-
×InformationNeed Windows 11 help?Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
Windows 11 Support Center. -
-
×InformationNeed Windows 11 help?Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
Windows 11 Support Center. -
- HP Community
- Archived Topics
- Desktops (Archived)
- HP p6837c Preparing Automatic Repair

Create an account on the HP Community to personalize your profile and ask a question

03-04-2017 01:02 PM
A friend in my community called me for help. She tampered and deleted some files.
Now the above unit boots into that message "Preparing Automatic Repair". The screen changes to "Choose your Keyboard Layout". It lists various languages, but I am unable (good keyboard/mouse) to select from the list.
1) F11 works into Recovery Manager, but System Restore and Startup Repair Tool are ghosted out. Only System Recovery is available. As this unt was WIN 7, I am hesitate to do that, because it would revert back to WIN 7.
2) I can not find an "F" key that will allow System Restore. It's got that old CyberLink Recovery Manager software.
3) If I pull the drive, I can save the data files. Then allow the Recovery Manager to revert to WIN 7. Is there any option to re-install WIN 10 ????
HP Envy 8 5010 Tablet
(2) HP DV7t i7 3160QM 2.3Ghz 8GB
Printer -- HP OfficeJet Pro 8620 Legal
Custom Asus Z97D, I7-4790k, 16GB RAM, WIN10 Pro 64bit, ZOTAC GTX1080 AMP Extreme 3 fan 8GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Asus PB287 4k monitor, Rosewill Blackhawk case and 750W OCZ PSU.
03-04-2017 06:17 PM - edited 03-04-2017 06:29 PM
Are you sure it was a tamper & delete that got to this point? Often is a failing hdd that ends up in "Preparing automatic repair". Malware is also suspect.
Do you see Advanced Options button on the Auto Repair screen?If so click it, then look for System Restore. If not- try tapping away at F8 after powering on to see if you can get into Windows recovery menu. If you can get into it select Troubleshoot, next click Advanced options. System Restore should be available on the next screen.
If you end up having to System Recovery back to Windows 7 the machine should retain Windows 10 upgrade rights. On a machine I did this on last year the update was offered soon after finishing the Recovery. (you could also use the free Windows 10 download from MS)
**Click Accept as Solution on a Reply that solves your issue**
***Click the "YES" button if you think this response was helpful.***
03-04-2017 06:32 PM
If none of that works and you still hesitate to recover back to Windows 7- Try repairing the MBR using Command prompt from the Advanced options:
**Click Accept as Solution on a Reply that solves your issue**
***Click the "YES" button if you think this response was helpful.***
03-04-2017 09:06 PM - edited 03-04-2017 09:14 PM
The owner said she deleted files, creating this impasse. Reasoning is rather moot at this point, harm being done. I doubt she knows what she did, and to what file. F8 does not allow anything. Can not get a command prompt as I can not get into that environment. As soon as it starts a display screen, it has that Preparing Automatic Repair message. The second screen is the language select screen, it never displays the Automatic Repair, Your PC did not start correctly screen, with Restart or Advanced Options.
HP Envy 8 5010 Tablet
(2) HP DV7t i7 3160QM 2.3Ghz 8GB
Printer -- HP OfficeJet Pro 8620 Legal
Custom Asus Z97D, I7-4790k, 16GB RAM, WIN10 Pro 64bit, ZOTAC GTX1080 AMP Extreme 3 fan 8GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Asus PB287 4k monitor, Rosewill Blackhawk case and 750W OCZ PSU.
03-05-2017 04:35 PM - edited 03-05-2017 04:59 PM
The question of cause was not intended as such-but to mention possibilty of a coincidental incident of the same timing. Have you run diagnostics on the hdd ?
Create a recovery drive on another Windows 10 machine to boot the ailing machine and try to repair:
OR-If you don't have a Windows 10 disk- use the Media Creation Tool :
https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10
If nothing you attempt gets you anywhere-it may rely on System Recovery to Windows 7 (if it works)to get the machine back up and running.
**Click Accept as Solution on a Reply that solves your issue**
***Click the "YES" button if you think this response was helpful.***
03-05-2017 09:50 PM
Calling all geeks. @old_geekster @Big_Dave @erico anyone have any ideas. What are we/I missing here? 🙂
**Click Accept as Solution on a Reply that solves your issue**
***Click the "YES" button if you think this response was helpful.***
03-06-2017 08:20 AM
Boot up a W10 installation media (optical or USB) and try the repair function. You may have to do this more than once as the repair function will only correct one problem at a time.
03-06-2017 10:12 AM
Downloading the tool. Thanks.
HP Envy 8 5010 Tablet
(2) HP DV7t i7 3160QM 2.3Ghz 8GB
Printer -- HP OfficeJet Pro 8620 Legal
Custom Asus Z97D, I7-4790k, 16GB RAM, WIN10 Pro 64bit, ZOTAC GTX1080 AMP Extreme 3 fan 8GB RAM, 500GB SSD, Asus PB287 4k monitor, Rosewill Blackhawk case and 750W OCZ PSU.
03-06-2017 10:33 PM
You're welcome. Just hoping it works for repairing the Windows 10 boot. If not you can always use it to do a clean install of Windows 10 which will auto-activate since the machine had been upgraded previously. Or-you could do the System Recovery to Windows 7 (if it still works) and get the machine up and running, then use the Windows 10 disc to upgrade again.
@Big_Dave Thanks for popping in and confirming the logical step was to try repairing with Windows 10 disk. Now, if it only works. We know things do not always go logically where PC's are concerned. 🙂
**Click Accept as Solution on a Reply that solves your issue**
***Click the "YES" button if you think this response was helpful.***
03-08-2017 04:41 PM
@wb2001 Any progress and/or results? Hopefully no news is good news -but as usual, we always hope to hear something good or bad. 🙂
**Click Accept as Solution on a Reply that solves your issue**
***Click the "YES" button if you think this response was helpful.***
