My Windows 8 PC is stuck on boot and shows a message "Scanning and repairing drive (C:): 28% complete. How can I get out of this situation?

You have mentioned that you are unable to boot the computer as it is stuck on the Check Disk process at its boot up and is showing the message: “Scanning an repairing drive C: 28% complete”. Please provide me with the answers to these questions:

1. What happens when you shut the computer down manually by holding its power button and when you restart it again?

2. Are you able to boot the computer in Safe Mode?

3. What is the make and model of your computer?

4. What were the recent changes that you have made on the computer which has caused this issue?

I would suggest you to try booting the computer in safe mode and check if this issue still persists. In order to boot the computer in safe mode, you will have to use a bootable Windows 8 installation media. If you do not have the Windows 8 installation disk, then follow these instructions to create a bootable disk.

In order to create a Windows 8 bootable disk, you may refer the article: “How to create installation media for a PC refresh or reset” from this link:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

After creating the bootable disk, I would suggest you to try booting the computer in safe mode using the disk. Try the following methods.

Method 1: Try booting the computer in safe mode.

a) Contact the computer manufacturer to know on how to change the boot order of the computer. You will have to change the boot device to USB drive and then boot from the Windows 8 installation disk.

b) In the “Windows Setup” dialog box that appears, set the Time and currency format, Keyboard or input method and the language to install and then click “Next”.

c) Click on “Repair your computer” from the lower left corner.

d) From the “Choose an option screen”, click on “Troubleshoot”.

e) Click “Advanced Options” in the “Troubleshoot” screen.

f) Click on “Startup Settings” in the “Advanced Options” screen

g) Click on “Restart” and wait for the computer to restart to “Startup Settings”.

h) In the “Startup Settings” window, press the “F4” key on the keyboard to restart the computer in Safe Mode and check if you are able to boot the computer in Safe Mode.

If you are unable to boot the computer in Safe Mode, then try performing an Automatic Repair and check if that resolves the issue.

Method 2: Perform an Automatic Repair of Windows 8 using the installation media.

a) Contact the computer manufacturer to know on how to change the boot order of the computer. You will have to change the boot device to CD/DVD drive and then boot from the Windows 8 installation disk.

b) In the “Windows Setup” dialog box that appears, set the Time and currency format, Keyboard or input method and the language to install and then click “Next”.

c) Click on “Repair your computer” from the lower left corner.

d) From the “Choose an option screen”, click on “Troubleshoot”.

e) Click “Advanced Options” in the “Troubleshoot” screen.

f) In the “Advanced Options” screen, click “Automatic Repair”.

g) Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Automatic Repair.

If the automatic repair did not work, then try the next method to perform a system restore using the bootable USB drive which you have created and check if you are able to boot into your computer.

Method 3: Perform a System restore and check.

To perform a System Restore, follow these instructions and check:

a) Contact the computer manufacturer to know on how to change the boot order of the computer. You will have to change the boot device to CD/DVD drive and then boot from the Windows 8 installation disk.

b) In the “Windows Setup” dialog box that appears, set the Time and currency format, Keyboard or input method and the language to install and then click “Next”.

c) Click on “Repair your computer” from the lower left corner.

d) From the “Choose an option screen”, click on “Troubleshoot”.

e) Click “Advanced Options” in the “Troubleshoot” screen.

f) In the “Advanced Options” screen, select “System Restore”.

g) Follow the on screen instructions to restore the computer to an earlier state when the computer was working fine.

Important: The System Restore restores the computer back to an earlier point in time, called a restore point. System Restore doesn’t change your personal files, but it might remove recently installed apps and drivers and also reset the recently changed settings on the computer.