Automatic Repair Loop- limited options

[jbobu]

Hello hewlett packard community.

After a windows update (i think), the hp stream 14 laptop no longer boots, going into the "automatic repair" loop. startup repair does not find any problems to fix.

the laptop does not have an admin account, which means the command prompt, "reset this pc", and "uninstall updates" are not available options. from what i see online, the "startup settings" menu should have a numbered list of options like debugging mode and safe mode, but mine is a bulleted list, and there is seemingly no way of selecting options for restart- clicking, arrows, numbers, function keys, none work. there is only the option to restart, which unhelpfully restarts the computer normally.

on booting and pressing f2 to open hardware diagnostics, i ran Symptom 1-0 and System F-1 and F-2 tests, which all passed.

so is there a way to use other options like safe mode? is there a way to access some internal admin account? it is rather annoying that a computer that won't boot has so mamy options unavailable just because of the user account setup.

it should be noted that it is not my laptop, but a family members', so the operating system may have been "upgraded" to win11 at some point? but she remembers it as 10. she also was having trouble with the touchpad recently, but that's unlikely to be relevant.

[Max3Aj · Accepted solution]

Hi @jbobu, 

Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 

The issue you're facing is a common one when Windows updates cause boot failures. Since the laptop is stuck in an Automatic Repair loop and there's no admin account, your options are limited but not impossible. Here’s what you can try:
 

Use a Bootable Windows USB to Access Advanced Options

Since you can’t use "Reset this PC" or "Uninstall Updates," you’ll need to access recovery options externally.

Steps:

1. Create a Windows 10 installation USB using the Media Creation Tool on another PC.
2. Plug it into the HP Stream and boot from USB:
   • Turn off the laptop.
   • Press Esc or F9 at startup to open the Boot Menu.
   • Select the USB drive.
3. Choose Repair your computer instead of installing Windows.
4. Navigate to Advanced Options → Command Prompt.

Enable the Hidden Administrator Account

Once inside the Command Prompt, try enabling the built-in administrator account:

1. Type: 
   "net user administrator /active:yes"
2. Restart the laptop and check if you can now access "Reset this PC" or "Uninstall Updates."

Boot into Safe Mode (If Accessible)

If the startup settings menu only shows a bulleted list instead of numbered options, Safe Mode may still be accessible via Command Prompt:

1. In the Command Prompt from the USB recovery disk, type:
   "bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal"
2. Restart the laptop, and it should boot into Safe Mode.
3. If successful, uninstall recent updates from Control Panel → Windows Updates.

Use System Restore

• In Advanced Options, check if System Restore is available.
• If so, restore to a point before the update.

Perform a Clean Install (Last Resort)

If none of the above works:

1. Back up data if possible.
2. Boot from the Windows USB and do a fresh install.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support