Rightek Rescue · Guides · Automatic Repair loop
Windows stuck in an Automatic Repair loop? Here's how to fix it — without losing your files
First, breathe: your files are almost certainly fine. An Automatic Repair loop is a boot problem, not a data problem — Windows just can't get far enough to show you your desktop. This guide covers why it happens and how to fix it, from the manual steps to the one-click way.
What you're seeing
Your PC keeps landing on one of these, over and over:
- “Preparing Automatic Repair” → black screen → restart → repeat
- “Automatic Repair couldn't repair your PC”
- “Your PC did not start correctly”
- A blue Recovery screen with Restart / Advanced options that never actually fixes it
You may also see a stop code like 0xc000021a, 0xc000000f, or 0xc0000034.
Why it happens
Windows runs Automatic Repair after it fails to boot twice in a row. The loop happens when Automatic Repair itself can't fix the underlying cause. The usual culprits:
- A corrupt system registry hive (often after a power loss) —
0xc000021a - A missing or damaged boot file (
winload.efi,ntoskrnl.exe) —0xc000000f - A broken boot configuration (BCD) —
0xc0000034 - A half-finished Windows Update stuck mid-install
- Disk or filesystem corruption that trips the boot process
Fix it yourself — the manual steps
If you're comfortable with a few steps, here's the honest walkthrough:
- Force-stop the loop: hold the power button ~10s to shut down. Do this 2–3 times at the boot logo to trigger the Advanced Startup menu.
- Try Startup Repair: Advanced options → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Repair. Sometimes it works — but if you're here, it probably already failed.
- Disable automatic restart (Startup Settings) so you can read the actual stop code.
- Command Prompt (from Advanced options), then, depending on the cause:
- Rebuild the boot files:
bootrec /rebuildbcd,bootrec /fixmbr,bootrec /fixboot - Check the disk:
chkdsk C: /f /r - Restore the registry from backup (advanced — a wrong path here can brick the install)
- Rebuild the boot files:
- Last resort: Reset this PC → Keep my files. Sometimes this too gets stuck.
This works — if you know which cause you have and get every command right. Most people don't, which is why the next option exists.
⚡ The one-click way: let Rightek Rescue do it
Rescue does all of the above automatically, in the right order, from a rescue USB — no commands, no guesswork. On any working PC: download it, put it on a USB (one click makes it bootable), boot the stuck PC from it, and choose Fix My PC. It finds the exact cause of the loop and repairs it. Your files are never touched. Not sure what's wrong? It tells you free before it fixes anything.
FAQ
Will I lose my files?
No. In an Automatic Repair loop your data is almost always intact — the PC just can't reach it. Rescue repairs the boot/system side and never overwrites your personal files.
How long does it take?
Making the USB takes a couple of minutes; the repair itself is usually 5–20 minutes depending on the cause.
What if it's actually a hardware problem?
Rescue checks for that too. If it detects a failing drive, it tells you plainly to back up and service the hardware — it won't pretend a dying disk is a software fix.
Do I need a second computer?
Yes — any working PC to download Rescue and make the USB. Since your main PC is stuck, that's expected. Any USB stick 8GB+ works.
Which Windows versions?
Windows 10 and 11. Rescue runs from the USB, outside your broken Windows, so it works even when Windows won't start at all.