0

My windows installation is corrupted, but I know how to fix it, refresh it. But in order to do that I need to get my windows installation in preparing automatic repair mode. But even though my windows installation is corrupted it makes no attempt to repair itself. So how can I do that without an installation disk?

Peter Anderson
  • 51

2 Answers2

1

Turn it on then turn it back off as soon as it starts booting up, do this a couple of times. It will then start on automatic repair

Altin
  • 21
-1

"Preparing Automatic Recovery", is the boot-up of a Windows Recovery Disk. On some systems, the "disk" has been turned into a pre-installed partition that boots if the normal Windows partition boot fails.

If you can't get your own system to boot to Windows Recovery, you can use any Windows 10 system to create a Windows Recovery Disk (CD/DVD) or Drive (USB) as long as the "bit-flavor" is the same as your system. That is, if you have Windows 10 64-bit, you must use another Windows 10 64-bit system to create the Windows Recovery Disk/Drive.

This link will take you to a TechRepublic article that walks you through creating a Windows Recovery Disk using either a USB drive or optical disk, complete with diagrams.

EDIT: In case the TechRepublic article disappears...

USB Flash instructions:

  1. Open the Windows control panel and type in "Recovery" in the search bar (upper right hand corner of the control panel window.
  2. An option labeled "Create a recovery drive" should be in the search results. Click on that item.
  3. There will be a "Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your PC?" warning. Click Yes.
  4. The Recovery Drive program will launch. On the first screen there is a little check-box next to "Back up system files to the recovery drive. Check that box if you need the system files (warning: takes alot of room. Have a 16g USB drive or larger handy). Click Next
  5. The next screen will show you a list of available drives. Select the USB drive, keeping in mind that the USB drive will be completely erased. Click Next.
  6. You'll now face a dire warning that your USB drive will be erased. Click Create. This step could take a while.
  7. Once complete, you'll be told that your recovery drive is ready.

Optical Disk (Don't worry about the "Windows 7" prefix - it's the same tool)

  1. Open the Control Panel and type "Windows 7" in the search bar (upper right corner of the control panel)
  2. Click on "Backup and Restore"
  3. The backup and restore utility will launch. On the left side of the B&R window, click on "Create a system repair disk".
  4. The "Create a System Repair Disc" dialogue will appear. Select the recording device you'll use. Put a blank disk in at this point. Click "Create Disc"
  5. Once finished, you'll be told to label the disk. Label the disk 32 or 64 bit, particularly if you have a mixed environment of both!

You can now boot with either. You may have to go into your broken system's bios to allow USB or optical disk boots. Many systems have both types of boot devices disabled by default. Good luck!

Edit #2: If the (feable) automatic repair tools don't work and you don't want to re-pave your install of windows 10, trot on over to this post. Despite being Windows-8-focused, most of the tips/suggestions apply to Windows 10 as well. Its selected answer will give you a good lesson on one of the diagnostic tools available to you at the command prompt - the single useful menu selection from the Windows Repair disk. Do read the other answers as well for other tips to get a sick Windows boot-up back on track.

Community
  • 1
Jim M
  • 101