Repairing XP - Part 1

Repairing XP - Part 2
Repairing XP - Part 3
Repairing XP - Part 4
Repairing XP - Part 5

Repairing Windows XP Part 1

Microsofts latest and greatest may well be the most stable, but it isnt infallible. In the
first of a new series, Dave Cook explains the options available to you when things go pear
shaped.
Windows XP is easily Microsofts most stable operating
system to date. Yet that will be small comfort if you
need to write a 10,000 word essay before morning - and
all you can see is a blank screen.
The good news is that Windows XP includes a number of
recovery features. Most are fairly easy to administer, though finding which option is best for any
given task largely depends on the type of problem or failure encountered.
Most repair options covered in this series apply to both Windows XP Home Edition and Windows
XP Professional. Well warn you beforehand if the fix applies to one edition only. Note also that in
cases where the computer holds more than one user account, most repair options require you to be
logged on with administrative privileges.
Driver Misery
Well kick off with that perennial chestnut, device driver misery. Suppose, for instance, that your
modem has stopped talking to AOL ever since you updated its driver. To make matters worse, you
have just discovered that there is no recent backup to fall back on.
But wait a minute, what about the Device Driver Rollback option? Available from the Device
Manager, Device Driver Rollback is a quick and painless way to re-install your last driver. To do so,
click Start, Control Panel, and click System. Select the Hardware tab, and click Device Manager.
Alternatively, if youre using Classic view, click Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, and
Computer Management. Then go to the left pane and click Device Manager.
From the Device Manager window, right-click the device for which you want to reinstall the
previous driver version. Click Properties, and then click the Driver tab. To revert back to your old
device driver, click Roll Back Driver, and follow the onscreen instructions.
Time Machine
But what if driver rollback doesnt work? Easy use System Restore instead. This feature
restores system and application settings back to those that were in effect at a certain point in
time specified by you.
System Restore can be a real life saver. Its loaded by default when installing Windows XP and is
normally turned on and configured to start creating restore points for each logical drive
automatically - every 24 hours, in fact. To set or adjust restore point settings, click Start, All
Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and click System Restore.

You can use System Restore when you suspect important

system or application settings have been changed. If
applications have been installed, updated, or removed,
for instance. Or when files other than data files have
been added or deleted.
If you suspect a program or Windows component is
causing problems, the simplest method of recovery is to
use the Add Or Remove Programs option instead. The
applet for this feature can be found in the Control Panel.
Simply open it, select the guilty application or
component, and then click the Remove button to get rid of it.
Cant Load, Wont Load
The recovery options weve covered thus far assume you can load Windows XP to fix the problem.
But what happens if Windows XP wont even start?
Thankfully, Microsoft has provided us with numerous recovery options. Next time well check out
one of the quickest and easiest fixes to initiate, the aptly named Last Known Good Configuration.

Repairing Windows XP Part 2

Even the best operating systems have been known to fail on occasions. Fear not, though,
because Dave Cook and the Last Known Good Configuration are here to help.
Computers? Love em or hate em, the fact is many of us are
lost without one. So when they go wrong, as they occasionally
do, the consequences can be quite terrifying.
The culprit could be as simple as the wrong version of an
updated driver. It could be a new piece of hardware, or it
could be something evil lurking in the registry. The
opportunities for disruption are endless. Yes, even in this
day and age, its still surprisingly easy to knock out a
computer.
At least Windows XP offers numerous recovery options reserved for just such an event. One of
the easiest to use is the Last Known Good Configuration, a feature available from both Windows
XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional.
For The Record
Typically, you would use the Last Known Good
Configuration when youre unable to start Windows XP
after you make a change to the computer, or when you
suspect that a change youve just made might cause a
problem. It works like this
Every time you successfully start Windows XP in normal
mode, the operating system makes a record of the
currently installed drivers along with the contents of the registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet.
Although this record is important, its ignored by your computer when everything is running
normally. But when things go wrong, this record helps the Last Known Good Configuration get you
back up and running.
Before learning how to use the Last Known Good Configuration, it pays to be aware of one or two
limitations. For a start, be aware that it cant solve problems caused by corrupted or missing
drivers or files. Secondly, the Last Known Good Configuration only works if you were able to start
the computer successfully prior to your present attempt at restoring the system.

You should also understand that once you start the computer using the Last Known Good
Configuration, any changes made since the last successful startup will be lost. Note, though, that
changes made to other registry keys will remain in place.
Good Show
Heres how to start the computer using the Last Known Good Configuration.

Restart the computer.

When a problem occurs, the Please select the operating system to start message
should appear onscreen. Press the F8 key to bring up the Windows Advanced Options
menu.

Use the arrow keys to select the Last Known Good Configuration. Then press
[ENTER]. Note that if youre running more than one operating system on the computer,
use the arrow keys to select Windows XP, and then press [ENTER].

With luck and a following wind, the Last Known Good Configuration will start the computer using
your most recent settings that worked.
Two For Joy
And if your computer still wont start? Well, try not to get all hot and bothered just yet. There
are several remaining options to fall back on. Next time, for example, well show you how to repair
Windows XP using two recovery features together: Safe Mode and System Restore.

Repairing Windows XP Part 3

Still cant get that computer to start? Here, Dave Cook shows you how to get up and running
with the help of two recovery options: Safe Mode and System Restore.
In part two we showed you how to start a faulty computer using the Last Known Good
Configuration. Its quick to initiate, and automatically restores registry settings and drivers that
were in use the last time the computer started successfully.
Unfortunately, the Last Known Good Configuration doesnt always
fix the problem. In fact, in a relatively small number of cases it
can actually add to them.
So assuming the Last Known Good Configuration doesnt sort
your particular problem, what should you do next? The answer may be found in not one but two
recovery features: Safe Mode and System Restore.
Safe Mode
Safe Mode has been a feature of the Microsoft operating system for a great many moons. Old
fare it may be, but it can still play an important role in getting your computer back up and running.
If XP wont start normally, you may be able to load Windows by using one of three Safe Mode
options available at startup.

Safe Mode

Safe Mode with Networking

Safe Mode with Command Prompt

If Windows hangs at startup, use the power switch or the reset button to restart the computer.
You should see the Startup Recovery menu. If it doesnt appear, press F8 after the system
finishes displaying startup messages from the BIOS (but before the Windows logo appears).
Unless you especially need networking capabilities, its generally better to start the computer in
Safe Mode only. This will start your operating system using basic files and drivers and should

enable the mouse (unless its a serial device), keyboard, storage, base video, and default system
services.
System Restore
The Windows XP version of System Restore is a greatly improved version of the one found in
Windows Me. System Restore is a bit like owning your very own time machine, because it can
restore system and application settings back to a point in time you specify.
Thus, if you can start the computer in Safe Mode, you have a great chance of using System
Restore to undo the configuration change thats causing your machine to hang.
How It Works
System Restore is similar to a commercial disk imaging
program in that its capable of taking snapshots of your
system. It can do so automatically every 24 hours or so,
when certain events occur, or when you choose to take a
snapshot.
These snapshots are usually referred to as restore points. They can be restored on demand when
something goes wrong and your computer hangs or fails to start.
The only limit to the number of restore points stored on a system is the amount of disk space
available to hold them. For instance, up to 12 per cent of the overall disk space per drive can be
reserved for restore points. Or up to 400MB on disks less than 4GB.
Restore points are scheduled to take place by default every 24 hours. Importantly, though,
System Restore can also take snapshots in response to particular events, such as before you
install a new application.
So if Windows XP fails to start after a critical change has been made to the system, you can
often start the operating system in Safe Mode, and then fire up System Restore. You can access
the feature in Safe Mode just as you would normally. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories,
System Tools, and click System Restore.
Once started, you can follow the onscreen instructions and use the wizard to revert back to a time
when the computer operated normally.
Next Please
Still cant get Windows to start? Then it may be time to try your luck with the Recovery Console
so look out for that in part four!

Repairing Windows XP Part 4

The Recovery Console isnt for the faint hearted, warns Dave Cook. But in the right hands,
it can do magic.
When Windows fails to start a combination of Safe Mode and
System Restore can often get you out of trouble fast. Failing
that, you may be able to repair the operating system using the
Recovery Console.
Be warned, though, that the Recovery Console is not for the
faint hearted. For a start it operates in a non-graphical,
command-line environment. That wont deter old timers used to working with MS DOS, of course,
but its unlikely to appeal to the average Windows user.
So why bother learning how to use it? Because in the right hands the Recovery Console can be
used to diagnose and repair some of Windows XPs most troublesome problems.
Advantages

The main advantage to using the Recovery Console over Safe Mode, for example, is that the
former will work even when vital system files are corrupt. The Recovery Console will let you
perform many important tasks including the ability to:

Copy, move, rename, or replace system files or folders.

List, enable or disable Windows services or devices.

Extract compressed .cab files from a local disk or removable media.

Rebuild or repair the Windows boot menu (Boot.ini).

Repair the Master Boot Record.

Create and format primary partitions, volumes, or logical drives.

Restrictions
The Recovery Console is not all sweetness and light. Although the console prompt looks identical to
the familiar MS-DOS prompt and Windows XPs own command interpreter (Cmd.exe), its not quite
the same. Indeed, the default setup of the Recovery Console contains a number of restrictions.
For example, you can access files only in the following locations:

The partitions root directory

The folders of removable disks such as floppy disks, CDs, and Zip disks.

The %SystemRoot% folder and subfolders of a Windows XP installation. Note that this
is usually the C:\Windows folder if the system has been upgraded from Windows 98/Me.

The Recovery Console Cmdcons folder.

These restrictions are necessary because the alternative solution of providing unlimited file
access could pose a major security risk. This applies especially to users of Windows Home Edition,
where the Administrator account is left blank by default.
Such limits can be frustrating when all you want to do is repair the system. Or simply access a file
stored in one of the Program Files folders or Documents And Settings folders.
Boot Menu Option
There are two ways to launch the Recovery Console: from the Windows CD, or from a startup
option on the Windows boot menu. Note that the latter option requires the console to be installed
at a point in time before Windows fails to start.
Heres how its done: insert the Windows CD into your
CD-ROM drive and at the command prompt (where D:\ is
your CD-ROM drive), type D:\i386\winnt32.exe
/cmdcons. Youll see a message describing the Recovery
Console option. Click Yes to install the console.
While this method makes the Recovery Console far
quicker to access when Windows fails to start, be
warned that it will present you with a boot menu each
time you start Windows XP.
You can configure the menus startup options from Start, Control Panel, and System applet. Then
from the Advanced tab, click Startup And Recovery Settings. Its usually a good idea to reduce
the time set to display the various options from 30 seconds, by default, to around 5 seconds.
CD Option

If you wish to avoid a boot menu, you can still launch the Recovery Console from the Windows CD.
If Windows fails to start, insert the Windows CD into your CD-ROM drive and restart the
computer. Note that for this to work you may need to enable any BIOS settings that allow your
computer to boot from a CD.
Follow the onscreen prompts, including the setup prompt to load the basic Windows startup files.
Then at the Welcome To Setup screen, press R to launch the Recovery Console (for dual-boot
systems, enter the number of the Windows installation to be accessed via the console).
When prompted, type the Administrator password. As we mentioned earlier, this is blank by
default on the Windows XP Home Edition. So if there is no Administrator password, just hit
ENTER to start the console.
Next Time
Sadly, weve run out of space. In part five, well show you how to use the Recovery Console to solve
some common startup problems.

Repairing Windows XP Part 5

When all else fails, the Recovery Console provides enough tools to fix most startup bugs.
Here are the best, courtesy of Dave Cook.
A damaged boot file, a failed service or a faulty driver.
Any one of these problems can cut short a Windows XP
startup. If Safe Mode combined with System Restore
fails to fix the setback, the next logical repair option is
the Recovery Console.
The Recovery Console works in a non-graphical, commandline environment and as such is not recommended for
novices. Its chief advantage over Safe Mode is that it works even when Windows system files
have been corrupted.
Basically you can launch the Recovery Console in one of two ways. To see how, check out Repairing
Windows XP Part 4. Once running, typing HELP at the Recovery Console prompt displays a list of
commands that are available from the console.
Give It The Boot
The first file in the Windows boot sequence is Ntldr, a hidden system file found in the root
directory of your hard drive. Ntldr performs a variety of vital tasks before it looks for the
Boot.ini file, a text menu boot file also found in the root directory.
After Ntldr completes the initial boot process, Ntdetect begins looking for installed hardware.
These three files (and others) form an essential part of the Windows startup process. If a
program (or perhaps another operating system in a multiboot scenario) overwrites or corrupts an
essential startup file then Windows XP will fail to start.
The following example can be used to fix damaged boot files from the Recovery Console:
BOOTCFG - Should the Windows startup file, Boot.ini
become corrupt, use bootcfg /rebuild to automatically
replace the existing Boot.ini file. Alternatively, use
bootcfg /add to append a Windows installation to Boot.ini
without changing existing entries.
COPY - Use the copy command (including source and destination) to restore damaged or missing
system files such as Ntldr, and Ntdetect. Compressed files will be expanded automatically. If the
file is stored inside a .cab file then use the expand command.
FIXBOOT Use the fixboot command to re-write the boot sector code. For this option to work,
youll need to start the Recovery Console from the Windows CD.

Senior Service
Buggy drivers and poorly written third-party services are another common cause of Windows XP
startup problems. Thankfully, a combination of Safe Mode and System Restore can often return
the machine to a healthy state.
Sometimes, though, the problem is so severe that you cant even start Windows in Safe Mode.
When this happens, the Recovery Console provides three commands to help identify the offending
service and disable (or enable) it.
LISTSVC This command displays a list of all the services and drivers on your system including
current status and whether any optional components are installed.
DISABLE To stop a service or driver, use the disable command followed by the name of the
faulty service or driver. Before the service is disabled, the current start type value of the service
is shown: SERVICE_BOOT_START, SERVICE_SYSTEM_START, SERVICE_AUTO_START, or
SERVICE_DEMAND_START. Always make a note of the start value so that it can be re-enabled
using the same value later.
ENABLE If the stopped service or driver turns out to be okay (something else is causing the
problem), it can be re-enabled using the enable command. This should be followed by the name of
the service or driver and the identical start value you observed when it was disabled.
Last Resort Time
Lets face it - you could try every option weve covered in this series only to find Windows still
fails to start. If that happens, you may be able to repair the Windows installation using the
Windows Setup program.
To perform a repair, boot from the Windows CD. However, rather than choosing the option to
repair the installation at the Welcome To Setup screen (which launches the Recovery Console),
press ENTER to start the Windows Setup program.
At the screen which lists the machines current Windows installations, select the problem
Windows XP installation from the list and press R to begin the repair process. With any luck, this
will refresh your system files and have them back working normally. In severe cases, however,
reformatting the disk and a clean install of Windows may be the only solution.