Startup Repair Infinite Loop Recovery

How to Recover from an Infinitely Looping Startup Repair Loop without Reinstalling Windows​

If you've ever experienced a Startup Repair that continously loops and fails to fix the problem of not being able to load windows, even in safe mode, then you'll know that usually the only way to recover from this when System Restore does not work is to do a clean install of Windows.

Until now.

This tutorial will show you how to use the System Recovery Options provided by Windows to recover your system to a working state so that you don't have to risk losing data by performing a clean install.

   Warning

The instructions presented withing this tutorial must be followed correctly, or you can damage your Windows 7 installation even further. This tutorial is designed to help recover from a bad registry that is causing the startup repair loop. You should note that there may still be some issues remaining that cannot be fixed by manually restoring the registry.

Recovering Your System

1. Boot to the System Recovery Options screen.
   • If Windows automatically opens Startup Repair, and subsequently fails to fix a problem, you can skip ahead to step 4 below.
2. In the System Recovery Options screen, click Startup Repair:
   
   
   
   
3. Windows will search for an attempt to repair startup problems:
   
   
   
   
4. If startup problems could not be repaired, you will receive the message Windows cannot repair this computer automatically. Click View advanced options for system recovery and support:
   
   
   
   
5. Click View advanced options for system recovery and support, which which bring you back to the main System Recovery Options screen.
6. Click Command Prompt:
   
   
   
   
7. Command Prompt should open to X:, which is an internal ram disk use by System Repair:
   
   
   
   
8. Now you need to find your system drive. Depending on how your system is setup, this could be either C: or D:.
   • Type C: and press <ENTER>.
   • Verify that this is your system drive by typing DIR and pressing <ENTER>. If you see the Program Files, Users and Windows folders, then you have found your system drive, and can continue to step 9 below.
   • If the drive is not your system drive, repeat steps I and II above, changing the drive letter to D, E or some other letter until the system drive is located.
     
     
     
9. When you have located your Windows system drive, type CD \windows\system32\config and press <ENTER>:
10. Type DIR and press <ENTER>, and verify that the following files and folders exist in the config folder:
    • RegBack (which is a folder)
    • DEFAULT
    • SAM
    • SECURITY
    • SOFTWARE
    • SYSTEM
      
      
      
11. Type MD mybackup and press <ENTER> to create a backup folder that you can use incase this procedure does not work as expected.
12. Type copy *.* mybackup and press <ENTER>.
    • If you are prompted to overwrite existing files, press A to allow all backups to be overwritten.
      
      
      
13. Now you need to check if you can use the automatic Windows backups to restore your registry:
    • Type CD RegBack and press <ENTER> to go to the RegBack folder.
    • Type DIR and press <ENTER> to view the contents of the folder. All the following files must exist:
      • The DEFAULT, SAM and SECURITY files should each be about 262,000 bytes in size.
      • The SOFTWARE file should be about 26,000,000 bytes.
      • The SYSTEM file should be about 9,900,000 bytes.
      • The file sizes presented here are approximate estimations, and may vary depending on your system. If any one of them are 0 bytes, then you should stop what you're doing now and seek an alternative method of recovering your system, because Windows cannot function with a 0-byte size registry hive.
    • If the hive files listed in RegBack are ok, then proceed to step 14 of the tutorial.
      
      
      
      
14. Type copy *.* .. and press <ENTER> to copy the backup hive files to \Windows\System32\config.
    • If you are prompted to overwrite existing files, press A to allow all file to be overwritten.
      
      
      
15. Type exit and press <ENTER> to close the command prompt.
    
    
    
    
16. Click the Restart button to reboot your computer. If all goes well, your system will boot normally.
    
    
    
    
    

Reference Information
This tutorial was made possible after learning how to manualy replace the Windows 7 Registry Hives after reading the Recovering Windows 7 Registry Hives/Files article on Microsoft Technet.

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Enable or Disable Automatic Repair in Windows 10
• Advanced Boot Options
• System Recovery Options
• System Repair Disc Create
• How to Run a Startup Repair in Windows 7
• Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times to Repair Boot Issues

 

[Parga]

It is a Dell Inspiron (i do not know at the top of my mind which model specifically) Laptop!

 

[Parga]

As long as is there is a way to fix is As soon as possible im happy with that! free would be nice

 

[nabilvintage]

Hello sevenforum,

I'm using Vaio VPCEB15FG, and having the same problem, but, after i tried your solution it didnt work, and now i can satart my laptop because of this thing. Please help me. Thanks in advance!

 

[llckll]

I was able to solve my issue thanks to the two people at this URL: Windows Vista keeps rebooting into Windows Error Recover - Startup Repair - Page 2 - Tech Support Forum

Basically, created an Ubuntu startup disk and installed in on my PC alongside my Windows OS. Pulled all the files I need to save and did a factory reformat (Vista Disc) that came with the computer.

 

[palimadra]

@Dzomlija thank you for preparing the tutorial and sharing it. It worked for me on my HP 6706 using Windows 7. I was without my favorite device for the last 7 days and was suffering from withdrawal symptoms!

Keep up the good work.

 

[kilted1one]

I tried these steps, and first thanks to all that posted here - but I'm still having issues because my startup repair does not get past the "attempting repairs" part...the progress bar keeps moving, but nothing changes. Let it run for 4 hours at one point and no change and run it several times more for over an hour and several shorter times...I can't back out as the cancel button prompts a message that says that the current repair operation can't be cancelled. I had this same issue with my work PC, but was able to get that back up after a few attempts. Any ideas? Thanksk for the help

 

[Christopherlyma]

I am also having a similar problem, but when I got to step 12 and looked for the directory it says the volume is reserved. I did find everything on the d drive, but up until today everything had been on the c drive--I don't understand the switch. Anyway, I didn't want to continue until I could make sure everything is ok. Thanks.

 

[BluGallagher]

Awesome Tutorial

at step 12 I'm not given access to my local drive D: that used to be my local drive C:
and i'm unable to launch the windows 7 from my installation dvd im thinking its because there is no device driver installed at this point the repair/recovery keeps prompting me to install drivers.

so ......now what? what do i do without having access to my local drive?

 

[soxfan]

Startup repair endless loop

Hi!

This thread seemed to be aimed at the problem I'm having, but the solution hasn't yet worked for me.

I have a Toshiba Satellite a505, purchased in December 2009, with Windows 7 Home. Has (current) McAfee antivirus protection. I don't think that I have any discs.

I was downloading a large file when, without any sign of a problem, it disconnected and shut down. Since then, logging on brings up the "Windows is laoding files" screen, followed by the Startup repair screens and dialogue boxes.

I don't know if there is an administrator account password, so I've tried my regular user password, and did go into the Command Prompt and try the solution posted in this discussion.

Everything occurs as described in the solution until step 17. While none of the files are 0 bytes, most of them are significantly different from the size estimates in the posted solution. My file sizes are approximately:

DEFAULT 246,000
SAM 70,000
SEC 29,000
SOFTWARE 25,000,000
SYSTEM 30,000,000

I did continue through the propsoed solution twice, but the Restart still brings me into the endless loop.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[hotletterbox]

thank you

Worked exactly as you outlined, then I updated Windows 7 (auto updates) and blue screen, system restore all over again.

One day, possibly 23rd century, man will create something that really works with out fixes.:sarc:

 

[sphase]

I tried this but when I select "Repair your computer" after i hit F8 my screen went black for like 5+ minutes then It shows the blue start up screen with the resolution messed up and my cursor one the screen(i can still move the cursor) I really dont want to pay for this. I have the CD for win7. I just want to get rid of everything and start fresh. Thanks!

 

[alexthered]

hi there

i have tried to follow these steps but when i get to step 10 i have no option to choose command prompt. i have a dell inspiron n411z. i only get to choose between the automatic fix or the dell restore option which i have tried unsuccesfully to do just got the laptop a week ago and it doesnt really have anything on it yet but i think it did an automatic update and got freaky after that is there a way to force a command prompt as safe mode doesnt work etc

 

[Rafael Barreto]

Windows 7 - Startup Repair Infinite Loop Recovery

Hey:
There´s not Repair my computer when I select F8.
Please help, I´m stuck.
Thanks.
Rafael Barreto

 

[Brink]

Hello Rafael, and welcome to Seven Forums.

See if you may be able to do OPTION TWO in the tutorial below to boot to the "System Recovery Options" screen instead.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/668-system-recovery-options.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Sacrome]

First of all, thanks a lot for helping a lot of people! +1 to you, sir!

I've been trying to fix my laptop for a long time and after a while decided to buy a new one. Now I've found this post and tried all of it, without any problems at all.
Though, when I rebooted my computer after overwriting the files, the same problem occured and windows booted up in startup repair again...

I don't even care any more if I loose the files that are on that pc, but it even won't boot up from the installation disc. The only thing it does is starting up at system recovery, which doesn't work at all.

Do you have any suggestions for my problem?


Thanks for your time,

Tim

 

[cristoteama]

when i check if i can use the automatic Windows backups to restore registry:

I type DIR and press <ENTER> to view the contents of the folder. All the following files exist:

• The DEFAULT, SAM and SECURITY
• The SOFTWARE
• The SYSTEM
• The files are 0 bytes, can anyone tell me what can i do to recovering these files? Windows cannot function with a 0-byte size registry hive. or try other method?

 

[mwelte]

Hi,

I have to use the command prompt because the others options dont work with my pc...so first of all it can't find C: , wich i find pretty weird.. D: works, but then it cannot find CD \windows\system32\config.... what can i do??

 

[critStock]

This really saved my bacon. Thanks!

 

[snoopyj]

Hey,

Just wanted to say I just used this to restore my PC and everything seems to be back in working order.

Many thanks!
Jonathan

 

[IHAVETHEASNWERS]

THIS WORKS

1. turn on computer
2. keep hitting F8
3. choose "last know working settings" or whatever it says
4. your welcome