Windows 10: Automatic Recovery Loop - Only Command Prompt available

Help. Norton update triggered blue automatic recovery loop. BitLocker key was set up. C: drive is locked and all I have access to is the command prompt with errors when trying to access C: drive. Any hope of recovery outside of a full wipe of system? Surface Pro running Windows 10 and life sucks right now... I think (???) I'm in safe mode. I can access X: D: drives.

:)

 

command prompt will not open in safe mode with command prompt

Would I just follow the same steps within safe mode after hooking up to the other system?

 

How does Windows boot to advanced recovery option e.g. command prompt?

- that gives me a 454 'Unexpected error' This tells me that the BCD is partially corrupted.

The commands: shutdown.exe /r /o /f /t 00
or: %SystemRoot%\System32\Cmd.exe /c reagentc /boottore&shutdown /r /f /t 00
should boot into Recovery if everything is configured correctly.
FYI, If Windows is configured correctly:

1. If Reagentc is disabled, you still can get into Recovery but with limited options.
2. If Reagentc is enabled, you'll get all options.
3. If you boot Windows using Recovery USB stick, You'll get into Recovery with couple of options missing.

Here's my suggestion if you want to try:
OPTION 1: Will save the trouble of re-install Windows.

1. Download the image of my first 3 partitions (450MB Recovery, 100 MB EFI partition, and 16MB unformatted primary)
   EFI_Boot-00-00.7z - Google Drive
2. Run Macrium and restore the image from step 1, overwriting your existing 1st three partitions, leaving C alone.
3. Delete the 490MB Recovery partition.
4. From Macrium, run fix boot problems.
5. Reboot. Open Admin command prompt then run Reagentc /info to make sure that it is enabled. If not, enable it.
   if failed to enable, reboot and try again.

OPTION 2: Assuming you've already had Windows backup with Macrium.

1. Wipe out the first 5 parttiions. (450MB, 100MB, 16MB, C Drive, 480MB)
2. Fresh install Windows 10
3. Restore C drive from backup image, run fix boot problems
4. repeat step 5 from OPTION 1 above.

 

Windows won't reset or restore, Automatic repair loop

Hi Bruno,

When the Automatic repair fails, we can suggest using the command prompt from Windows 10 Boot Options menu to run bootrec commands to fix the files the Auto Repair couldn't. Here are the steps:

• On the windows Recovery Option, choose Troubleshoot >
  Advanced Options.
• Select Command Prompt.
• Enter the following commands in the Command Prompt:

• bootrec.exe /rebuildbcd
• bootrec.exe /fixmbr
• bootrec.exe /fixboot

Once the repair is done, restart your PC and check if the issue is resolved. Let us know the outcome, so we could provide further assistance as necessary.

We'll keep an eye out to your response.