MSCONFIG stuck in "Selective Startup"

[oldrunner55]

Recently doing a system cleanup of a friends HP touch screen Windows 8.1 machine when restarted, most of her programs and data appeared to be gone. Found that MSCONFIG was in "Selective Startup". After switching it back to "Normal Startup" all of her programs and documents were back. However, MSCONFIG was back to "Selective Startup". If she now shuts down the system, when she starts it again the next time all of her stuff will be gone. As she is an elderly widow, she will panic and I'll get another call. For the time being, I've told her to not shut down until I can solve this. I have spent hours doing Google searches and have searched here to no avail. I did remove some programs but they are not listed in task manager so that doesn't seem to be the problem. I have checked a couple of other machines and they are all in "Normal Startup". I even removed a program from my own Win 8.1 machine to try and duplicate the problem but could not. Sorry for this being so wordy but I'm lost. Please help. Thank you.

 

[MilesAhead]

I've never run into that problem myself. But a search brought me to this page and it sounds like what you are experiencing:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...tion-reverts-from-normal-to-selective-startup

 

[oldrunner55]

Unfortunately, there is no "Advanced Troubleshooting Settings" dialog box in MSCONFIG ! Everyone says click on the "Advanced" button in MSCONFIG but that doesn't exist in any version of Win 8.1 that I've seen.

 

[MilesAhead]

Unfortunately, there is no "Advanced Troubleshooting Settings" dialog box in MSCONFIG ! Everyone says click on the "Advanced" button in MSCONFIG but that doesn't exist in any version of Win 8.1 that I've seen.

I don't have Windows 8.1 to look at. But in my Windows 8.0 in the Boot Tab there is an Advanced Button.

 

[KYHI]

I am using windows 8.1 and hope this helps..







That I am aware of my system has always shown "Selective Startup"

 

[MilesAhead]

I am using windows 8.1 and hope this helps..
View attachment 68798

That I am aware of my system has always shown "Selective Startup"

Thanks for posting the screen shots. According to the page I linked, if any of the Advanced Options are selected, as some of yours are, the system will automatically revert to Selective Startup.