Windows 8.1 Automatic Repair boot loop

mztriz

New Member
Nov 25, 2014
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I installed Windows 8.1 64B in a VM on Proxmox-VE. It was running fine for a few days until it needed to be rebooted (updates). First, I tried reinstalling the OS which worked -- until it needed to be rebooted. After the reboot it was back into the automatic repair loop. It eventually ends in "Automatic repair couldn't repair your PC". I can't get it to boot at all.


What's even more concerning is that C:\ is listed as "System Reset" and I believe D:\ is my "boot" partition.


NUOat.png




The `bootrec` command doesn't find an OS either.
Nhl5m.png




Any ideas on how to fix this? How could this have happened? I let Windows automatically partition the drive during install.

Proxmox settings:
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I solved this issue by making the disk IDE with write through checked, setting the CPU to just 1 core 1 socket, and CPU type to sandy bridge. Boot loop is gone now.
 
I have this exact same issue. I am running Proxmox 3.4. I installed Windows 8.1 32-bit. I stopped the VM to create a backup. I ran the backup to a 64GB USB stick. The backup worked successfully. After, I simply started the VM backup again, to find that it brought me to the Automatic Repair screen. I figured it was simply booting off the original ISO image I used to install the OS, so I removed the CD/DVD device holding the ISO image and rebooted the VM, was brought to the exact same screen. It was a fresh installation of Windows, did not even run a single Windows update. I had backed up for that exact purpose, as previous Windows updates had broken all my VM's. I cannot change the disk to IDE as the disk I installed Windows onto was a VIRTIO disk as I am using SPICE. Has anyone encountered the same issue or found a work around? At the moment, I am restoring from the backup I had just made to see if that will resolve the issue, will post back with results.

RESULTS:

My restore, although it completed successfully, solved nothing. Still in the same boat as I was before. In fact, even worse, now it just goes to BSOD and says it ran into a problem and needs to restart. This is the 3rd time i've installed Windows. Blah. My configuration is identical to original posters, except mine is not mounted as SATA but VIRTIO.

Are Windows VMs not allowed to shutdown? All I did was shutdown and run backup.

SECOND RESULTS:

I wiped the VM, created a new blank VM with same settings. Restored to this one from backup. Now it boots to "Recovery" stating my PC needs to be repaired, and that the OS couldn't be loaded because the kernel is missing or contains errors:

File:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe
Error code: 0xc0000221

I can actually go into Startup Settings, however nothing in there works; .e.g safemode, safemode with command prompt, etc.
 
Last edited:
You can use the Diskpart to fix the corrupted system files try the steps:

1. Again go to Command Prompt and type: diskpart

2. Now type these commands in diskpart in the same way as highlighted.

  • DISKPART> select disk 1
  • DISKPART> select partition 1
  • DISKPART> active
  • DISKPART> extend filesystem
  • DISKPART> exit
Then type the following commands:
  • exe /rebuildbcd
  • exe /fixmbr
  • exe /fixboot
Now restart you system and check if this works for you.

Source: http://www.pcerror-fix.com/windows-10-automatic-repair-couldnt-repair-pc
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us...-your-pc/f512ad35-b653-4104-ab17-3808207ad1aa
 

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