What you’re seeing
- The PC shows "Preparing Automatic Repair" or "Diagnosing your PC" every time it starts.
- A blue screen reads "Your PC did not start correctly" or "Automatic Repair couldn't repair your PC."
- Choosing Restart from the repair screen brings it straight back to the same screen.
- The loop began after a Windows update, a power cut or an unexpected shutdown.
Common causes
Every environment is different, but these are the causes our engineers find most often:
- A Windows update was interrupted partway through, leaving system files or boot configuration half changed.
- The boot configuration data that tells Windows where to start has become corrupted or points to the wrong partition.
- The system drive is developing bad sectors, so critical startup files can no longer be read reliably.
- A recently installed driver or security product crashes during startup, causing Windows to give up and hand off to repair.
- The Windows registry hives were damaged by a sudden power loss while they were being written.
- BitLocker or firmware settings changed, so Windows cannot unlock or locate its startup volume.
Why it matters
A PC stuck in a repair loop is out of action, and the more times it cycles the more strain it puts on a drive that may already be failing. The bigger risk is how people react: well-meaning attempts to reset the PC can wipe local files, and if BitLocker is on, a repair attempt can prompt for a recovery key that nobody can find. Getting the cause right before anything is reset is the difference between a quick recovery and lost data.
How AskTechGurus fixes it
Skip the trial and error. A certified engineer works on your actual system, finds the root cause, and fixes it properly.
Tell us what’s happening
Submit a ticket in about two minutes. Paste the error, describe what changed, and pick your tier. No charge to submit.
A certified engineer diagnoses it
A vetted, US-based systems engineer claims your ticket, usually within minutes during business hours, and investigates over a secure remote session you can watch and end at any time.
Fixed and verified with you
The engineer resolves the root cause and confirms with you that it’s working. You don’t just get a workaround, and you get a plain-English summary of what was wrong.
Pay only when it’s resolved
Fixed price from $99, invoiced only after you approve the fix. If it isn’t resolved, you don’t pay.
Frequently asked questions
Should we choose "Reset this PC" from the repair menu?
Not until the cause is known. A reset can remove installed programs and, depending on the option chosen, personal files, and it will not help if the drive itself is failing.
The PC is asking for a BitLocker recovery key. Is that bad news?
It is common in this situation and does not mean data is lost. The key is often stored in your Microsoft 365, Entra ID or Microsoft account, and we can help locate it before proceeding.
Can this be handled remotely if Windows won't load?
Often, yes. An engineer can walk someone at the PC through the recovery environment, and once Windows is running again, finish the work in a secure remote session.