Windows 10: Windows 10 Preparing Automatic Repair, Fails, boots on second try.

This is a Dell Precision M7510. Has a Samsung 950 NVME 512GB SSD in the M.2 slot as the main OS drive. A secondary 512GB SSD is installed in the SATA slot as a DATA drive. This system has Windows 10 Pro on it, installed from an imaging software at our work. Countless other systems have this same WIndows 10 image without issue. Two other 7510s have the same setup (M.2 boot drive) without issue.

I power on this system and after about 10 seconds I get the "preparing automatic repair". Then Diagnosing PC, Attempting repairs, then "Couldn't repair" Shutdown or Advanced Options. If I shut the computer down, turn it immediately back on it boots just fine. Here is a copy of the srttrail.txt file.. Any ideas?

Startup Repair diagnosis and repair log---------------------------Number of repair attempts: 1Session details---------------------------System Disk = \Device\Harddisk0Windows directory = C:\WINDOWSAutoChk Run = 0Number of root causes = 1Test Performed: ---------------------------Name: Check for updatesResult: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0Time taken = 0 msTest Performed: ---------------------------Name: System disk testResult: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0Time taken = 0 msTest Performed: ---------------------------Name: Disk failure diagnosisResult: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0Time taken = 0 msTest Performed: ---------------------------Name: Disk metadata testResult: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0Time taken = 0 msTest Performed: ---------------------------Name: Target OS testResult: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0Time taken = 62 msTest Performed: ---------------------------Name: Volume content checkResult: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0Time taken = 63 msTest Performed: ---------------------------Name: Boot manager diagnosisResult: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0Time taken = 0 msTest Performed: ---------------------------Name: System boot log diagnosisResult: Completed successfully. Error code = 0x0Time taken = 0 msRoot cause found: ---------------------------Boot manager failed to find OS loader.Repair action: File repairResult: Failed. Error code = 0x490Time taken = 2485 msRepair action: Boot configuration data store repairResult: Failed. Error code = 0x490Time taken = 47 ms------------------------------------------------------

:)

 

Windows 10 professional 64 bit fails to fully boot-up

 

"Preparing Automatic Repair" Screen Boot Problem

So, i recently downloaded windows 10 and upgraded to it with a boot disc on my desktop. My computer was functioning as normal

until i restarted it, and this problem happened. Whenever i boot up my computer, it goes to a screen with the windows logo and the words, "Preparing Automatic Repair". There is no circular loading icon amd the screen never changes. I looked around the web
for this problem, and i couldn't find a solution. This is not the same problem as the preparing automatic repair restart loop. I tried to run the system recovery by pressing F11, but it goes to the same " Preparing Automatic repair" screen. I also tried to
boot from my windows 10 installation cd, but it brings me to a screen with the same problem but lacks the "Preparing automatic repair" under the windows logo. Any sort of solution for this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Hi, suggest you check your disk.

Then consider

Fix the MBR – Guide for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10
section
Fix the MBR in Windows 10

 

Chkdsk is fine:

Chkdsk was executed in scan mode on a volume snapshot. Checking file system on C:Volume label is Local Disk.Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ... 506112 file records processed. File verification completed. 10099 large file records processed. 0 bad file records processed. Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ... 625818 index entries processed. Index verification completed. Stage 3: Examining security descriptors ...Security descriptor verification completed. 59854 data files processed. CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal... 40344912 USN bytes processed. Usn Journal verification completed.Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems.No further action is required. 499362815 KB total disk space. 338822016 KB in 387187 files. 214064 KB in 59855 indexes. 636395 KB in use by the system. 65536 KB occupied by the log file. 159690340 KB available on disk. 4096 bytes in each allocation unit. 124840703 total allocation units on disk. 39922585 allocation units available on disk.

I will attempt MBR check/repair

 

Yes, but chkdsk won't check the area you need to check. Try Crystal Diskinfo and Macrorit DiskScanner

 

CDI report happy:








Although my backup drive seems to be failing (I)

 

Good to know that! Try Startup repair with a Win 10 disk, then if that doesn't work, the MBR repair.

A Macrium Reflect boot disk also offers a repair sequence - you can try that.
v5: How to fix Windows boot problems (Restore, Windows PE)

If that fails there's at least one more possible step.

 

Will do. I actually have the pro version of Macrium *Biggrin

Other disk checker said all clear:

 

I ran the repair from Macrium. Went from original error to "We need to check your disk". I did some more reading of the error logs and discovered that it wasn't cleanly shutting down. Some more reading, and I turned off the Windows 10 Fast Startup. Haven't had a startup issue since. I noticed the NVME driver for my Samsung SSD was 1.4.7.17, and there's a newer version (2.1.0.1611). Installed it tonight and may turn the windows 10 fast startup back on to see if the issue returns..

 

Just to update problem has not re-occurred.

 

Fast startup has had some adverse consequences for some users, mostly related to drivers. You have a SSD so don't need it anyway...

Glad you've found a solution.

 

I once had a similar problem on my desktop which was solved by a complete power off and restart. You do this on a laptop by turning off the PC (turn off fast startup), disconnect the main battery for say 5 minutes, then reconnect and restart the PC. Otherwise, use the tools above if my tip doesn't work.