# Safe mode/start up repair issue



## tnaylor657 (Apr 27, 2014)

Hi there

I'm having an issue with my Dell Inspiron 660 windows 8.1. (2 years old)

Basically last night before I went out I put my PC in sleep mode and must've woke it up accidentally by moving the mouse,
So I hard-powered it off by holding the power button to save time, no problem.

But the next day I switched it on and it said 'start up repair is trying to repair your PC, this could take up to an hour, so I thought what the..? After 20 mins or so I just guessed it wasn't doing anything as my PC wasn't making a sound. So I powered it off again and rebooted, now it just _initiates start up repair then a few seconds later a blue screen saying 'Automatic repair couldn't repair your PC' press advanced options to repair your PC or shut down. Log file: C:\WINDOWS\System32\Logfiles\Srt\SrtTrail.txt_

I've tried to start it in safe mode but is simply repeats what I put in italics. I've even command prompted it to no initiate start up repair, and it confirms that the command was successful but it tries to repair anyways and goes back to the blue screen.

The last thing on earth I want to have to do is wipe the whole thing which seems to be my last option and doing so would ruin a whole lot of data that is very very important to me.

I presume it could be a serious issue or something very simple..

I've never had this issue before with this PC so I'm really stumped. I've had similar with my old Packard bell, but the problem with that was that I had 2 anti-virus software clashing.

PLEASE HELP!

Thanks very much!


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

1. Welcome to Tech Support Guy


2. Boot to recovery options, troubleshoot, advanced, command prompt and run a chkdsk /f on C drive presuming that is where Windows is installed


The cmd prompt from there will open on a X:\Sources> prompt , that is a ramdrive so you do not want to run the chkdsk on that - change that to a C: prompt by typing


C:
and press enter


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## tnaylor657 (Apr 27, 2014)

Hello sir, thanks for the reply.

I opened up command, typed: chkdsk /f
This came up underneath:
_'The type of file system is NTFS.
Cannot lock current drive.
Windows cannot run disk checking on this volume because it is write protected.
X:\windows\system32>'_


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

You have not with respect read my post carefully enough - you cannot check drive X it is a ram drive created for repair purposes
please follow my notes


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## tnaylor657 (Apr 27, 2014)

((My apologies, I got a little confused and misread it))

Right so, I've opened command > typed C: > Enter > chkdsk /f

This came up:

_The type of the file system is NTFS.
Cannot lock current drive.

Chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process. Chkdsk may run if this volume is dismounted first.
ALL OPENED HANDLES TO THIS VOLUME WOULD THEN BE INVALID.
Would you like to for a dismount on this volume? (Y/N)_


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

no problem - type Y


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## tnaylor657 (Apr 27, 2014)

Hey, pressed y and it ran and checked my disc, it looks like it's worked and here is a picture of it finished, if this is what's supposed to have happened then awesome
http://i59.tinypic.com/29g0wer.jpg


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

tnaylor657


I am signing off as I am in the UK and have an early start in the morning


I was just about to to give you the next step if this did not work when you posted your post 7
exit the cmd window by typing exit and pressing enter and then see if it will reboot as normal


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## tnaylor657 (Apr 27, 2014)

Okay no worries thanks very much for the help. 

For if you read this tomorrow or if anyone else reads this, after post 7, I typed exit in command after the scan and tried to continue to windows 8.1 and it just tried again to repair when it booted back up and I was met with the error again. Cheers


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

OK I really do have to go but try going back to recovery and try a system restore


that is the advanced options - normally top left - the same window as cmd prompt is on
restore to an earlier point


Just came back to say if that works - go windows updates and of course anything from the restore point will be lost - but that is I suppose a minor problem compared with the present one


Will pick up when I return about 2000 hrs if you still need help


Good luck with it


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