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

 

[amponce]

This worked perfectly

Thank you for the detailed tutorial, I've been stressing for weeks over this issue. Finally came across this thread and now my system is back to normal

 

[MilkMee6]

Yea...that's what I think I'm going to have to do. Thanks for the replies though! I appreciate it!

 

[elorsal]

Well it works, I can get back to my Windows system except when I restart again, the same problem occurs and I have to go through your process again.

Did I do something wrong or what?

Ciao, Jim

 

[elorsal]

I did your routine 3 times as every time I restart, the same problem occurs. I am now on my 4th attempt. What am I doing wrong or what is not being corrected?

Ciao , jim

 

[ShaneP]

Reboot Loop whats next

Hello, newbie here but I been reading the forum for some time. My Windows 7 Pro 64 is experiencing the Reboot Loop with the latest 14 patches that were released on 02/11/14. I managed to get up and running using a Win7 ISO on a USB thumb drive. Then reverting back to a Restore Point. But now I’m not sure how I can install these 14 patches without going back into the loop. Just looking for some help on what my next steps should be other than a OS reinstall.

 

[elorsal]

OK,I went through that Recovery Loop many, many times but it could never co0mpletely get rid of the problem.
Then I wen through the Startup Repair 3 times procedure. I did that for 3 times. Nothing
So then I decided to have the computer run all night with the Looping error saying it was "configuring My PC" and when I woke up in the morning, there it was, all gone, the PC was fixed.

So what do I attribute that to? Was Windows 7 actually trying to configure my PC with the updates and I wouldn't let it do it's job? I don't know but it seems when I let it run it's course, it got fixed.

Thanks for all the help anyway, it was quite an experience.

Ciao, Jim

 

[bryandayak]

Please help me! I can't find Program Files, in any of my drives!

hi guys, I really need help, I've followed the instructions in using the command prompt, but I just can't find the drive with the Program Files, Users Etc2. So I'm stuck at the first part of it!

I've tried using command prompt through the repair startup, and the command prompt with Safe mode. I've even tried to look for the files in drives E and F.

I'm not a tech savvy guy, and I really need help.



Please help me!

 

[Brink]

Hello Bryan, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Your screenshot isn't a command prompt at boot as in the tutorial.

From your screenshot C: is the correct drive letter, but you were just looking in the "C:\Users\Christopher" folder instead of just C:.

If you have "C:\Users\Christopher" in the prompt, type:

CD\ (press Enter)

If you have some other drive letter, then type:

C: (press Enter)

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[nikest022]

thanks my friend

today I followed your instructions and worked for me. win 7 ultimate now boot normally.
Thanks again !!

 

[moodycool3]

i have a problem with this step
cd \windows\system32\config
it tells me that system can not find the path specified
can u help me at that ?

 

[soapthedog45]

is this repair applicable to vista?

Hello. My girlfriend has a windows vista os and has this exact same problem with the same screen shots. Can you tell me how to fix her laptop.

If I try this fix I get stopped at the same point as moodycool3 above.

 

[soapthedog45]

did you ever fix this?

i have a problem with this step
cd \windows\system32\config
it tells me that system can not find the path specified
can u help me at that ?

I have the same issue at the same point in the steps. I dont seem to have a system32 folder within c:\windows. Did you ever get this fixed?

 

[Djwoody]

I have just joined the forum today so hi to everyone.
I am having problems with this also, I got to step 13 and all of the folders have 0 bytes.
Could someone please help? I did not carry on the procedure as recommended due to the 0 bytes.

Chris

 

[Brink]

Hello Chris, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might see if you may be able to do a system restore at boot using a restore point dated before you had this issue to fix this.

If not, then you may need to reinstall Windows.

 

[Djwoody]

Hello Chris, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might see if you may be able to do a system restore at boot using a restore point dated before you had this issue to fix this.

If not, then you may need to reinstall Windows.

Hi.
It says that they are no restore points created. I've ran CHKDSK and there are numerous bad sectors.
Trying to avoid a clean install if possible :-(

 

[Brink]

It doesn't sound good if you have that many bad sectors.

I would recommend to use the Live Peppermint DVD/USB below (or your choice) to back up anything that you do not want to lose to another location in case the drive may be failing and before it does.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ate-live-cd-dvd-usb-use-emergency-backup.html

I'm not sure it'll be possible to avoid a clean install, and possibly having to replace the hard drive if it doesn't pass using the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic tool (ex: SeaTools).

 

[Djwoody]

It doesn't sound good if you have that many bad sectors.

I would recommend to use the Live Peppermint DVD/USB below (or your choice) to back up anything that you do not want to lose to another location in case the drive may be failing and before it does.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ate-live-cd-dvd-usb-use-emergency-backup.html

I'm not sure it'll be possible to avoid a clean install, and possibly having to replace the hard drive if it doesn't pass using the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic tool (ex: SeaTools).

Thanks for your help.
I may take the opportunity to upgrade the HDD to a bigger capacity - would be rude not to! Hehe

 

[loafer95]

Startup repair infinite loop recovery

I have followed your instructions (3 times) and cannot get my computer fixed. I also ran system restore at the oldest point and still cannot start. I show 0 bytes in the files. You mentioned trying a different solution, and I am at that point now.

 

[SIW2]

What is the problem? Are you getting startup repair infinte loop?

When you run system restore, what happens, how far does it get? Any messages?

Seems you have HP preinstalled with 32 bit win7?

What is the model number? Which edition of win7?

 

[loafer95]

I continue to go through infinite repair loop. I restored system successfully to 1-28-13. Previous attempts to restore did not complete using a 1 week back restore point. Problem remains. There are no files shown. I have windows 7, 32 bit upgrade from Vista. I have a HP microtower, mdl dc5800. Do I need to reload Vista before loading windows 7? Is there any way to recover my files since it shows no files when I run your fix? I have tried to run various programs on the cd, but it will not start the fix programs.