648 Computer Service and Repair
Boot Options
There are a number of different modes you can boot your computer into other
than the normal mode that your PC boots into by default. The other modes are
used for troubleshooting the computer. You can force your computer to boot into
these other modes. They are useful if your computer has any of the following
symptoms:
✔ System stalls for an unusually long period of time.
✔ Printer problems (as a last resort only).
✔ Video display problems.
✔ Computer shuts down or locks up for no apparent reason.
✔ Intermittent error conditions.
Pressing the [F8] key during the boot process halts the boot process and
displays a menu on the screen. These choices vary somewhat depending on the
operating system you are using. A typical Windows 98 operating system lists the
following options:
✔ Normal.
✔ Logged.
✔
Safe
Mode.
✔
Safe Mode with Network
Support.
✔
Step-by-Step
Confirmation.
✔
Command Prompt
Only.
✔
Safe Mode Command Prompt
Only.
✔
Previous Version of
MS-DOS.
Normal
means that you start the PC as you normally would. The second
choice, Logged, means that a log of boot activities will be recorded in a file called
bootlog.txt
stored in the root directory of drive C. The log contains information
about which files loaded correctly.
Safe Mode
will start automatically if Windows detects a system startup
failure. In safe mode, Windows uses a basic configuration. Safe mode bypasses
startup files such as config.sys, autoexec.bat, the registry, high memory, and parts
of the system.ini. You will likely use this very handy option on a frequent basis. In
this option, only the essentials are used to start the system giving you a chance
to diagnose the computer. Safe mode disables Windows device drivers and
starts the display in standard VGA mode. When in safe mode, each corner of the
monitor screen displays the words “Safe Mode.” You can force a Windows 98 or
Me system to start in safe mode by holding down the left [Ctrl] key while booting.
Step-by-Step Confirmation
operates as implied. It allows you the option
to carry out or reject boot process files displayed on the screen on a step-by-
step basis. This allows you to disable specific drivers called for in each line in
the
autoexec.bat
and config.sys. By disabling each line, one at a time, you can
determine which files and drivers are corrupt.
Command Prompt Only
allows the computer to boot to the command line
interface, not to the Windows graphical user interface. The command interpreter
is loaded. A command prompt appears on the screen, and you are free to issue
commands from the prompt such as scandisk, dir, and copy. You can start
Windows from the command line simply by typing
win
and then pressing [Enter].