How to Fix the Automatic Repair Loop in Windows 11

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Windows 11BootTroubleshootingFix

The Problem

Windows 11 keeps cycling through Preparing Automatic Repair → Diagnosing your PC → Automatic Repair couldn't repair your PC → restart → repeat. It can't fix itself and never reaches the desktop. The cause is usually corrupt boot configuration, damaged system files, or a bad update/driver.

Seeing a clean blue screen with INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE instead? Use that fix. A black screen with no logo? See black screen on boot.

Quick Fixes (Try These First)

Disconnect Peripherals and Boot Once More

Unplug USB drives, external disks, and dongles, then power on. A removable drive in the boot order frequently traps the PC in this loop.

The Fix: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Get to Advanced Options

On the Automatic Repair couldn't repair your PC screen, click Advanced options. (If it never appears, force-shutdown at the logo three times to trigger it.)

Step 2: Uninstall the Latest Update

  1. Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Uninstall Updates.
  2. Choose Uninstall latest quality update and reboot.

Step 3: Run Startup Repair

Advanced options → Startup Repair. Let it complete fully even if it takes a while.

Step 4: Rebuild Boot Files and Scan Offline

Open Advanced options → Command Prompt and run:

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd

If bootrec /fixboot returns Access denied, run bcdboot C:\Windows instead. Then check the system files:

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows
chkdsk C: /f /r

Step 5: Disable Automatic Repair to Read the Real Error

Turning the loop off lets Windows show what's actually failing.

  1. In Command Prompt, run: 
    bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No
  2. Reboot. If Windows now boots (or shows a specific error you can act on), you can re-enable it later with bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled Yes.

Step 6: Boot Safe Mode and Undo the Change

Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart → press 5 (Safe Mode with Networking). From there, roll back a bad update or use System Restore.

Still Looping?