SAFE MODE:
Safe mode is a mode of Windows used for "troubleshooting". As in this mode
only the minimum of software and drivers to get Windows running are
installed. To get in to Safe Mode start up your computer and when you see
the "Starting Windows" text press Ctrl or the F8 key, then you
should press option 3. Safe Mode is the best mode for
troubleshooting. Firstly once in this mode you should check the device
manager for conflicting hardware devices. To enter the Device Manager:
Start->Settings->Control Panel->System->Device Manager. If
there are conflicting devices you may need to change some IRQ's and or
DMA's. If there are no conflicts to be seen. Then the problem could be
down to software. So try:
Step by Step Confirmation:
After restarting Windows and pressing Ctrl or F8, chose Step by Step
confirmation. This option will ask for confirmation of every command that
loads when Windows loads. The trouble could be discovered in any one of
these 3 steps.
-
Step 1 loads everything but the drivers Windows uses.
Say yes to every line apart from the line which asks if you want to
load "All Windows drivers". You will then be booted in to a
kind of safe mode. This version does not load the run= and load= lines
in the win.ini and does not load the [boot] and the [386Enh]
sections of the system.ini. If the file boots then you know
that the problem lies in one of these to areas. If step 1 does not
work then try step 2.
-
Restart your computer press Ctrl or F8, chose Step by
Step confirmation. Say no to loading the autoexec.bat and config.sys.
Say yes to all the others. If the system boots, then search the
autoexec.bat and config.sys for problem lines or lines you don't
recognise. If it doesn't boot go to step 3.
-
The only thing Boot D does is not load the
registry. This will not allow you the option to load the Windows
drivers, but will put you in to Safe Mode. The only thing Boot D will
tell you is if the registry is working correctly. If you get in to
Safe Mode, your O.K.
Click here if you
have determined the problem is either Win.ini or System.ini
Click here
for other assistance.
