Automatic Repair doesn’t work in Windows 10 — that problem usually means Windows can’t fix startup issues automatically because of corrupted boot files, damaged system files, failing hardware, or configuration conflicts. This article explains the common causes and gives step-by-step fixes so you can recover your PC or know when to back up and reinstall.
You’ll learn the top 10 reasons Automatic Repair fails, a fast reference table, detailed step-by-step fixes (commands and menu paths), an extra section on when to clean-install and how to protect your data, an FAQ, and a short conclusion.
Key Takeaway
The most effective fix is to run a targeted repair from Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE): check and repair the boot configuration with bootrec, fix disk errors with chkdsk, repair system files with SFC/DISM, and test hardware; if repairs fail, back up your data and perform a clean reinstall.
Quick Fix Guide
Quick Fix Guide
| Reason for the Problem | Quick Solution |
|---|---|
| Corrupted Boot Configuration Data (BCD) | Repair BCD using bootrec /fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot, bootrec /rebuildbcd from WinRE Command Prompt. |
| Corrupted system files | Run sfc /scannow (or offline SFC) and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. |
| Disk errors or failing HDD/SSD | Run chkdsk C: /f /r and test disk health with manufacturer tools. |
| Full system drive (low free space) | Free up space by deleting temp files or uninstalling large apps; boot into Safe Mode or WinRE to remove files if needed. |
| Incompatible or corrupt drivers | Boot into Safe Mode, roll back or uninstall the offending driver in Device Manager. |
| Recent Windows update or bad patch | Uninstall recent updates from Settings > Update & Security or via WinRE > Uninstall Updates. |
| Malware or virus infection | Run Windows Defender Offline or a bootable antivirus rescue disk to remove infections. |
| External devices interfering | Disconnect all peripherals (USB drives, external HDDs, printers) and reboot. |
| Faulty RAM or memory issues | Run Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest86 and replace bad RAM. |
| UEFI/BIOS misconfiguration or Secure Boot issues | Reset BIOS/UEFI to defaults, ensure correct SATA mode, and temporarily disable Secure Boot. |
Detailed Fixes for “Automatic Repair doesn’t work in Windows 10”
1) Corrupted Boot Configuration Data (BCD)
Why it causes the problem:
The BCD stores Windows boot configuration. If BCD is missing or corrupted, Windows cannot find boot entries and Automatic Repair may loop without fixing it.
Step-by-step solution:
- Boot to WinRE: turn the PC on and off three times when Windows starts to force Automatic Repair, then select Advanced options > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
- In Command Prompt, run:
- bootrec /fixmbr
- bootrec /fixboot (if you get “Access denied,” see notes below)
- bootrec /scanos
- bootrec /rebuildbcd
- If bootrec /fixboot returns “Access denied”, run:
- diskpart
- list disk
- select disk 0 (replace 0 with disk number containing Windows)
- list partition
- select partition X (EFI partition, typically ~100MB, FAT32)
- format fs=fat32 quick (only if EFI partition is corrupted; be cautious)
- assign letter=Z
- exit
- Then run bcdboot C:\Windows /s Z: /f UEFI
- Reboot and check.
Notes/tips:
- Use bcdboot to recreate boot files from a healthy Windows directory.
- If unsure which partition to select, check partition sizes and file systems with list partition.
2) Corrupted system files
Why it causes the problem:
System file corruption prevents Windows components from loading; Automatic Repair may fail if SFC/DISM can’t run automatically.
Step-by-step solution:
- Boot to WinRE Command Prompt as above.
- If you can boot normally or into Safe Mode, open an elevated Command Prompt and run:
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- After DISM finishes, run sfc /scannow
- If you can’t boot, run offline SFC:
- Identify the Windows volume letter in WinRE by running diskpart > list vol
- Suppose Windows is on C:, then run:
- sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows
- After repairs, reboot.
Notes/tips:
- For DISM offline repairs you may need Windows install media as a source: DISM /Image:C:\ /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:WIM:X:\sources\install.wim:1 /limitaccess (replace X: with media drive).
3) Disk errors or failing HDD/SSD
Why it causes the problem:
Bad sectors or a failing drive can prevent system files from being read or written and block repairs.
Step-by-step solution:
- Boot to WinRE Command Prompt.
- Run chkdsk C: /f /r (replace C: with the Windows volume letter if different).
- Wait for chkdsk to complete — it may take hours on large drives.
- If chkdsk reports many unrecoverable errors, boot to diagnostics from your drive manufacturer’s website (e.g., SeaTools, Samsung Magician, WD Data Lifeguard) using a bootable USB.
- If diagnostics fail, replace the drive and restore data from backup or clone the drive if possible.
Notes/tips:
- If the drive is failing, minimize writes — clone immediately to a healthy drive using a USB enclosure or cloning tool.
4) Full system drive (low free space)
Why it causes the problem:
Windows needs free space for updates, temporary files, and system repair; an almost full system drive can block repairs.
Step-by-step solution:
- Boot into Safe Mode or WinRE Command Prompt.
- To free space from WinRE Command Prompt:
- Assign a drive letter to the system partition if needed with diskpart.
- Remove large files from C:\Users[YourUser]\Downloads or C:\Windows\Temp:
- del /f /s /q C:\Windows\Temp*
- del /f /s /q C:\Users\YourUser\Downloads\LargeFile.iso
- If you can boot to Safe Mode, use Settings > System > Storage or Disk Cleanup.
- After freeing space, reboot and rerun Automatic Repair.
Notes/tips:
- Avoid deleting files unless you know what they are; move personal files temporarily to external storage.
5) Incompatible or corrupt drivers
Why it causes the problem:
A bad driver loaded at boot can cause a crash or stop Automatic Repair from completing.
Step-by-step solution:
- Boot to Safe Mode: in WinRE select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart, then press 4 for Safe Mode.
- Open Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager).
- Identify devices with warnings, right-click and choose Roll Back Driver or Uninstall device.
- Reboot normally. If that fixes the issue, download a compatible driver from the manufacturer’s website and install.
Notes/tips:
- Use Driver Verifier only if you can boot to Windows; it helps detect misbehaving drivers but can cause more crashes if enabled incorrectly.
6) Recent Windows update or bad patch
Why it causes the problem:
A problematic update can break startup; Automatic Repair may not revert it itself.
Step-by-step solution:
- Boot to WinRE and select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates.
- Choose Uninstall latest quality update or Uninstall latest feature update depending on which was installed.
- Follow prompts, reboot, and check.
- If WinRE uninstall fails, boot to Safe Mode and use Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history > Uninstall updates.
Notes/tips:
- Pause updates after recovery and block specific problematic updates until a fixed rollout.
7) Malware or virus infection
Why it causes the problem:
Rootkits or other malware can corrupt boot files and system components, preventing Automatic Repair from succeeding.
Step-by-step solution:
- Use Windows Defender Offline: from another computer, create a Windows Defender Offline USB or from WinRE choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt to run offline scanning utilities if available.
- Alternatively, create a bootable antivirus rescue disk (Kaspersky, Bitdefender, ESET) and run a full scan.
- Remove detected threats, then run SFC/DISM and chkdsk, and try repair again.
Notes/tips:
- If malware has deeply infected the system, plan for a clean reinstall after backing up your data.
8) External devices interfering
Why it causes the problem:
External USB drives, printers, or peripherals can change the boot order or load incompatible drivers during startup.
Step-by-step solution:
- Power off the PC and unplug all non-essential peripherals (external HDDs, USB thumb drives, printers, docking stations).
- Leave only keyboard, mouse, and monitor connected.
- Power on and let Automatic Repair run again; if it succeeds, plug devices back in one-by-one to find the culprit.
Notes/tips:
- Also check BIOS boot order: remove USB devices from boot priority.
9) Faulty RAM or memory issues
Why it causes the problem:
Bad RAM can corrupt programs and the OS at boot, causing hangs or Automatic Repair loops.
Step-by-step solution:
- From the Windows login screen, open Windows Memory Diagnostic: type mdsched.exe and run, then restart to test.
- If you can’t access Windows, use MemTest86 bootable USB to run an extended test.
- If errors are reported, reseat RAM sticks and test again; replace the failing modules.
Notes/tips:
- Test one stick at a time to isolate the bad module.
10) UEFI/BIOS misconfiguration or Secure Boot issues
Why it causes the problem:
Incorrect BIOS settings (SATA mode mismatch, Secure Boot enabled with unsigned bootloader, wrong boot order) can block startup and prevent Automatic Repair from working.
Step-by-step solution:
- Enter BIOS/UEFI settings (usually by pressing Del, F2, or manufacturer key at startup).
- Reset to defaults (Load Default Settings), save and exit.
- Check SATA mode (set to AHCI if that’s how Windows was installed).
- If using older OS or boot media, temporarily disable Secure Boot and enable Legacy/CSM only if necessary.
- Save changes and restart.
Notes/tips:
- Changing SATA mode from RAID to AHCI may require registry tweaks before switching; Google “enable AHCI after Windows install” for steps if needed.
Additional: When to perform a clean reinstall and how to back up data
When to consider a clean reinstall:
- Repairs (BCD, SFC, chkdsk) and hardware replacement fail.
- Persistent malware that resists removal.
- Multiple system components are corrupted and repair attempts are time-consuming.
How to back up data before reinstall:
- Boot to WinRE > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Command Prompt.
- Use notepad to open File > Open and access files via the file dialog, or use Command Prompt:
- Assign letters with diskpart > list vol > select vol X > assign letter=E.
- Copy files to an external drive: xcopy C:\Users\YourUser\Documents E:\Backup\Documents /E /H /C /I
- Alternatively, boot from a Linux live USB to copy files graphically to external storage.
- To reinstall Windows, create installation media from Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool on another PC, boot from it, and choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).
Notes/tips:
- Verify backups before wiping the drive. If data is critical and drive is failing, consider professional recovery.
FAQ
How can I prevent Automatic Repair failures in the future?
Keep Windows up to date, regularly run disk and system checks, maintain at least 10–15% free space on the system drive, use reputable antivirus, and create periodic system images or restore points.
Can I disable Automatic Repair to stop the loop?
You can disable automatic startup repair with bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No from an elevated Command Prompt, but this only hides the symptom — it’s better to fix the underlying issue.
Is my personal data safe when Windows runs Automatic Repair?
Automatic Repair tries to repair system files and usually does not delete personal files, but corrupt systems and repeated repair attempts can increase risk — always keep backups.
Can I run System Restore if Automatic Repair won’t finish?
Yes — from WinRE choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore. If restore points exist, pick one from before the issue and apply it.
How do I access Advanced Startup if Windows won’t boot?
Force WinRE by interrupting boot three times (power on, force shutdown as Windows starts) or boot from Windows installation media and choose Repair your computer.
Conclusion
Automatic Repair failures are usually caused by corrupt boot data, damaged system files, failing hardware, or configuration conflicts; targeted fixes from WinRE — repairing the BCD, running chkdsk, SFC/DISM, removing bad drivers, and testing hardware — resolve most issues. If repairs repeatedly fail, back up your data and perform a clean reinstall; remember that Automatic Repair doesn’t work in Windows 10 is a recoverable condition with the right steps.
