Windows 8 is stuck in automatic repair loop and will not open

I also have this problem, no windows 8 disc and no windows 7 disc, gonna lose over 40 gb of music!

Spoke with Dell they said all I could do at this point is go back to w7 which means losing everything. They Re sending out w7 disk for me to redo back to w7 what a joke w8  

I had a very similar problem which turned out to be due to me not uninstalling my AMD graphics drivers prior to performing the upgrade.

In my case it seemed like the automatic repair was doing nothing but after 25 minutes I was presented with a blue screen saying that the repair had failed and offered me options to either restart or 'see advanced repair options' .  First time I chose restart and went through exactly  the same loop as before (not good!)

Another half hour later I decided to try the other options.  I think I selected 'Troubleshoot'  and on subsequent screens  'Advanced Options'  > 'Windows Startup Settings' and finally 'Enable Safe Mode'

Once I rebooted into safe mode I could delete the graphics drivers from device manager and then uninstalled the AMD software from Programs and Features. Once Windows 8 was working OK I then re-installed the driver and all has been working fine since then.

I can't believe that Microsoft haven't provided a means of interrupting the Automatic Repair process to short cut the above process. 

Dell said my system was all ready for w8 just bought it in sept. The problem is with w8. Microsoft has yet to come up with a solution to address all these people who downloaded w8 who are now having problems.

Unfortunately, I've tried countless times already, as soon as it happened and it won't let me go into safe mode :/ did hope it would but nope still got my endless loop. 

Yes I have gone thru it many times nothing is working. I have disk from dell coming and disk w8 coming from Microsoft  so should and here's hoping that in a couple of days be up and running. Thanks for this Ipad it is saving my life. Here that Microsoft, next one I think is Mac.

Hello PJ25924,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to your thread.
If you have reinstalled Windows 7, then you may not need the following steps.
But if you decide to try in the future, these steps may help with the upgrade to Windows 8.

Disable all non-essential hardware such as printers, external hard drives etc.
Verify all Windows updates are current on your current Windows operating systems.
If you are running Avast Antivirus, you will need to update it.
- when updating, choose the 'Program' option
- after the update, restart the PC.

If you are running McAfee Antivirus, there are some versions that are not compatible and may block the installation of Windows 8. You will need to check on the McAfee website to see if your version is compatible. You can uninstall it temporarily to get Windows 8 installed and then reinstall the antivirus again.  You will need to use the removal tool from McAfee to uninstall.

As a general rule, you can check to see if your antivirus is compatible on the Windows 8 Compatibility Center at the link here.
Antivirus can be uninstalled during the install of Windows 8. Your system will be fully protected as Windows Defender is installed by default in the operating system.

Run the following troubleshooter and then try the download again: The troubleshooter is for Windows Update. The Web Installer of Windows 8 uses the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS).  This is the same component that is used when you download updates via Windows Update.  A common cause to this problem is a “broken” BITS.  The Windows Update troubleshooter rebuilds BITS.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2714434
Once troubleshooter has completed, try again to see if you can install Windows 8.

Next, run a clean boot if using the Windows Update troubleshooter doesn’t help with the download.
Using clean boot, we can try to determine which app/program might be causing this issue.
Note: If you are using AVG antivirus, they have an updated version that you can download for Windows 8 as the older version could be causing a problem. When updating, choose the “Program” option. After AVG has updated, reboot your computer. Then try the download again. If it still fails, there may be a conflict.

Step 1: Follow the steps to perform clean boot:
a) Press the ‘Windows + R’ key on the keyboard.

b) In the ‘Run’ window type ’MSCONFIG’ and click ‘OK’.

c) Click the ‘Boot’ tab and uncheck the ‘Safe Boot’ option.

d) On the ‘General’ tab, click to select the option ‘Selective startup’, and then click to clear the option Load startup items check box.

e) On the ‘Services’ tab, click to select the ‘Hide all Microsoft services’ check box, and then click ‘Disable all’.

f) On the ‘StartUp’ tab, click ‘Open Task Manager’.  In the Task Manager window under startup tab, right click on each startup item which are enabled and select ‘Disable’.

f) Click ‘OK’, and then click Restart.

Step 2: Enable half of the services
a. Follow steps 1a and 1b to start the System Configuration utility.
b. Click the Services tab, and then click to select the Hide all Microsoft services check box.
c. Click to select half of the check boxes in the Service list.
d. Click OK, and then click Restart.

Step 3: Determine whether the problem returns.
If the problem still occurs, repeat step 1 and step 2. In step 2, click to clear half of the check boxes that you originally selected in the Service list.
If the problem does not occur, repeat step 1 and step 2. In step 2, select only half of the remaining check boxes that are cleared in the Service list. Repeat these steps until you have selected all the check boxes.
If only one service is selected in the Service list, and you still experience the problem, the selected service causes the problem. Go to step 6. If no service causes this problem, go to step 4.

Step 4: Enable half of the Startup items
If no startup item causes this problem, a Microsoft service most likely causes the problem. To determine which Microsoft service may be causing the problem, repeat step 1 and step 2 without selecting the Hide all Microsoft services check box in either step.

Step 5: Determine whether the problem returns
If the problem still occurs, repeat step 1 and step 4. In step 4, click to clear half of the check boxes that you originally selected in the Startup Item list.
If the problem does not occur, repeat step 1 and step 4. In step 4, select only half of the remaining check boxes that are cleared in the Startup Item list. Repeat these steps until you have selected all the check boxes.
If only one startup item is selected in the Startup Item list, and you still experience the problem, the startup item that is selected in the list is the service that is causing the problem. Go to step 6.
If no startup item causes this problem, a Microsoft service most likely causes the problem. To determine which Microsoft service may be causing the problem, repeat step 1 and step 2 without selecting the Hide all Microsoft services check box in either step.

Step 6: Resolve the problem.
After you determine the startup item or the service that causes the problem, contact the program manufacturer to determine whether the problem can be resolved. Or, run the System Configuration utility, and then click to clear the check box for the problem item.

Step 7:
Note: After you have finished troubleshooting, follow these steps to boot to normal startup.

a) Press the ‘Windows + R’ key on the keyboard.
b) In the ‘Run’ window type ’MSCONFIG’ and click ‘Ok’.
c) On the ‘General’ tab, click the ‘Normal Startup’ option, and then click ‘OK’.
d) When you are prompted to restart the computer, click ‘Restart’.

If the clean boot didn't point to a conflict with software, then run Checksur. Click on the KB number to bring up the article and download the tool.
KB947821 - System Update Readiness Tool fixes Windows Update errors in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2008

Please reply back and let us know if the suggestions have helped to resolve the issue.
If you have already reinstalled Windows 7, then keep the steps if you decide to do so later.

 

I thank you for your response. Please go back and reread my question as your response did not address the issues at hand. If the computer is stuck in the repair loop of w8 you cannot fix by opening windows if it does not boot beyond repair loop. Please inform how to get computer to boot in w8. If you do not have info on w8 and been trained on w8 please forward to someone who has been trained. Thank you

Hi P25924

The only way to resolve your problem is to somehow boot into safe mode -but that's easier said than done if you can't even get into the logon screen. Things were much easier in previous versions where you could always use the F8 option on start up but this no longer works in windows 8. 

There are ways around this but they're a little convoluted - see this discussion :-

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/36817-How-to-boot-to-safe-mode-on-Windows-8-Pro-MSDN-version

Are you sure that the the automatic repair process is looping? My experience is that you should eventually get presented with a screen giving you 'troubleshoot' options when the repair finally fails but this may take up to an hour after much disc thrashing activity.

Yes the troubleshoot option is coming up after about an hour of trying to boot up. However I have been thru all of the options over and over again it just re start the automatic fixing windows and ends up back at options page. Nothing I try works. I guess there is nothing to do but go back to w7. I will be asking for my money back for a worthless w8 product.