Windows 10 hangs during startup and starts automatic repair mode.
Windows 10 hangs during startup and starts automatic repair mode.
While watching a film, my computer suddenly froze. At first it stuck in a repeating blue screen message saying “Just collecting some info,” then would restart and repeat the same cycle. After several attempts to power it down, it finally reached its current state. Now when I turn it on (after the BIOS screen), I see a black screen with the Windows logo and the text “Preparing Automatic Repair.” The problem is that it freezes at this point and doesn’t actually fix anything. Online guides don’t help because they require booting into Windows to proceed, but it never gets past the automatic repair screen. I’ve upgraded my BIOS and tried using a Windows installation USB, yet nothing works. I’m really stuck and haven’t found a solution yet.
Hi there, when you mention the system repair, does it freeze or become unresponsive, or does the spinning continue without stopping? Have you attempted to boot from a Linux USB drive? Linux tends to handle more severe issues better than Windows. If it doesn’t start or install properly, it likely points to a hardware problem. You’ll need to remove or replace parts, test with one stick or two sticks of RAM, and try to identify the cause. Do you have any replacement components available?
Also, didn't mention the hardware details? Do you have any modifications made? Have you attempted to start using the default BIOS configuration? No overclocking, no EXPO, no XMP applied...
It starts right after the BIOS without any loading screen or bar. The screen stays fixed for hours, and I’m using Ubuntu. My system has an i7-6700K CPU, ASUS Z170 motherboard, NZXT Kraken cooler, 16GB DDR4 RAM, an ASUS RX 5700XT GPU, and a WD Black SN850 M.2 NVMe SSD with a 1TB HDD. The PSU is Corsair RMx 750W. I recently applied an overclock and reset the BIOS to default, removing all OC and XMP settings. If possible, I could try booting from my M.2 drive at a friend’s place—maybe Windows would be fine there, or I could wipe the drive and install fresh.
Yeh, if no timer is visible it seems like the device is fully disabled. Are there any signals from the num-lock or scroll-lock indicators on the keyboard? If they remain silent, it probably means a complete failure. If you can't install Windows on the default build, that usually points to a hardware problem. Give Ubuntu a try, even though I'm not sure what it will reveal. Probably, if it also fails to set up or throws errors along the way, you'll know for sure. If it installs without trouble, you're in for a tough situation.
When you mention booting from a Windows USB, have you considered skipping the repair mode and opting for a clean install instead? That might help you assess the issue better.
On the list of upgrades, consider adding just one stick of your existing RAM (8GB) and then another, followed by each slot, and repeat with any spare memory you have. Remove the graphics card and attempt to boot using the integrated GPU. Check if any HDD or SSD isn't functioning as a boot device. Verify that your cooling system is operational. Air coolers are straightforward to check, but water blocks or pumps can be harder to detect.
I'm trying my best with limited resources here, but I really need to confirm the cooler's status and ensure everything is properly seated. This could be a long shot, but sometimes a simple rebuild makes a big difference. If you can't reach it on your own, it might not work.