Troubleshooting

Windows

Failure to boot

• Is it hardware (OS not found)? Hard drive failure

• Is the system powered on? Is the power supply OK?

• Is the system set to boot from the hard disk drive?

• Make sure the POST completes and you get the beep

XP failure to boot

• NTLDR, ntdetect.com and boot.ini are required to start the system

• First, should attempt to repair• Second, attempt to restore from a backup• Third, rebuild the OS • Try not to install Recovery Console on your

system – you will get a question at each boot

Recovery Console

• Need to pick the Windows installation• Then administrator password (you do

remember it?)• Now you have a command prompt at C:\• Can copy to hard disk drive not from it• Fixmbr: To fix the Master Boot Record (No

boot device error)• Bootcfg / rebuild – rebuilds boot.ini

Rebuild

• This is the second option to repair Windows that XP offers

• Often called a Repair Installation• I have had success with this and retained

applications and data.

Recovery CD or Partition

• HP, Dell and others do this• Use it to restore computer to the state it was

in when it came out of the box• You loose all data and applications you added;

you get all the bloat-ware with the system

Boot Failure – Vista/7

• Now have a “live DVD” as Windows Preinstallation Environment loads first (WinPE)

• Has Repair Environment (WinRE) – fixes all but the most stuborn of errors

• Can get there from Advanced Boot Options menu (F8)

Startup Repair• Repairs a corrupted Registry by accessing the

backup copy• Restores critical system and driver files• Runs fixboot and fixmbr• Rolls back any non-working drivers• Uninstalls any incompatible service packs and

patches• Runs chkdsk• Runs a memory test – different from Memory

Diagnostic

More WinRE

• Creates file: srttrail.txt with results of tests (long file)

• Starts automatically if Windows detects a boot problem

• No harm in running it …

System Restore

• You have been making Restore Points, yes?• Allows you to “go back in time” to a previously

working point• Can undo the go back procedure

System Image Recovery

• That’s the Win7 name for it• Vista: Windows Complete PC Restore• You have made a full backup of your system

lately, yes?• Restore will wipe out partitions on the drive

and Restore will create them from backup

Memory Diagnostic

• Tests system RAM• Over and over and over again – each time you

restart system• Mike has not had any better luck• Use Memtest86+

Command Prompt

• Only if Startup Repair doesn’t fix it• Bootrec repairs master boot record, boot

sector or BCD store• Replaces fixboot and fixmbr• Bcdedit shows boot options– Windows Boot Manager– Windows Boot Loader

• I had to use this to stop memory diagnostic

BSoD

• Blue Screen of Death – still around• Sometimes it is helpful in problem solving;

usually not• Restart system and cross your fingers• Can be connected to a new device added to

system …

Registry Corruption – XP

• Delete c:\windows\system32\config\system• And software, sam, security, default• Copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\

system32\config\system• This takes you back to first registry; try Last

Known Good first

Registry – Vista/7

• C:\windows\system32\config\regback• RegIdleBackup backs up Registry every 10

days• Boot to Windows DVD, access Windows RE

Command Prompt and run REG command; from there, copy files up one level similar to XP

Startup Options

• Safe Mode – Microsoft drivers and bare-bones system; sometimes helps– Can work with Device Manager here– Msconfig has option to automatically boot to Safe

Mode on Boot tab

• Last Known Good – the last (registry and driver) settings that got to the desktop; this should work each time but often does not

Other Startup Options• Safe Mode with Networking• Safe Mode with Command Prompt• Enable Boot Logging – ntbtlog.txt (hidden in root)• Enable VGA mode• Directory Services Restore Mode (server only)• Debugging Mode• Disable Automatic Restart on System Failure• Disable Driver Signature Enforcement• Start Windows Normally

Event Viewer• Control Panel | Administrative Tools or right-click

(My) Computer and choose Manage• Application: events specific to applications• Security: usually blank unless you set up audits• System: events specific to OS• By itself it is not often useful, will send you to

Microsoft for slightly better explanation• System and Security | Administrative Tools for Vista

and 7• Try Device Manager first

Autoloading Programs

• MSCONFIG to the rescue! There are about four places for autoloading programs; msconfig gathers them together

• Clear the checkmarks about every six months• Wireless network cards need their autoload

program(s)

Services

• Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Services• Wireless network cards battle here over their

own service (and startup program) and Wireless Zero Configuration (XP)

• Start/Stop services here – Windows can override you here

• In Task Manager, you can see processor resources – handy

System Files

• .DLL files – Dynamic Link Library files• Idea is to do a job once, then come back to it

when you need it again• Used to be a real hassle when files had

common names – they would step on each other

• System File Checker might fix errors

Action Center

• Control Panel applet• Aggregates information from several sources• Provides links to tools

Performance Information and Tools

Applications

• Windows looks for autorun.inf to find the installer program (setup.exe?)

• Need Administrator privileges• Uninstall also needs admin rights• XP – Add or Remove Programs• 7 – Programs and Features

Compatibility

Volume Shadow Copy Service

• VSS for short• Will make backup copies of files that are in

use• XP started it, NTBACKUP uses it• Right-click file, Properties, Previous Versions

or right-click file and choose Restore previous versions