Windows 8.1 Stuck At Preparing Automatic Repairs

[The Original Yeti]

Today I was on my computer, which has Windows 8.1, and it crashed on me. It restarted automatically and it said "Preparing Automatic Repairs" and then it was just stuck on that screen and wouldn't move on with the repair. After about 20 minutes I decided to restart my computer and go into the BIOS/UEFI and try to mess with some settings to try too boot it in safe mode, but I ended up booting the HDD with my OS on it, but it went back to "Preparing Automatic Repairs", but this time it had a spinning circle above it like it was loading and then it restarted and did the same thing and now it's stuck in that loop. I contacted Microsoft support and we went back and forth and they ended up telling me that I needed to re-install Windows, but I don't have a disk because it came pre-loaded. I was wondering if there was anything that I could do short of re-installing Windows because it would be difficult to get another copy? I noticed on some other forums that I need to boot Windows in safe mode, would that be possible to do somehow?

 

[Astralv]

Are you asking how to start in Safe mode? If you continuously press F4 (it may be some other F button) when it starts, it should take you to different options, including options to start in safe mode and repair options. I would try to reset Windows to last restore point. Safe mode options are hidden- you need to look up a procedure on the internet- there are step by step instructions to access it.

 

[JamesSvr6]

In short, you have to start from scratch and re-install windows, programs/software and load your files back onto the machine from your backup. (make sure you setup your computer to automatically create restore points as your restore point files can be exported before you wipe your computer and start installing everything again)

All work will be lost since your latest backup. All programs and settings will have to be re-installed and setup. From your computer failing to complete 'Automatic Repair' to be up and running again as before this will easily take you a whole day. As a business this has lost us many days work and cost a large amount in IT services amounting to £1000's.

As far as we can see this is a problem with the majority of windows 8 PC's. Our IT technician has said the same, it is very common. We have 5 windows 8/8.1 pc's in the office and this has happened to 4 out of 5. On one of the machines this has happened 4 times.

If I had the choice when buying a personal machine I would hold off for as long as possible until there is no other option but to change to windows 8. The benefits of windows 8 simply do not outweigh this huge negative that is very likely to happen to your machine.

 

[The Original Yeti]

Thanks for everyone's contributions. I ended up having to wipe the drive like everybody was saying and I could not get any files off of it because it was totally corrupt, but that's okay because I'm up and running again. Again, thanks for the good info that both of you gave!!!