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Archived This topic has been archived. Information and links in this thread may no longer be available or relevant. If you have a question create a new topic by clicking here and select the appropriate board.
HP Recommended

My few month old HP laptop came pre-installed with windows 8. When I tried booting it this morning it came up with the 'Preparing Automatic Repair' screen, and is stuck on it. It doesnt go blank, or change to another screen like 'diagnose your computer'. I am pretty sure it wont boot in safe mode by pressing shift+f8 or f8, ive tried a number of times. I dont know what to do since it is just stuck on the same 'preparing automatic repair' screen.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
HP Recommended

That is not a good thing. Perform the long test. Post the reults here.

That test result  is indicative of a hard disk failure requiring replacement of the hard drive.

 

Contact HP  to request a replacement hard disk under warranty. You will need the failure status code that the hard disk test  provides for when you contact HP.

 

It is time to locate your recovery disk set. You will need it to install the operating system and included software that your notebook was delivered with. 

 

Best regards,
erico

 

 

 



I am a volunteer forum member, not an HP employee. If my suggestion solved your issue, don't forget to mark that post as the accepted solution. If my post was helpful or you just want to say thanks, click on the Yes button next to the "was this reply helpful?"



View solution in original post

26 REPLIES 26
HP Recommended

Remove the power adapter and battery. 

Try a hard reset as follows:

1) Remove the battery and unplug the DC power adapter.
2) Press and hold the power button for more than fifteen seconds.
3) Plug in the DC power adapter (leave the battery out for now)
4) Press the power button

Please post your positive or negative results here in your thread.

 

If it starts up, you can go ahead and install the battery.

 

Best regards,
erico

 



I am a volunteer forum member, not an HP employee. If my suggestion solved your issue, don't forget to mark that post as the accepted solution. If my post was helpful or you just want to say thanks, click on the Yes button next to the "was this reply helpful?"



HP Recommended


Thanks for the reply,

I tried this twice, and both times it continued to boot to the 'Preparing automatic repair' screen

HP Recommended

Download and create a Windows 8 repair disk on another PC.  Boot from it on your notebook and try the startup repair from there. Post your results. There  are other repair options available by useof the repair disk if the startup repair does not work. 

 

Best regards,

erico



I am a volunteer forum member, not an HP employee. If my suggestion solved your issue, don't forget to mark that post as the accepted solution. If my post was helpful or you just want to say thanks, click on the Yes button next to the "was this reply helpful?"



HP Recommended

I shall try that. After leaving it on the 'preparing automatic repair' screen for about two hours it went ot a blank screen, and now goes to a blank screen about a minute after the 'preparing automatic repair' screen comes up each time i boot now

HP Recommended

I would not boot it up any more until you are ready to boot into the repair disk.

 

When you do boot up into the repair screen, do not use Refresh except as your very last choice.

Best regards,
erico



I am a volunteer forum member, not an HP employee. If my suggestion solved your issue, don't forget to mark that post as the accepted solution. If my post was helpful or you just want to say thanks, click on the Yes button next to the "was this reply helpful?"



HP Recommended

Okay, I've created a recovery disk, but I have no idea how to boot from it. However I managed to get to an HP diagnostics screen?

HP Recommended

I did a start up test and it says 'Hard Disk Short DST: Failed'

HP Recommended

That is not a good thing. Perform the long test. Post the reults here.

That test result  is indicative of a hard disk failure requiring replacement of the hard drive.

 

Contact HP  to request a replacement hard disk under warranty. You will need the failure status code that the hard disk test  provides for when you contact HP.

 

It is time to locate your recovery disk set. You will need it to install the operating system and included software that your notebook was delivered with. 

 

Best regards,
erico

 

 

 



I am a volunteer forum member, not an HP employee. If my suggestion solved your issue, don't forget to mark that post as the accepted solution. If my post was helpful or you just want to say thanks, click on the Yes button next to the "was this reply helpful?"



HP Recommended

Both the long startu and hard drive tests came up with the same error, straight away. Would it be possible to retrieve the files on my hard drive?

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