A few days ago, my HP computer (running Windows 7) automatically completed the installation update. But when I started the next day, it was in the process of starting a repair. At that time, I thought it was a normal thing, so I let it start repairing. When I came home the next day to check, it was still starting to fix. So I closed it again. But when I started it again, the error message that appeared made me feel frustrated, with two options: “Start startup repair (recommended)” and “Start Windows normally”. Then I clicked on the previous option, but it displayed a loading bar and started loading the file.
I thought all the problems I encountered would be solved, but I didn’t. The Win7 computer is constantly looping through automatic repair, and I am unable to use the F key to open anything or even cancel the startup repair process. How can Win7 skip automatic repair or is there any way to help me solve the problem of Win7 looping through repair after an update? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated
Windows Error Recovery
Possible reasons for Win7 computer’s continuous loop automatic repair
When Win7 error recovery infinite loop, many users choose to “start startup repair”. But why doesn’t it work and enters the repair cycle again? Generally speaking, there are two main reasons:
- Damage to BCD settings
If the boot partition is infected by viruses and other malicious software, the boot loader and boot chain will be damaged. Then the virus may prevent the normal operation of the startup repair. So the Win7 loop startup fix appeared.
- Damage to startup partition
Windows 7/8.1/8/10 creates a separate NTFS partition at the beginning of the disk by default, reserved for core bootloader and BCD configuration. If there are any improper shutdowns, sudden power outages, or blue screen crashes when writing to the boot partition, the Win7 auto repair loop is also likely to fail to boot.
Understanding the possible reasons why Win7 computers continue to loop through automatic repairs, it is important to find ways to bypass automatic repairs and successfully start the computer in Win7.
6 methods: effectively solve Win7 loop startup repair
When you are unable to start Windows 11/10/8/7, reinstalling the operating system may be a guaranteed solution as it gets stuck in the restart itself and will never be fixed by skipping startup. But this will require a lot of time and energy. So here we will share with you the following methods to solve the Win7 loop startup fix without reinstalling.
✔ Method 1 Rollback to the state before the recent update of Windows 7
If your computer gets stuck in a Win7 auto repair loop after an update and cannot boot up, you can try rolling back the Windows 7 update in safe mode (because Windows cannot start properly).
- Press the F8 key to enter safe mode during system startup. It will bring up the “Advanced Startup Options” where you can choose from:
safe mode
Network security mode
Safe mode with command prompt
Use the arrow to select your preferred safe mode, and then press “Enter”.
Select Repair Computer in Advanced Startup Options
After entering safe mode, you will see an environment similar to a typical Windows 7 desktop. Now you can search for “Programs and Features” under the Start menu. Then click “View installed updates”.
View installed updates
- Then you will see a list of installed updates. Identify recent installed updates that may cause a repair loop to start.
After finding the recent update, you can right-click on it and select “Uninstall” to delete it.
Then, you can restart the Windows 7 computer to check if the Win7 loop startup repair issue has been resolved. If the problem persists, please proceed to the next method.
Note: If you are unable to start your Windows 7 computer properly after installing new drivers or changing settings, you can try the “Last Correct Configuration” option before attempting safe mode. This can load valid driver and registry data from the last successful startup and then shutdown of Windows 7.
Select the most recent correct configuration
✔ Method 2 Disable automatic restart
You can try disabling or canceling automatic restart, although it may not resolve boot errors, it can provide more information to help you identify the true cause of the error.
You can see the “Disable automatic restart in case of system failure” option in the “Advanced Boot Options” window. This is the method that triggers this operation.
- Restart the computer. A screen with the manufacturer logo and/or system information is waiting to enter the BIOS.
- Quickly start by continuously pressing F8 until the “Advanced Startup Options” list appears.
- Select “disable automatic restart on system failure”, press “Enter” and wait for your computer to start.
Disable automatic restart on system failure
✔ Method 3 Run chkdsk on the boot volume
The chkdsk command-line tool can be used to inspect or even repair drives to solve file system corruption issues. To run chkdsk, do the following:
- Insert the Windows 7 installation CD and start Windows from the CD.
When you see “Press Any Key To Boot CD or DVD”, press any key.
- Click on “Repair Your Computer” and wait for the repair to start scanning your computer with alarms to install Windows, then select your operating system from the list.
- Select “Command Prompt” from the “System Recovery Options” menu.
Starting the command prompt for selecting from the installation disk
- After the command prompt window starts, enter the command “chkdsk c:/f” to check for damaged, invalid, or deleted system files in your installation (C represents the system disk where Windows is installed). Then, the CHKDSK tool will start scanning your drives for issues and repairing them if possible.
Fix with chkdsk command
✎ Tip: You can also enter the “sfc/scannow” command to verify the integrity of each operating system file on your computer.
✔ Method 4 Run bootrec to repair damaged or damaged BCD settings
If there are some errors in the installation or configuration of the bootloader, starting a repair loop may also occur. But you can manually attempt to rebuild BCD (boot configuration data), partition boot sectors, and master boot records by running Bootrec. Open a command prompt window, enter the following command, and then press Enter after each command.
Bootrec/fixmbr
Bootrec/fixboot
Bootrec/rebuildbcd
After this, your computer should not be in the state of Win7 loop startup repair.
✔ Method 5 Perform System Restore
Since system protection is enabled by default, you can use it to restore your computer to an earlier state. You can run system restore to your Windows 7 in the Windows recovery environment. To access System Restore, follow the same steps as the third method to enter the System Recovery Options screen, click on “System Restore”, and follow the instructions to complete the operation.
✔ Method 6 Rebuild MBR without installing a disk
As you can see, most solutions require the use of a Windows installation CD or DVD. But I want to solve the Win7 loop startup fix without installing the disk. You can use the Aomei Partition Assistant Professional Edition. Moreover, it can help you create a bootable USB drive to start your computer and then rebuild MBR in WinPE mode.
- Connect a blank USB drive (over 8GB) to a working computer (as your Windows 7 computer cannot start). Then go to the download center or click the button to download the Aomei Partition Assistant, install and start it.
Free download of professional version
Win 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
- Click on Create Startup Disc in the left pane. Follow the wizard to create a WinPE bootable USB drive. Disconnect the USB drive after completion.
Creating a startup disc
✎ Tip: The Aomei Partition Assistant Professional Edition will also be pre installed on a bootable USB drive.
- Insert the USB drive into a computer with Win7 error recovery infinite loop, start it, then enter BIOS to make bootable USB a priority boot device, and then restart the computer to Windows PE mode.
After logging in, the Aomei Partition Assistant Professional Edition will automatically load and start. Right click on the system disk that needs to be repaired and select “Rebuild MBR” from the drop-down menu.
Choose to rebuild MBR
- Then a small pop-up window will appear, select the correct MBR type for Windows 7, and click “OK”.
Choose the MBR type for the operating system
- Click “Submit” and select “Execute” to initiate the rebuild operation.
Submit MBR reconstruction operation
Then remove the USB flash drive from your computer and restart to check if the Win7 computer’s automatic repair loop has been resolved. In addition, you can also use the “Check Partition” function of the Aomei Partition Assistant to check for system disk errors and repair them if necessary.
