PREPARING AUTOMATIC REPAIR
 

Got this error message, too!

Expected it to eventually display the Win10 login screen but it didn't. ???

PREPARING AUTOMATIC REPAIR
 

On 11/8/2018 7:48 PM, Alek wrote:
Got this error message, too!

Expected it to eventually display the Win10 login screen but it didn't. ???

I believe that if Donald Trump licks your ass
and eats your feces, the bootup error will go away.
Give him a call.

PREPARING AUTOMATIC REPAIR
 

"Alek" wrote

|
| Expected it to eventually display the Win10 login screen but it didn't.
???

Keith's theory sounds likely -- a dying disk.
I dealt with something similar in Win8 recently.
The disk was known bad but I was hoping to get
data off of it. It just kept cycling with various
errors.

You could have bad RAM but that usually
manifests more as functionality problems. Like
things work OK but suddenly crash.

Over the years Microsoft have added things
like repair that seem useful, but they don't seem
to do much and can't usually tell you what the
problem is.

I've also tried disk analysis software but got
different results with each one.

You didn't say anything about the type of computer
or whether you have backup. If you have a disk
image you might want to try picking up a new
hard disk and installing it to that. Then see if you
can get your data off the old disk.

PREPARING AUTOMATIC REPAIR
 

Mayayana wrote on 11/8/2018 9:28 PM:
"Alek" wrote

|
| Expected it to eventually display the Win10 login screen but it didn't.
???

Keith's theory sounds likely -- a dying disk.
I dealt with something similar in Win8 recently.
The disk was known bad but I was hoping to get
data off of it. It just kept cycling with various
errors.

You could have bad RAM but that usually
manifests more as functionality problems. Like
things work OK but suddenly crash.

Over the years Microsoft have added things
like repair that seem useful, but they don't seem
to do much and can't usually tell you what the
problem is.

I've also tried disk analysis software but got
different results with each one.

You didn't say anything about the type of computer
or whether you have backup. If you have a disk
image you might want to try picking up a new
hard disk and installing it to that. Then see if you
can get your data off the old disk.

The boot disk is a 5-month-old M.2 SSD. How does that change things?

PREPARING AUTOMATIC REPAIR
 

"Alek" wrote

| The boot disk is a 5-month-old M.2 SSD. How does that change things?

I guess that makes it a less likely culprit. :)
But it doesn't rule it out.

There are things you can try that are fairly easy, to
rule out some things:

Run memtest86 to test the RAM.

Check all connections to make sure nothing is
loose. Sometimes just taking out a RAM stick and
putting it back in will fix "faulty" RAM.

I'd be surprised if the battery is a problem. That
usually manifests as a clock that keeps losing time.

Usually you can also find good info online by
searching for the exact text of the error. Though
you have to watch out for know-it-alls who will
throw out quick answers. Also watch out for
companies that want to sell you a product to
fix exactly the problem you have.

Even better is to get any error code. That's usually
something like:

0x00001234 (0x00001234, 0x00001234, 0x00001234, 0x00001234)

Each part means something. Search for the exact text
of some or all of the error code.

PREPARING AUTOMATIC REPAIR
 

On Fri, 9 Nov 2018 19:24:22 -0500, Alek
wrote:

Mayayana wrote on 11/8/2018 9:28 PM:
"Alek" wrote

|
| Expected it to eventually display the Win10 login screen but it didn't.
???

Keith's theory sounds likely -- a dying disk.
I dealt with something similar in Win8 recently.
The disk was known bad but I was hoping to get
data off of it. It just kept cycling with various
errors.

You could have bad RAM but that usually
manifests more as functionality problems. Like
things work OK but suddenly crash.

Over the years Microsoft have added things
like repair that seem useful, but they don't seem
to do much and can't usually tell you what the
problem is.

I've also tried disk analysis software but got
different results with each one.

You didn't say anything about the type of computer
or whether you have backup. If you have a disk
image you might want to try picking up a new
hard disk and installing it to that. Then see if you
can get your data off the old disk.

The boot disk is a 5-month-old M.2 SSD. How does that change things?

I had a call from a near neighbor about a year ago and he was having a
problem with his recently installed M2 SSD card. He plugged his SSD
card in its socket and it worked for a few months and then it failed.
He didn't realise that he should also install a holding screw in the
other end of the SSD card to secure it in its socket ! You can guess
the result of this oversight. Fortunately there was no damage to the
SSD card and his problem was easy to fix.

PREPARING AUTOMATIC REPAIR
 

Alek wrote:

The boot disk is a 5-month-old M.2 SSD. How does that change things?

Do you have a backup image of the drive ?

How old is it (i.e. is the backup image relevant
or irrelevant at this point) ? A really old backup
isn't much good if you're about to lose a lot of
data files.

In a previous thread, you're missing a SYSTEM registry file.

In this thread, you're missing some small boot ingredient.

I'd want to boot some environment, where I could look
at the volume in question. Even booting the Win10 installer
DVD is better than nothing. In the troubleshooting section,
it has a Command Prompt button. From there, you can "dir C:"
or "dir D:" and so on.

Testdisk has a list files option, which you could test if
the volume isn't too trashed.

The Automatic Repair may have already tried to run CHKDSK.
At one time, it would spend two hours doing a bad block
scan, but doesn't seem to be doing that now. I've had
these Automatic Repairs too, but for a different
easy to fix reason. All I had to do was get into
Safe Mode (mine was a driver problem, and the BSOD error
STOP code right away gives the breadcrumb needed).

Paul

PREPARING AUTOMATIC REPAIR
 

Paul wrote on 11/10/2018 2:52 AM:
Alek wrote:

The boot disk is a 5-month-old M.2 SSD. How does that change things?

Do you have a backup image of the drive ?

Yes. Current.

In a previous thread, you're missing a SYSTEM registry file.

I don't follow this. What exactly am I missing and why?

In this thread, you're missing some small boot ingredient.

I don't follow this. What exactly am I missing and why?

I'd want to boot some environment, where I could look
at the volume in question. Even booting the Win10 installer
DVD is better than nothing. In the troubleshooting section,
it has a Command Prompt button. From there, you can "dir C:"
or "dir D:" and so on.

Testdisk has a list files option, which you could test if
the volume isn't too trashed.

The Automatic Repair may have already tried to run CHKDSK.
At one time, it would spend two hours doing a bad block
scan, but doesn't seem to be doing that now. I've had
these Automatic Repairs too, but for a different
easy to fix reason. All I had to do was get into
Safe Mode (mine was a driver problem, and the BSOD error
STOP code right away gives the breadcrumb needed).

Today when I booted up, everything was fine. :-) Go figure.

Incidentally, every time I had tried to get into Safe Mode (shift
Restart), I got to "Choose an option" but with just one option: Shutdown
your PC"!! ???

Thanks, all, for your suggestions.

PREPARING AUTOMATIC REPAIR
 

Mayayana wrote on 11/9/2018 8:12 PM:
"Alek" wrote

| The boot disk is a 5-month-old M.2 SSD. How does that change things?

I guess that makes it a less likely culprit. :)
But it doesn't rule it out.

There are things you can try that are fairly easy, to
rule out some things:

Run memtest86 to test the RAM.

Check all connections to make sure nothing is
loose. Sometimes just taking out a RAM stick and
putting it back in will fix "faulty" RAM.

I'd be surprised if the battery is a problem. That
usually manifests as a clock that keeps losing time.

Usually you can also find good info online by
searching for the exact text of the error. Though
you have to watch out for know-it-alls who will
throw out quick answers. Also watch out for
companies that want to sell you a product to
fix exactly the problem you have.

Even better is to get any error code. That's usually
something like:

0x00001234 (0x00001234, 0x00001234, 0x00001234, 0x00001234)

Each part means something. Search for the exact text
of some or all of the error code.


Thanks b ut there was no error code. Weird, huh?

PREPARING AUTOMATIC REPAIR
 

Alek wrote:


Incidentally, every time I had tried to get into Safe Mode (shift
Restart), I got to "Choose an option" but with just one option: Shutdown
your PC"!! ???

Thanks, all, for your suggestions.

The last time I tried "shift", nothing happened. I
could not get into Safe Mode that way.

*******

On some of my Win10 installs, I have this set up in
bcd, using the bcdedit command.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/...dows-10-a.html

Now, mine is set to "Standard" and yet the black screen appears.
I can access Safe Mode options when this screen is displayed,
by pressing F8 in that screen. The Safe Mode option is then
accessed by pressing a single digit key such as "4" (not shown
in my picture, but on the tenforums pictures).

https://i.postimg.cc/6395hcrc/boot-menu-policy.gif

You use an Administrator Command Prompt, so bcdedit is
elevated enough to change the bcd file.

My guess would be, that the "DisplayBootMenu" item is the
most important. You can rinse and repeat, after adding it
and see what happens. Try standard or legacy for the other
one etc.

*******

As for why you got Shutdown, that's a "short story".

As far as I know, the GUIDs for each storage partition
aren't stored in the partitions themselves. Or at least,
I couldn't find them. I suspect the Registry has to be
fully operational, for booting to work (look up GUID
in registry). The boot process might be more "tortured"
than it looks, at a guess.

If it doesn't actually know where C: is, then the only
option it could offer is shutdown.

Paul