What to Do If Your Computer Is Stuck in a Startup Repair Loop: 5 Solutions to Get Your PC Back Up and Running

If your computer is stuck in a seemingly endless loop of startup repair, it can be a frustrating and concerning experience. However, there are several troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve the issue and get your PC back up and running. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore five effective solutions to address the startup repair loop problem.

1. Run CHKDSK on the Boot Volume

One of the first steps you can take is to run the CHKDSK (Check Disk) command on the boot volume. This utility can help identify and fix any file system errors that may be causing the startup repair loop. Here’s how to do it:

1. Boot your computer from a Windows installation media or recovery drive.
2. When the “Choose an option” screen appears, select “Troubleshoot”.
3. Choose “Command Prompt” from the “Advanced options” menu.
4. In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter: chkdsk /f
5. The CHKDSK utility will scan your boot volume and attempt to fix any errors it finds. This process may take some time, so be patient.
6. Once the CHKDSK process is complete, restart your computer and see if the startup repair loop has been resolved.

2. Disable Automatic Restart

Another potential solution is to disable the automatic restart feature in Windows, which can sometimes contribute to the startup repair loop. Here’s how to do it:

1. Boot your computer from a Windows installation media or recovery drive.
2. When the “Choose an option” screen appears, select “Troubleshoot”.
3. Choose “Command Prompt” from the “Advanced options” menu.
4. In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter: bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled no
5. This command will disable the automatic restart feature, which may help resolve the startup repair loop.
6. Restart your computer and see if the issue has been resolved.

3. Run the System File Checker (SFC) Command

The System File Checker (SFC) is a built-in Windows utility that can scan and repair corrupted system files. This can be a useful step in resolving the startup repair loop. Here’s how to use it:

1. Boot your computer from a Windows installation media or recovery drive.
2. When the “Choose an option” screen appears, select “Troubleshoot”.
3. Choose “Command Prompt” from the “Advanced options” menu.
4. In the Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter: sfc /scannow
5. The SFC utility will scan your system files and attempt to repair any corrupted or missing files.
6. Once the process is complete, restart your computer and see if the startup repair loop has been resolved.

4. Manually Rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD)

If the previous steps haven’t worked, you may need to manually rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD), which is responsible for managing the boot process. Here’s how to do it:

1. Boot your computer from a Windows installation media or recovery drive.
2. When the “Choose an option” screen appears, select “Troubleshoot”.
3. Choose “Command Prompt” from the “Advanced options” menu.
4. In the Command Prompt, type the following commands and press Enter after each one: bootrec /fixmbr bootrec /fixboot bootrec /rebuildbcd
5. These commands will attempt to rebuild the BCD and fix any issues with the boot process.
6. Restart your computer and see if the startup repair loop has been resolved.

5. Perform a System Restore

If all else fails, you may need to perform a system restore to revert your computer to a previous state when it was working correctly. Here’s how to do it:

1. Boot your computer from a Windows installation media or recovery drive.
2. When the “Choose an option” screen appears, select “Troubleshoot”.
3. Choose “System Restore” from the “Advanced options” menu.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to select a restore point and complete the system restore process.
5. Once the system restore is complete, restart your computer and see if the startup repair loop has been resolved.