Automatic repair couldn't repair your PC

[Zenn7]

Kid's laptop is coming up with "Automatic repair couldn't repair your PC"

Best I can tell, looks like some Windows update started, failed and now it's locked in this mode.
- Instead of relying on him to do the updates, I have his laptop set to auto-update.

Continue, shutdown - both come back to this.

Tried all the different options listed:
- Won't autorepair
- won't let me run restore (there's a winre_drv that I assume is a restore partition as drive D, but doesn't seem to work). Gets an error and says nothing was done
- don't have a restore point to restore from for updates (not sure it would let me if I did)
- can't find a way to cancel/undo the updates
- chkdsk did not find any issues
- sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows --- saw this as a solution, it comes back with "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service"; apparently need TrustedInstaller service running - but can't get that to start.
- sfc /verifyonly - there are issues - but since I can't get the Windows Reource Protection to run (I think because TrustedInstaller service isn't running), this can't fix it

Need to find/get an 8GB (or larger) flash drive and create a Win10 installtion media on it and see if I can use that to get somewhere w/o using it to just install this version of Win10.

Not sure if I have his laptop key anywhere (forget now if this was a new laptop or a refurb).

This fails, I'm probably stuck buying a new laptop, and need to do that today (he needs a laptop for his class tomorrow).

Any suggestions are welcome.

[Kasey Chang]

There should be a utility to read the existing key off the install on Majorgeeks.com

There are various utilities to fix borked windows updates. But basically, TrustedInstaller means you need to login as Administrator.

[Zenn7]

There should be a utility to read the existing key off the install on Majorgeeks.com

There are various utilities to fix borked windows updates. But basically, TrustedInstaller means you need to login as Administrator.

Thanks Kasey.

Unfortunately, I can't boot to Windows, stuck on loop, if I reboot, I only get the "automatic repair couldn't repair your PC". I can get to a command prompt, but from there, I couldn't load the trusted installer.

As for the Windows key, think it's a special key, like an OEM Windows key maybe? I think it's only going to help if I can restore this version of windows, and if I can, probably won't need the key. If I end up installing a new copy of Windows, I'll probably have to buy a key. If I can't fix this laptop windows other than installing an updated version of Windows, if the laptop is physically still good... might be significantly cheaper/better to just buy a Windows key if I can rather than buying a new laptop.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Kid's laptop is coming up with "Automatic repair couldn't repair your PC"

Best I can tell, looks like some Windows update started, failed and now it's locked in this mode.
- Instead of relying on him to do the updates, I have his laptop set to auto-update.

Continue, shutdown - both come back to this.

Tried all the different options listed:
- Won't autorepair
- won't let me run restore (there's a winre_drv that I assume is a restore partition as drive D, but doesn't seem to work). Gets an error and says nothing was done
- don't have a restore point to restore from for updates (not sure it would let me if I did)
- can't find a way to cancel/undo the updates
- chkdsk did not find any issues
- sfc /scannow /offbootdir=C:\ /offwindir=C:\Windows --- saw this as a solution, it comes back with "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service"; apparently need TrustedInstaller service running - but can't get that to start.
- sfc /verifyonly - there are issues - but since I can't get the Windows Reource Protection to run (I think because TrustedInstaller service isn't running), this can't fix it

Need to find/get an 8GB (or larger) flash drive and create a Win10 installtion media on it and see if I can use that to get somewhere w/o using it to just install this version of Win10.

Not sure if I have his laptop key anywhere (forget now if this was a new laptop or a refurb).

This fails, I'm probably stuck buying a new laptop, and need to do that today (he needs a laptop for his class tomorrow).

Any suggestions are welcome.

This guide should help you get the system back in working order:

[Zenn7]

Thanks AB.

Followed that, in diskpart, list vol my disk volumes look a bit different.
Have:
Volume 0 C Windows (good)
Volume 1 D WINRE_DRV (pretty sure this is the image for restoring the laptop to factory default, that does not seem to be work)
Volume 2 <no letter> SYSTEM_DRV (note this is a FAT32 Fs, not NTFS)

Guessed Volume 2 is the equivalent of System Reserved partition from the video.

Followed along then.
bcdboot c:
windows /s g: /f ALL
- Failure when attempting to copy boot files.

Tried booting from Windows install media flash drive and trying it, but I can only get that see the flash drive, not the hard drives.

[Zenn7]

Going to try to restore windows from the flash drive.

Did discover there is a preinstalled OEM license in the BIOS. Sounds like (maybe) I'll be good w/ that? Though I believe this was a Win7 machine upgraded to win 10, so that's prolly a win 7 license and installing full Win 10 rather than Win 7/upgrade to Win 10 I think might not work.

Supposedly though, I don't have to activate Win10, it can run w/o being activated. Which would be great to see if it works fine for a week or two and then I can activate it (buy a key) if I need to. Thinking if it's not activated, probably won't get updates, which, right at the moment, isn't a huge concern given that updates are what got me here.

[Zenn7]

Or not. Booting with the install media flash drive, can't see the hard drive at all (it's an SSD drive). This is fun...

[Zenn7]

AH HA, had to load drivers to do this. Now I see the drives. Now of course, I want to try the other fix again if I can figure out how to make the drives visible that way.

[Zenn7]

Other solution still wouldn't work, same error.

Restore started, with a hiccup that I had to format the partition (C: drive is definitely gone now!)

[Zenn7]

After a long day of fun, got Windows installed (new installation). The OEM key on the bios worked, so it's activated, great!

Now I just need to remember where I got him MS Office from and get that installed.

[Zenn7]

He had nothing important he needed to copy/save, but one important thing that was on there was MS Office (2019 I think).

That was work hup license. Which apparently was from before the last time we were sold and doesn't apply through the current company as they don't show any history of me making purchases.

Now the MS work discount program through work will offer me 30% of their subscription rate.

He uses Word for formatting papers (college student; apparently he can't meet the required formatting in google docs or something).

Told him to find out what his classmates are doing - I know not every student there can afford a $70-$100 annual sub to get their papers formatted correctly.

Other than that though, fully back up in newly installed Windows and seems to work fine.
Leaving auto-updates off for now though.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Other than that though, fully back up in newly installed Windows and seems to work fine.
Leaving auto-updates off for now though.

Glad to hear you got the system back up and running.

To prevent similar issues from recurring in the future though, I highly recommend using Chris Titus' free and mighty useful Windows Utility Tool to configure the Windows Update service to download essential security updates only, as shown here:



After launching the tool from an elevated PowerShell prompt, simply navigate to the 'Updates' tab and click on the 'Security (Recommended) Settings' button in the centre. This adjustment ensures that your system will only download essential security updates, avoiding all the unnecessary 'feature improvements' that so often lead to the frustrations you described here. By switching to security updates only, the Windows Update service will focus solely on stably patching security exploits and vulnerabilities, without unwanted and extraneous cruft.

Here's a video showing several of its other useful features:

[hitbyambulance]

He uses Word for formatting papers (college student; apparently he can't meet the required formatting in google docs or something).

??

what 'required formatting' does this entail? seems unlikely this is something that LibreOffice Writer can't handle.

https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best ... -processor

[Zenn7]

He uses Word for formatting papers (college student; apparently he can't meet the required formatting in google docs or something).

??

what 'required formatting' does this entail? seems unlikely this is something that LibreOffice Writer can't handle.

https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best ... -processor

No clue. I was a bit dumbfounded he couldn't do it in google docs. Never used it personally, but I'm assuming it's got all the basic formatting functionality.

[Zenn7]

Other than that though, fully back up in newly installed Windows and seems to work fine.
Leaving auto-updates off for now though.

Glad to hear you got the system back up and running.

To prevent similar issues from recurring in the future though, I highly recommend using Chris Titus' free and mighty useful Windows Utility Tool to configure the Windows Update service to download essential security updates only, as shown here:



After launching the tool from an elevated PowerShell prompt, simply navigate to the 'Updates' tab and click on the 'Security (Recommended) Settings' button in the centre. This adjustment ensures that your system will only download essential security updates, avoiding all the unnecessary 'feature improvements' that so often lead to the frustrations you described here. By switching to security updates only, the Windows Update service will focus solely on stably patching security exploits and vulnerabilities, without unwanted and extraneous cruft.

Here's a video showing several of its other useful features:

Awesome. Putting this on his laptop before any more updates!

Thanks AB!

[Unagi]

TIL the word cruft

How did I not know that word?

[Zenn7]

It happened again a week or so later.

Then good til last night, now missing boot o/s or something like that. Took a few quick stabs at other fixes and then just reformat/reload Windows again.

Thought it was time to start looking for a new laptop, but the fix from last night didn't last long, missing again today.
Now it's time to expedite finding one.

Guessing the hard drive is bad (though chkdsk didn't find anything). But not sure about replace hard drive in a lap top (desktops, no problem, laptops I've had more issues opening/working on, not good with my hands). Besides which, don't have parts to troubleshoot with, don't want to buy stuff just to end up buying a new laptop and he doesn't really have time for me to work on this in my free time.
- Might bring keep it and play with it though after I buy him a new one.

[hitbyambulance]

Thought it was time to start looking for a new laptop, but the fix from last night didn't last long, missing again today.
Now it's time to expedite finding one.

Guessing the hard drive is bad (though chkdsk didn't find anything). But not sure about replace hard drive in a lap top (desktops, no problem, laptops I've had more issues opening/working on, not good with my hands). Besides which, don't have parts to troubleshoot with, don't want to buy stuff just to end up buying a new laptop and he doesn't really have time for me to work on this in my free time.
- Might bring keep it and play with it though after I buy him a new one.

almost certainly the HDD has gone bad, and that's all that's wrong with it. you'll have to search for the manual (or even service manual) online to see what the actual steps are, but it is _likely_ it could be as simple as undoing four screws and swapping out the drives - and with a new 128GB SSD costing, what, $20, it's a very low-risk/high-payoff thing to try.

[hitbyambulance]

just saw from the other thread you made that this is a Lenovo ideapad 3 i5-1135G7. replacing the M.2 drive is SUPER EASY once you get the back cover off, it's right there:


a replacement 500GB M.2 can be had for around $40

[Zenn7]

$37.99 on sale at Microcenter. Saw your earlier note and looked at their pricing. Wasn't sure exactly what kind it was so waiting til I get the bad laptop home and can tear it apart and verify, then getting new hard drive and trying this.

If I do it fast enough, I could return the new laptop. Or I can hold on to this one and use it (or my wife thinks I will let her play with it) but ultimately, have it as a spare in case he needs another laptop (or mine or my wife's PC breaks, probably good enough for her; for me... tied me over til I can get a new one).