for the following Windows versions: <strong>Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1</strong>.

This error prevents you from accessing anything on your computer and presents an endless loop of loading Startup Repair without end.

<h2>About "Startup Repair in Infinite Loop"</h2>

[kbintro]

<h3>Symptom 1: Computer attempts to enter Startup Repair continuously</h3>

Every time the PC is restarted, before Windows begins to load a message is displayed indicating that "Windows failed to start," and offering an option to "Launch Startup Repair (recommended)" from a variation of <a title="Windows Advanced Boot Options menu" href="http://neosmart.net/wiki/advanced-boot-options-menu/">the Advanced Boot Options menu</a> as shown below:

<pre>Windows Error Recovery

Windows failed to start. A recent hardware or software change might be the
cause.

If Windows files have been damaged or configured incorrectly, Startup Repair
can help diagnose and fix the problem. If power was interrupted during 
startup, choose Start Windows Normally.
(Use the arrow keys to highlight your choice.)

Launch Startup Repair (recommended)
    Start Windows Normally

Description: Fix problems that are preventing Windows from starting</pre>

Startup Repair will then either fail to load, launch but fail to repair, or run and claim repairs have been executed — however your PC will continue to attempt to endlessly start Startup Repair each boot.

On Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 this is called <strong>Automatic Repair</strong>:

<pre>Automatic Repair

Automatic Repair couldn't repair your PC

Press "Advanced options" to try other options to repair your PC or "Shut down" to turn off your PC.
Log file: C:\Windows\System32\Logfiles\Srt\SrtTrail.txt

Shut down | Advanced options</pre>

The Log file path can be different.

<h2>Causes of this error</h2>

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

<h3>Cause #1: Damaged or corrupted BCD settings</h3>

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.

<h3>Cause #2: Corrupted boot partition</h3>

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.

<h3>Cause #3: Blue Screen of Death on reboot</h3>

It is possible that every <em>other</em> time Windows attempts to boot, a BSOD occurs.

Recent versions of Windows are configured to hide this fact from the user and silently reboot.

(In the experience of the researchers at NeoSmart Technologies, there is almost never a good reason for doing this. Microsoft is hoping that a reboot will fix your PC and so Windows decides to hide the blue screen and reboot, endlessly and in vain.

A much more intelligent solution would be for Windows to keep track of whether or not this blue screen resulted in a silent and automatic reboot last time, and if so, show it so the user can see what's going on.)

A BSOD during boot up will trigger a version of <a title="Windows Advanced Boot Options menu" href="http://neosmart.net/wiki/advanced-boot-options-menu/">the Advanced Boot Options menu</a> to be shown on next reboot prompting the user to select "Repair Your Computer," ultimately causing the endless loop of Startup Repair.

<h2>Guaranteed Fix: Use Easy Recovery Essentials</h2>

[easyre guaranteed="true" error="endless repair computer loop" bootscreen="vista-7-8"]

<h2>Fixes for Infinite Loop of Startup Repair on Windows Vista, 7</h2>

[setupcd]

<h3>Fix #1: Run chkdsk on the boot volume</h3>

[partial name="partial_chkdsk"]

<h3>Fix #2: Disable Automatic Restart</h3>

[partial name="partial_no_auto_restart"]

<h3>Fix #3: Manually attempt to rebuild the BCD</h3>

[partial name="partial_rebuild_bcd"]

<h2>Fixes for Automatic Repair Loop in Windows 8</h2>

[setupcd]

Often booting into Safe Mode and uninstall recently install device drivers or software may fix the Automatic Repair loop error.

<p class="warning">To boot into Safe Mode of a Windows 8 or 8.1 system, you need to have the original DVD or USB. If you don't have it, go to <a href="#Guaranteed_Fix_Use_Easy_Recovery_Essentials">Fix with Easy Recovery Essentials</a>.</p>

<ol>
<li>Insert the disc and reboot the system</li>
<li>Press any key to boot from the DVD</li>
<li>Choose your keyboard layout</li>
<li>Click <strong>Repair your computer</strong> at the <em>Install now</em> screen

If booting your system in Safe Mode doesn't solve the error, go to <a href="#Fix_2_Run_bootrec">Fix #2: Run bootrec</a>.

<h3>Fix #2: Run bootrec</h3>

Running the <code>bootrec</code> utility to rebuild the BCD might fix the error. To run <code>bootrec.exe</code> on Windows 8 or 8.1, follow these steps:

<ol>
<li>Insert the original Windows 8/8.1 install DVD or USB

<p class="info">If you don't have the installation DVD or USB, go to <a href="#Guaranteed_Fix_Use_Easy_Recovery_Essentials">Fix Automatic Repair Loop with Easy Recovery Essentials</a>.</p>
</li>
<li>Click <strong>Repair your computer</strong>

<img src="/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/06/windows-8-repair-your-computer-screen.png" alt="Windows 8 Install Screen" /></li>
<li>Click <strong>Troubleshoot</strong> and then <strong>Advanced options</strong></li>
<li>Click <strong>Command Prompt</strong></li>
<li>When Command Prompt loads, type these commands:
<pre>bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd</pre>
</li>
<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd> after each command
<li>When the last command - <code>bootrec /rebuildbcd</code> - finished the process, type <code>exit</code> and restart your computer</li>
</ol>

<h3>Fix #3: Run chkdsk</h3>

The <code>chkdsk</code> utility might fix the Automatic Repair Loop on Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 systems

To access it, follow the same steps as the <a href="#Fix_2_Run_bootrec">Fix #2: Run bootrec</a> to reach Command Prompt:

<ol>
<li>Click Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt

</li>
<li>When Command Prompt loads, type these commands:
<pre>chkdsk /r</pre>
</li>
<li>Press <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
</ol>

<h3>Fix #4: System Restore</h3>

To access System Restore, follow the same steps as <a href="#Fix_2_Run_bootrec">Fix #2: Run bootrec</a> to reach the Advanced Options screen:

<ol>
<li>Click <strong>Troubleshoot</strong>

[caption id="attachment_1723" align="alignnone" width="980"]<img src="/wiki/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/02/windows-8-recovery-options-screen-troubleshoot-1024x687.png" alt="Troubleshoot in Windows 8 recovery options screen" width="980" height="657" class="size-large wp-image-1723" /> Troubleshoot in Windows 8 recovery options screen[/caption]
</li>
<li>Click <strong>System Restore</strong></li>
<li>Follow the wizard instructions to continue the process. Choose a restore point <strong>before</strong> the date when the Automatic Repair loop error appeared.</li>
</ol>

<h2>More Information</h2>

<h3>Linked Entries</h3>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/chkdsk/">chkdsk</a></li>
<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/bootrec/">bootrec</a></li>
<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/advanced-boot-options-menu/">Advanced Boot Options menu</a></li>
</ul>

[partial name="partial_moreinfo" versions="vista,7,8,server2008,server2012"]