Stuck in Automatic Repair Loop - USB Not Recognized as Boot Option

emvio · 28 Jun 2018

I appreciate all the help! I'll keep tinkering around, but I'll probably bring it in to a professional at some point so they can get a first hand look at it.

dalchina · 28 Jun 2018

If you're not concerned about rescuing your current Windows- which may or may not be possible- then you can clean install Windows. That means you need to first make a backup of all data now on C: unless you have on already. All programs you've installed will be removed, so you would have to reinstall them.

Any data partitions you have you can keep.

If you are lucky and Windows installs, you can then run a disk test.

That's completely backwards- as you should test your disk first- but simpler for you if it succeeds.

I would guess someone in a computer shop isn't going to try to take the time to recover your Windows anyway.

emvio · 28 Jun 2018

Is there any way to back up this stuff or do it if I can't run Command Prompt anymore? I don't know if I mentioned, but basically everything is now saying, "There is no administrator on this computer" or something like that. The shop nearby said they could recover my files if they're still there, but I told them to just go ahead with a clean reinstall. I'll be dropping it off later today unless there's any miracle fix between now and then. I'm usually a go-getter in fixing laptop/desktop issues myself, but I must be missing something here that is easier than I am sensing it to be.

dalchina · 28 Jun 2018

I have told you about booting from Kyhi's disk.

I have also referred to Macrium reflect. That is available on Kyhi's disk, so you can use that to create a disk image (compressed copy of the partition(s) you select) on a USB disk for example.

As for fixing it, it's a progressive matter of working through stages as I have started to describe, but it seems you prefer the repair shop.

Anyway, good luck.

emvio · 28 Jun 2018

Yes but my computer is not recognizing USBs at all. I downloaded the software you mentioned and loaded it on a USB stick, but it my computer doesn't recognize it, then I'm not sure what to do.

dalchina · 28 Jun 2018

You may need to change your BIOS boot device settings.

If your laptop has a DVD drive, that's easier.

And have you actually created a bootable USB device? Just copying an iso to it makes it a data storage device.
Example- using a Win 10 iso: (Option 2)
Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

Or use Rufus, freeware
Create a Windows 10 USB Bootable Flash Drive (Updated)