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my computer is an HP
My pc is stuck on 'Preparing Automatic Repair' screen for 2+ hours. What should I do?
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(252.8, 35%, 34%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EAP%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Adityanath Patil
40
Reputation points
Yesterday I installed updates and tried to download a game on ubisoft. But it started giving me error that it can't download. So I tried to set my PC to previously created recovery point. Kept it all night and was on the same screen. It said Resetting to previous point. Backing up registry or something. Sorry I don't remember. So with no sign of progress, I decided to restart my pc. And it's been showing 'Preparing Automatic Repair' for almost reaching 3 hours now. I tried to get into Windows Recovery Environment using the 'hold power off button', did it 3 times but couldn't get to WRE. I am on windows 10 Pro. Please help!
Windows for home | Windows 10 | Recovery and backup
2 answers
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DaveM121 872.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor2025-09-28T10:17:02.09+00:00 That system restore operation has failed, force your PC to shut down by pressing and holding the power button on the case of your PC for 5 - 10 seconds, wait a minute or two, then use this method to access the recovery environment, is that successful.
Start your PC, just as Windows attempts to load (spinning dots), press and hold Power Button for 5 - 10 seconds to perform a Hard Shut Down
Do this twice
On the third start Windows should boot into the Recovery Environment.
If not, what is the make (Dell, Lenovo, Asus... etc.) of your PC?
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Adityanath Patil 40 Reputation points
2025-09-28T10:37:15.56+00:00 IMG_20250928_160331.jpgHello, thanks for replying. I tried rebooting my pc 3 times like you said but I am getting the same screen instead of windows recovery environment.
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DaveM121 872.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2025-09-28T10:40:55.7266667+00:00 Thank you for that information, on a Lenovo, try this method to access the recovery environment.
Force your PC to shut down, then start your PC and repeatedly press the F2 key, you should then see the option to access the recovery environment.
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Adityanath Patil 40 Reputation points
2025-09-28T10:52:09.0533333+00:00 I pressed F2 repeatedly. It seems that I have entered BIOS screen. It says, InsydeH2O Setup Utility at the top of screen, but I am not able to locate Reset PC options. It has various tabs. Info, config, security, boot and exit.
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DaveM121 872.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2025-09-28T10:54:02.77+00:00 Please provide a photo of that screen you can access after pressing F2 on start-up.
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Adityanath Patil 40 Reputation points
2025-09-28T10:57:56.3433333+00:00 Hello, this the the screen I get.IMG_20250928_162545.jpg
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DaveM121 872.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2025-09-28T11:00:58.2733333+00:00 Thank you for the screenshot, if that is what the F2 key is accessing, and if you cannot access the Recovery Environment any other way then, you will need to create a bootable Windows 10 USB on an empty 8GB USB flash drive on another working PC and boot your PC from that, then rather than installing Windows 10, select ‘Repair this Computer’ that will give you access to the Recovery Environment from there
In the Recovery Environment on the USB, try each avaialble recovery option.
Click this link: https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows10
to download the Media Creation Tool (Click on Download Tool Now), with that you can download the latest Windows 10 ISO (Select Create Installation Media for Another PC), you can create a bootable USB flash drive (min 8GB) using that tool Then, Boot your PC from the Installation Media you just created (change Boot Order in your BIOS)
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Adityanath Patil 40 Reputation points
2025-09-28T11:03:40.7966667+00:00 I really don't have that much on my pc. Is it possible to just use bootable drive to reinstall windows from scratch instead of trying to recover or do I have to recover first? Again thanks for reply.
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DaveM121 872.9K Reputation points Independent Advisor
2025-09-28T11:07:12.2833333+00:00 Yes, that is correct, if you boot from the Windows USB, you can also use that to perform a full clean install of Windows.
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