-
1
×InformationNeed Windows 11 help?Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
Windows 11 Support Center. -
-
1
×InformationNeed Windows 11 help?Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
Windows 11 Support Center. -
- HP Community
- Notebooks
- Notebook Operating System and Recovery
- Preparing Automatic Repair Boot Loop

Create an account on the HP Community to personalize your profile and ask a question
06-21-2025 12:28 AM
My computer continuously turns on and displays the message, "Preparing Automatic Repair" for a minute or so, then shuts down, starts back up, and displays the same message on the screen. I have done the extensive hardware check and all components pass, but cannot access the Restore & Recovery menu. When I press F11 on startup, the menu name displays on the lower left hand corner and the screen goes black and then the computer shuts down, starts back up, and displays the message and the loop starts all over again. Additionally, I have tried booting from a USB drive; however, I am unable to do that as well. What troubleshooting steps do I need to take in order to fix this issue?
06-22-2025 03:51 PM
@TN3315, Welcome to HP Support Community,
Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue
Perform a Hard Reset
Power off the laptop completely.
Unplug the power cord and remove the battery (if removable).
Hold down the power button for 15-20 seconds to drain any residual power from the laptop.
Reconnect the battery and power cord, and try turning it on again.
Try Accessing the BIOS
You might be able to reset the BIOS settings or change the boot order to resolve the issue.
Power off the laptop.
Turn it on and repeatedly press the Esc key.
In BIOS, check the boot order to make sure the hard drive or SSD is set as the primary boot device.
You can also reset the BIOS to default settings if you suspect misconfiguration, which could be causing boot issues.
Check for Hard Drive/SSD Issues
If your computer is stuck in a repair loop, it's possible that the hard drive or SSD is failing.
Check the drive health
I hope this helps.
Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps.
Take care and have a good day.
Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!
Regards,
Garp_Senchau
I am an HP Employee
06-30-2025 01:06 PM - edited 06-30-2025 01:07 PM
Hard Reset - tried it--no luck.
BIOS - Created installation media, changed boot order to boot to the USB flash drive, and enabled/disabled secure boot option to see if that would make a difference, but it did not. Moments after powering on the computer, the "Preparing Automatic Repair" boot loop started up again.
Hard Drive - in perfect condition per the software program I used to check it--100% healthy.
Where does this leave me?
07-02-2025 06:33 AM
Hey @TN3315,
Thank you for your response
Try Safe Mode:
Force shutdown your laptop 2-3 times (press and hold power button).
On the 3rd boot, it should go to Advanced Startup.
Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings.
Click Restart, and select Safe Mode.
Run SFC and CHKDSK (If in Safe Mode):
Open Command Prompt (search for "cmd" and run as Admin).
Type this and hit Enter:
sfc /scannow (repairs system files)
chkdsk C: /f (checks and fixes disk errors)
System Restore (If in Advanced Startup):
Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > System Restore.
Choose a restore point before the issue started and restore the system.
Repair Boot Configuration:
In Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
Type these commands one by one, hitting Enter after each:
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Restart the laptop.
I hope this helps.
Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps.
Take care and have a good day.
Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!
Regards,
Garp_Senchau
I am an HP Employee
07-03-2025 07:38 AM
Hey @TN3315,
Thanks for reaching out! Since the issue remains unresolved, I suggest you reach out to the nearest HP Authorised service center for personalized assistance. They can provide one-on-one help to fix the problem.
Note: There might be a nominal charge for the service they provide.
HP® Service Center Locator - United States | HP® Support
Regards,
Garp_Senchau
I am an HP Employee
07-05-2025 10:22 AM
Hi @TN3315,
Welcome to the HP support community.
The error indicates there could be a hardware issue.
Please help us with your HP unit serial number or the product number in a private message for further assistance.
Here is the link to find the product Serial number: - Click here
To access your private messages, simply click the private message icon in the upper right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your profile and send a private message to me with the serial number because we value your privacy.
VikramTheGreat
HP Support