Troubleshooting Tools and Strategies

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Safe Mode is a diagnostic tool for troubleshooting problems with starting and running Windows 2000. Safe Mode allows the user to specifically control how the computer starts Windows 2000.

If the computer fails to properly start up, restart Windows 2000 in Safe Mode to troubleshoot the problem. To do this, press F8 while the message For troubleshooting and advanced startup options for Windows 2000, press F8 is displayed. Once the Windows 2000 Advanced OptionsMenu is displayed, you can start the computer in Safe Mode or press ESC to return to the normal startup menu.

Table 31.2 describes the Windows 2000 Advanced Options Menu options.

Table 31.2 Windows 2000 Advanced Options Menu Options

Start Menu Option

Description

Safe Mode

Loads the minimum required basic device drivers and system services to start the system. Programs located in the Startup Program group are not started.

Safe Mode with Networking

Similar to standard Safe Mode, but also adds essential services and drivers needed to start networking. Safe Mode with Networking allows Group Policy to be implemented, including those implemented by the server during the logon process and those configured on the local computer.

Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Similar to standard Safe Mode but loads the command interpreter instead of Explorer.exe as the user shell.

Enable Boot Logging

Creates a log file, Ntbtlog.txt in the %systemroot% folder, during normal startup, which logs the name and status of all drivers loaded into memory.

Enable VGA Mode

Starts the computer in basic VGA mode in cases of corruption or incompatibility of currently installed video driver.

Last Known Good Configuration

Reverts to the last successfully started system configuration.

Directory Services Restore Mode

Only applies to Windows 2000 domain controllers.
Displays system information such as the number of processors, amount of main memory, Service Pack status, and build number during startup.

Debugging Mode

Starts Windows 2000 in kernel debug mode, which allows a debugger to break into the kernel for troubleshooting and system analysis.

Boot Normally

Starts Windows 2000, loading all normal startup files and registry values.

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Note

A boot log file, Ntbtlog.txt, is automatically created every time the computer is started in Safe Mode. If a boot log file using that name already exists, the new data is appended to the existing file.

Use Safe Mode in the following situations:

  • If Windows 2000 Professional stalls for an extended period of time.

  • If Windows 2000 Professional does not work correctly or has unexpected results.

  • If your video display does not work correctly.

  • If your computer suddenly slows down.

  • If you need to test an intermittent error condition.

  • If you have recently installed a new device driver or software and your system no longer starts.

Unlike Microsoft Windows 98, Windows 2000 does not automatically initiate Safe Mode after the system startup has failed. You need to manually access the Windows 2000 Advanced Options Menu to access Safe Mode.

When starting Windows 2000 in Safe Mode, only essential drivers and system services are loaded, including the mouse, keyboard, CD-ROM, standard VGA device drivers, the Event Log, Plug and Play, Remote Procedure Call (RPC), and Logical Disk Manager system services. Safe Mode also bypasses programs referenced in Startup Program group folders (including the user's profile, the All Users profile, and the Administrator profile), programs referenced in the registry to automatically run, and all local group policies (which might also enforce the automatic start of an application). This makes Safe Mode useful for isolating and resolving error conditions caused by faulty automatically started applications, system services, and device drivers.

Safe Mode provides access to the Windows 2000 configuration files so you can make configuration changes, and then restart Windows 2000 Professional normally.

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Note

Safe Mode with Command Prompt loads the basic VGA video driver and a graphical user interface with a command prompt.

After you are in Safe Mode, you can disable or delete a system service, a device driver, or automatically started application that is preventing the computer from starting normally.

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Note

Your computer can take substantially longer to start up and shut down when running in Safe Mode because all disk caching is disabled.

For more information about using Safe Mode, see Troubleshooting Problems with System Startup and Shutdown later in this chapter.