Preparing Automatic Repair

Question

Laptop is stuck on “Preparing Automatic Repair.” How to fix this?

Answer 1

your Windows 11 laptop is stuck on "Preparing Automatic Repair", try these fixes in order:

1• Force restart

Hold the power button for about 10 seconds until the laptop turns off.

Turn it back on.

If it gets stuck again, continue below.

2•

Enter Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)

Turn the laptop on.

As soon as the Windows logo appears, hold the power button to turn it off.

Repeat this 3 times. On the next boot, Windows should show Advanced Startup.

Go to: Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Repair.

3• Run System Restore (if available)

In Advanced options, select System Restore and choose a restore point from before the issue started.

4• Boot into Safe Mode

Go to Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Settings → Restart.

Press 4 or F4 for Safe Mode.

If it boots, uninstall any recently installed updates, drivers, or software that may have caused the problem.

5• Run Command Prompt repairs In Advanced options → Command Prompt, run these commands one at a time:

chkdsk C: /f /r

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows

These check your disk and repair Windows system files.

6• Reset Windows

If nothing works, choose Troubleshoot → Reset this PC.

Select Keep my files first to preserve your personal files.

Answer 2

Are you able to force your PC into the recovery environment using these steps.

Start your PC, just as Windows attempts to load (spinning dots), press and hold Power Button for 5 - 10 seconds to perform a Hard Shut Down

Do this twice

On the third start Windows will boot into the Recovery Environment and from there you can access System Repair, Safe Mode, Command Prompt... etc.

Please try each option one at a time, then see if Windows will boot to a stable system.

1

If there is an option to uninstall the latest update, that may be the best option.

2

Go to Troubleshoot - Advanced Option - Startup Repair

See if Windows startup can repair itself

3

Go to Troubleshoot - Advanced Option - System Restore

Check to see if you have a restore point you can go back to